In recognition of the state's African-American lineage and Black History Month, the Maryland Tourism Office has designated February as a time to call attention to this rich cultural tradition.
Imagine a gathering with an elite list of guests: an inventor, a scientist, an explorer, a Supreme Court justice, an orator, a human-rights hero, a few baseball players and a coterie of musicians. Despite their individual interests, the guests share a common trait. They all spent their formative years in Maryland. Moreover, they evoke a wide range of Maryland's rich African-American heritage.
The guest list includes: Henry Blair, Benjamin Banneker, Matthew Henson, Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Leon Day, Judy Johnson, Billie Holiday, Eubie Blake, Chick Webb and Cab Calloway.
Though these "guests" could not have assembled as a single group, visitors to Maryland can learn about them and become better acquainted with their legacies at a variety of attractions and locations across the state.
"Throughout the history of our State and our nation, African-Americans have made significant contributions in fields as diverse as sports, music, law, and civil rights," said Gov. Martin O'Malley. "Their achievements have helped improve our quality of life, secure a better future for our children, and expand opportunity for generations yet to come. It is our proud distinction to be home to so many African-Americans who have played such integral roles in shaping our nation."
Governor O'Malley will participate in an African-American Heritage Tour with students from Annapolis Elementary School in Annapolis, Md. Sponsored by Watermark, the walking tour focuses of the history of African-Americans in the state capitol. Lt. Governor Anthony Brown will celebrate the accomplishments of the county's African-Americans with a group of senior citizens in Prince George's County on February 16.
"Visitors to Maryland can explore the lasting heritage of a long list of distinguished citizens from our African-American communities," said Margot Amelia, director of the Maryland Tourism Office. "Visits to significant places linked to this thread of our history will provide travelers with opportunities to enjoy Maryland's diverse landscape – from the waterfront villages along the Chesapeake Bay to engaging urban centers to magnificent mountain scenery."
One of the state's major attractions is the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture in Baltimore near the Inner Harbor. It's the largest African-American museum on the East Coast, featuring a 2,000-seat theater, oral-history studio and substantial exhibition space. An exhibition of graphic works by artist Romare Bearden runs through March.
"February is a special month for the Reginald F. Lewis Museum," said David T. Terry, the museum's executive director. "We are celebrating the 2010 Black History Month theme of 'economic empowerment' – a theme that honors the accomplishments of the museum's namesake, Reginald F. Lewis, who was chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice International, the largest U.S. company owned by an African-American during his lifetime."
Here are some other places listed by region where visitors can experience Maryland's African-American heritage:
Western Maryland
•Doleman Black Heritage Museum – started as a hobby by Marguerite Doleman out of her Hagerstown home in 1974 – has a collection of books, artifacts and artwork that depict African-American history in Washington County. Visitors can see it by appointment (301-739-8185). A fundraiser for the museum is set for Feb. 27 at The Maryland Theatre, also in Hagerstown. Performers include the Coppin State University Choir (Baltimore) and students from Hagerstown's Barbara Ingram School for the Arts.
•The Kennedy Farmhouse in Sharpsburg was the staging location where abolitionist John Brown and his small army prepared for their raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in 1859 – an event that is often considered to have been the start of the Civil War. This restored National Historic Landmark is open for tours.
Capital Region
•Dorsey Chapel (Glenn Dale) and Northampton Plantation Slave Quarters Archeological Site (Mitchellville) are both run by Prince George's County. Dorsey – the religious and social center of a rural African-American community for more than 70 years – was built in 1900 and restored in 1996. Visitors to Northampton can see the rebuilt foundations of two 19th-century slave quarters from the remains of a tobacco plantation.
•Josiah Henson Site, formerly called the "Riley Farm/Uncle Tom's Cabin," is in Bethesda. Reverend Josiah Henson's 1849 autobiography was the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin . Henson lived and worked as a slave at Isaac Riley's farm from 1795 to 1830. He then managed to escape to Canada.
•Sandy Spring Slave Museum & African Art Gallery in Sandy Spring is open for tours by appointment (SlaveMuseum@yahoo.com). Exhibits include cross-section of a ship that transported slaves across the ocean, slave-era log cabin, arts pavilion and resource library.
