Sun, Jul 05 2009
|
|
Published September 13, 2008 08:03 pm - DIAMOND, Mo. — Looming storm clouds and the threat of heavy rains didn’t deter Harry Moss and his family from attending the Prairie Day celebration at the George Washington Carver National Monument on Saturday. Prairie Day reflects Carver’s early years By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com DIAMOND, Mo. — Looming storm clouds and the threat of heavy rains didn’t deter Harry Moss and his family from attending the Prairie Day celebration at the George Washington Carver National Monument on Saturday. “We brought raincoats and ponchos,” said Moss, of Seneca, who brought his wife and grandchildren to the event. “We just figured we’d come and deal with the weather.” Aside from some early-morning showers that led to the cancellation of horse-drawn carriage rides through the prairie surrounding the monument, the weather was relatively dry during the celebration, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lana Henry, one of the organizers of Prairie Day, said the event had drawn more than 500 visitors before noon. “We have had a wonderful turnout, even with the rain this morning,” she said. “I’m sure we’ll break one thousand for the event.” In addition to the regular exhibits that feature vignettes into George Washington Carver’s life and times, Prairie Day also offered visitors a chance to see demonstrations of quilt making, basket weaving and other old-time displays of country customs. Storytelling, dulcimer music and live bands were also part of the festivities. With the event now entering its second decade, Henry said the displays offered at Prairie Day are designed to provide visitors with a glimpse of what life was like for Carver as a boy. “He turned his life into helping others — it’s what he called his destiny,” she said. “And we can trace that back to his formative years here on this farm.” Much of Carver’s fame was based on his research and promotion of alternative crops to cotton, such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. He wanted poor farmers to grow alternative crops as both a source of their own food as well as a source of other products to improve their quality of life. Gloria Park and Paulette Wohlenhaus drew a crowd of children and parents for their quilting display. Park, of Joplin, and Wohlenhaus, of Webb City, are both members of the Town and Country Quilters group of Joplin. They said they use the event to promote quilting and to attract new members to their group. “Quilting is almost a lost art,” Wohlenhaus said. “When (visitors) see us quilting, it helps them remember their roots. They’ll say, ‘Oh my grandmother used to do that.’” For Moss and his family, who said they make frequent visits to the monument, the event offered new activities for the grandchildren to see. Nine-year-old Zachary Moss said he was looking forward to the wood-carving exhibit. 
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the Local News section
Discontent brews at 'tea party' Area communities celebrate holiday with food, music and fireworks |
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
Discuss this story
 |
 |
    : Special Offer For New Subscribers :   
|
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
|
|
Published by Newspaper Holding, Inc. 117 East Fourth Street, Joplin, MO 64801 Using our site is your agreement to the terms and conditions. News: news@joplinglobe.com • (417)623-3480 Advertise with the Joplin Globe Copyright © 2006 The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO All rights reserved. 
|
Popular Business directory links - Joplin Apartments | Joplin Attorneys | Joplin Auto Dealers | Joplin Auto Parts | Joplin Auto Repair | Joplin Beauty Salons | Joplin Car Rental | Joplin Dentists | Joplin Doctors | Joplin Flowers | Joplin Hotels | Joplin Insurance | Joplin Loans | Joplin Mortgages | Joplin Movers | Joplin Pizza | Joplin Realtors | Joplin Restaurants | Joplin Storage | Joplin Tax Preparation | Joplin Travel | Joplin Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service |