Central Maryland
•Banneker Historical Park and Museum in Oella (Western Baltimore County) is the site of the Banneker family's farmstead dating back to the 17th century. Benjamin Banneker became prominent as a self-taught mathematician and astronomer. The 142-acre park, which has a permanent Banneker exhibition, is also a showcase for colonial history and environmental conservation. A number of trails are on the site, including the historic No. 9 Trolley Line Trail.
•The Banneker-Douglass Museum, located in Annapolis, maintains the state's official collection of African-American history and culture. Named for Benjamin Banneker and Frederick Douglass, the museum hosts lectures, workshops and performances. One of the current exhibitions is Portraits of Courage , a collection of paintings that features prominent African-Americans in Maryland history.
•Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center, in Baltimore, hosts musical theater and jazz concerts. It also has a gallery and runs performing-arts classes. On Feb. 14, the center presents Maysa – a 2009 Soul Train Music Award winner – in a Valentine's Day concert. February gallery exhibit, Love's Theory: A Visual Expression, uses paintings, photography, poetry and film.
•Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park, located on the water in Baltimore's Fells Point section, offers exhibitions, gallery talks, tours and hands-on learning programs. The park depicts the history of the African-American community during the 1800s, along with the maritime traditions of the region. Douglass, who had lived and worked on the local docks, was an abolitionist, orator and statesman. Myers was a founder of Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company – the first African-American owned and operated shipyard – and a national labor leader.
•Hampton National Historic Site, a National Park Service property in Baltimore County, was the location of the largest house in the country in 1790. The site incorporated an area half the size of present-day Baltimore. Indentured servants and slaves were a major part of the history of the estate, where the Ridgely family assembled a fortune through agriculture, manufacturing and commerce.
•The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, in Baltimore, is the nation's first African-American history wax museum. More than 100 life-sized figures are on display. A fundraiser for the museum is set for Sports Legends at Camden Yards, Feb. 27, as a tribute to Baltimore boxer Joe Gans (the first African-American sports champion) who won the lightweight title in 1902.
Southern Maryland
•African-American Heritage Society Museum in La Plata has artifacts, documents and photographs that depict the history of African-Americans in Charles County from 1658 to the present. The society promotes awareness of African-American contributions to the development of Southern Maryland.
•Sotterley Plantation in Hollywood (near St. Mary's City) is the only remaining Tidewater plantation in Maryland that is open to the public. Older than both Mount Vernon and Monticello, Sotterley includes an early-18th-century mansion, an original slave cabin and an assortment of other buildings on 95 acres of fields and gardens just off the Patuxent River. The 2010 speaker series opens Feb. 6 with FREE at Last - Black History Celebration! This all-day event includes storytelling, music and tours.
Eastern Shore
• Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center is one of an assortment of Cambridge locations that link to the story of Harriet Tubman, the runaway slave from Dorchester County who led hundreds to freedom through the Underground Railroad during the 1850s. A Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot counties is in the planning stages. Tubman's name topped Glamour magazine's list of "the seven most courageous women ever" in the publication's January 2010 issue.
Heritage brochures
More information about Maryland's African-American heritage is available in brochures that can be ordered through the Tourism Office's web site, including: Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway . An updated African-American History brochure will also be available soon.
In January, the Tourism Office spotlighted Maryland bed and breakfasts. Previous monthly themes have included Maryland's designated Main Streets, Chesapeake Bay art; hiking and biking; educa-tours; buying local; and Maryland wine.
To receive free Maryland travel information - Destination Maryland , Maryland Calendar of Events and a state highway map - by mail, call 800-719-5900. Information can also be found on the Tourism web site: VisitMaryland.org .
About Maryland tourism
The Maryland Office of Tourism is an agency of the Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts within the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development. Recently reported visitor data shows that the state welcomed more than 28 million visitors in 2008 who spent nearly $14.5 billion on travel-related expenses – a 3.2 percent increase in spending over 2007. During 2008, the Maryland tourism industry also generated close to $1.8 billion in state and local taxes and provided 146,000 jobs to Maryland residents.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
National Park Service Awards Grant
More than 139 years after its construction, the Cherokee National Capitol still stands and operates as a symbolic landmark for the Cherokee people. Now, through a unique grant sponsored by the National Park Service, Cherokee Nation has received $150,000 to help preserve the 1870-built Capitol for future generations. The building is Cherokee Nation’s only National Historic Landmark.
Awarded by a cooperative municipal program named, Save America’s Treasures, the federal money will go toward restoring the building’s roof and foundation, which has significantly deteriorated due to water infiltration. The funds will also aid in the installation of an appropriate drainage system.
The Cherokee National Capitol preservation project is scheduled to begin in 2010. The building currently houses the judicial branch of the Cherokee Nation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“The Cherokee National Capitol is a source of great pride for the Cherokee people with its rich history, symbolism and continued functionality within today’s tribal government,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “Moving onward with the restoration, we look forward to sharing and educating the public on the historical significance of this building.”
The Cherokee National Capitol is one of 41 projects throughout the United States recognized in the National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures $9.5 million grant award program for 2009. According to the National Park Service, the funds will assist the organizations and agencies to conserve significant United States cultural and historic treasures, which illustrate, interpret and are associated with the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to our nation’s history and culture.
National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis congratulated the recipients of the Save America’s Treasures awards saying, “The recipients of these grants deserve great credit for their commitment to the preservation of our nation’s history and culture. The historic properties and collections protected by Save America's Treasures grants for the last 10 years benefit all Americans, today and in the future. The National Park Service is proud of our role in administering this exceptional program with our partners.”
Since Cherokee Nation reunified its government in Indian Territory in 1839, the grounds on which the Capitol was built have been witness to much history. In 1843, the site played host to one of the most significant tribal gatherings in American history when more than 17 tribes from across the United States came to Tahlequah, Indian Territory, for the International Indian Council to renew ancient customs and strengthen tribal alliances. This historic convention is depicted in John Mix Stanley’s painting “International Indian Council,” which is displayed at Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Built in 1870, the Cherokee National Capitol was completed shortly after the American Civil War, a period in which the Cherokee Nation overcame turmoil and inter-tribal dissension to reunite and build its government seat. Over the years the building has survived numerous damages including fire. Today, the national landmark stands as a reminder of the progressive government and social system the Cherokee Nation established once it arrived in Indian Territory.
The Cherokee Nation’s commitment to preservation features four key projects including the Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum and Ross Cemetery, which are currently underway, and the Cherokee National Capitol and Cherokee National Jail, which are scheduled for 2010.
Sikes Abernathie Architects in Tulsa, Okla., completed the assessment of the existing physical condition of the Cherokee National Capitol and provided a prioritized list of projects to be completed in the restoration of the property.
Additional information on the Save America’s Treasures program can be found on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities web site at http://www.pcah.gov and/or the National Park Service web site at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/treasures/.
About Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism DepartmentThe Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism Department is managed by Cherokee Nation Entertainment and was created in 2007 to promote the story of the Cherokee people. Efforts by the Cherokee Nation include developing guided community and educational tours, creating tourism partnerships and programs throughout northeastern Oklahoma, and launching a new Cherokee tourism-specific web site. For more information, please visit http://www.cherokeetourismok.com.
About Cherokee Nation Entertainment
Cherokee Nation Entertainment is the gaming, hospitality, retail and tourism entity of the Cherokee Nation. Cherokee Nation Entertainment owns and operates the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, five Cherokee Casinos, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, three hotels, two golf courses and many other retail operations in northeastern Oklahoma. For more information, please visit http://www.cherokeestarrewards.com.
About Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the sovereign operating government of the Cherokee people. It is a federally recognized tribe of more than 280,000 Cherokee citizens, with its capitol located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Employing more than 6,500 people, Cherokee Nation’s annual economic impact in Oklahoma and surrounding areas is more than $1 billion dollars. To learn more, please visit http://www.cherokee.org.
Awarded by a cooperative municipal program named, Save America’s Treasures, the federal money will go toward restoring the building’s roof and foundation, which has significantly deteriorated due to water infiltration. The funds will also aid in the installation of an appropriate drainage system.
The Cherokee National Capitol preservation project is scheduled to begin in 2010. The building currently houses the judicial branch of the Cherokee Nation and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“The Cherokee National Capitol is a source of great pride for the Cherokee people with its rich history, symbolism and continued functionality within today’s tribal government,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “Moving onward with the restoration, we look forward to sharing and educating the public on the historical significance of this building.”
The Cherokee National Capitol is one of 41 projects throughout the United States recognized in the National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures $9.5 million grant award program for 2009. According to the National Park Service, the funds will assist the organizations and agencies to conserve significant United States cultural and historic treasures, which illustrate, interpret and are associated with the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to our nation’s history and culture.
National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis congratulated the recipients of the Save America’s Treasures awards saying, “The recipients of these grants deserve great credit for their commitment to the preservation of our nation’s history and culture. The historic properties and collections protected by Save America's Treasures grants for the last 10 years benefit all Americans, today and in the future. The National Park Service is proud of our role in administering this exceptional program with our partners.”
Since Cherokee Nation reunified its government in Indian Territory in 1839, the grounds on which the Capitol was built have been witness to much history. In 1843, the site played host to one of the most significant tribal gatherings in American history when more than 17 tribes from across the United States came to Tahlequah, Indian Territory, for the International Indian Council to renew ancient customs and strengthen tribal alliances. This historic convention is depicted in John Mix Stanley’s painting “International Indian Council,” which is displayed at Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Built in 1870, the Cherokee National Capitol was completed shortly after the American Civil War, a period in which the Cherokee Nation overcame turmoil and inter-tribal dissension to reunite and build its government seat. Over the years the building has survived numerous damages including fire. Today, the national landmark stands as a reminder of the progressive government and social system the Cherokee Nation established once it arrived in Indian Territory.
The Cherokee Nation’s commitment to preservation features four key projects including the Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum and Ross Cemetery, which are currently underway, and the Cherokee National Capitol and Cherokee National Jail, which are scheduled for 2010.
Sikes Abernathie Architects in Tulsa, Okla., completed the assessment of the existing physical condition of the Cherokee National Capitol and provided a prioritized list of projects to be completed in the restoration of the property.
Additional information on the Save America’s Treasures program can be found on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities web site at http://www.pcah.gov and/or the National Park Service web site at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/treasures/.
About Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism DepartmentThe Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism Department is managed by Cherokee Nation Entertainment and was created in 2007 to promote the story of the Cherokee people. Efforts by the Cherokee Nation include developing guided community and educational tours, creating tourism partnerships and programs throughout northeastern Oklahoma, and launching a new Cherokee tourism-specific web site. For more information, please visit http://www.cherokeetourismok.com.
About Cherokee Nation Entertainment
Cherokee Nation Entertainment is the gaming, hospitality, retail and tourism entity of the Cherokee Nation. Cherokee Nation Entertainment owns and operates the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, five Cherokee Casinos, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs, three hotels, two golf courses and many other retail operations in northeastern Oklahoma. For more information, please visit http://www.cherokeestarrewards.com.
About Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is the sovereign operating government of the Cherokee people. It is a federally recognized tribe of more than 280,000 Cherokee citizens, with its capitol located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Employing more than 6,500 people, Cherokee Nation’s annual economic impact in Oklahoma and surrounding areas is more than $1 billion dollars. To learn more, please visit http://www.cherokee.org.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Ancient Rome & America Exhibit at The Constitution Center--A Must See!
The National Constitution Center announced today that it will host the world debut of Ancient Rome & America – a multi-million dollar, artifact-rich exhibition showcasing the cultural, political, and social connections between the lost world of ancient Rome and modern America – from February 19 through August 1, 2010.
The National Constitution Center has worked for three years to develop the exhibition, which features a unique and unprecedented collection of rare artifacts and artwork, in partnership with Contemporanea Progetti of Florence, Italy , in collaboration with the Ministero per i Beni e Le Attività Culturali, Rome , Italy .
Rome, like the United States , overcame a monarchy to become a republic. Long after the fall of ancient Rome , its heroes and legends have continued to influence future generations. From the battlefields of the revolution to the chambers of Congress, Rome became a part of America ’s foundation. Through marble sculptures, paintings, jewelry, coins, and ceramics, Ancient Rome & America draws striking comparisons between Roman and American culture, from theories of government to slavery and civil war, to continental expansion and worldwide influence.
“The connections between these two cultures separated by millennia and continents are startling and captivating,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO David Eisner. “Visitors will never think of either the lost world of ancient Rome or the founding values of America in the same way.”
Covering over 8,000 square feet, Ancient Rome & America is organized into five galleries: Introduction, Building a Republic, A Classical Revival, Expansion and Empire, and Epilogue.
The exhibition features more than 300 artifacts from Italy 's leading archaeological collections in Florence , Naples , and Rome , paired with objects from over 40 lending institutions in the United States . Highlights include:
•Two eagles depicting this classic symbol shared by ancient Rome and America . The American eagle is carved from gilt wood. It was made in 1804 by Samuel McIntire, an important early American architect. Of the Roman eagle, only the bronze head remains. It likely originated from the top of a Roman army military standard.
•Roman busts of Scipio Africanus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero. American busts of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, each portrayed in togas.
•Gladiator/Football helmets. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Harold Carmichael’s helmet will be on display with a gladiator helmet and four original pieces from the gladiator barracks of an amphitheater in Pompeii – a “greave” (shin guard), two spearheads, and a dagger.
•Excavated remnants from Pompeii , including silverware, a preserved piece of a wall fresco, and the cast of a man who did not escape the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius .
•A selection of classical works belonging to the Founding Fathers that helped shape their political thought during the early years of the American republic. John Adams’ personal copy of Plutarch’s Lives, John Dickenson’s personal copy of the works of Roman historian Tacitus, and John Quincy Adams’ personal copy of Cicero’s De Oratore.
•Two letters from August 1776 exchanged between John and Abigail Adams. In them, Abigail signs her name “Portia” after the wife of the Roman Senator Brutus. The letters are filled with classical references and ideas of republican virtue.
•Slave collars from ancient Rome and the United States . Both ancient Rome and America prior to 1865 were slave societies. Made in the early 1800s, the slave collar from the U.S. is a rare artifact that can be tied to one man’s quest for freedom. Ben, a slave who worked on a farm in Pennsylvania , tried to escape three times, and after the third time, his owner had an iron collar made for him.
The exhibition concludes with a video presentation about Rome ’s legacy. Though the Roman Empire declined and fell, it remains a powerful influence on the western world. As visitors depart the exhibition, they will be left to ponder the lessons ancient Rome teaches us about our nation’s future.
“The profound and pervasive legacy of ancient Rome is deeply embedded in the western culture of today; the lasting effects of Roman domination can be found almost anywhere,” said Linda Carioni of Contemporanea Progetti. “They can be seen in our judiciary and monetary systems, in our art and architectural patrimony, in the modern Romance languages, in our alphabet of 26 letters, as well as the calendar of Julius Caesar.”
To augment the exhibition, the Center’s public programming staff in the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach is developing a variety of special programs and family activities. Also in keeping with the Center’s mission to foster discussion and citizen engagement, evening programs about current and historical topics related to the exhibition are planned. In addition, the Center is offering a special iPod audio tour in conjunction with the exhibition.
Admission to Ancient Rome & America is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors ages 65 and up, and $12 for children ages 4-12. Active military personnel and children ages 3 and under are free. Group rates are also available. Admission to the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production “Freedom Rising,” is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $5. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
CBS 3 and The CW Philly are the official media partners of Ancient Rome & America. CBS 3 (KYW-TV) and The CW Philly 57 (WPSG-TV) are part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation.
The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for debate on constitutional issues. The museum dramatically tells the story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, “Freedom Rising.” The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education. Also, as a nonpartisan forum for constitutional discourse, the Center presents – without endorsement – programs that contain diverse viewpoints on a broad range of issues. For more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
The National Constitution Center has worked for three years to develop the exhibition, which features a unique and unprecedented collection of rare artifacts and artwork, in partnership with Contemporanea Progetti of Florence, Italy , in collaboration with the Ministero per i Beni e Le Attività Culturali, Rome , Italy .
Rome, like the United States , overcame a monarchy to become a republic. Long after the fall of ancient Rome , its heroes and legends have continued to influence future generations. From the battlefields of the revolution to the chambers of Congress, Rome became a part of America ’s foundation. Through marble sculptures, paintings, jewelry, coins, and ceramics, Ancient Rome & America draws striking comparisons between Roman and American culture, from theories of government to slavery and civil war, to continental expansion and worldwide influence.
“The connections between these two cultures separated by millennia and continents are startling and captivating,” said National Constitution Center President and CEO David Eisner. “Visitors will never think of either the lost world of ancient Rome or the founding values of America in the same way.”
Covering over 8,000 square feet, Ancient Rome & America is organized into five galleries: Introduction, Building a Republic, A Classical Revival, Expansion and Empire, and Epilogue.
The exhibition features more than 300 artifacts from Italy 's leading archaeological collections in Florence , Naples , and Rome , paired with objects from over 40 lending institutions in the United States . Highlights include:
•Two eagles depicting this classic symbol shared by ancient Rome and America . The American eagle is carved from gilt wood. It was made in 1804 by Samuel McIntire, an important early American architect. Of the Roman eagle, only the bronze head remains. It likely originated from the top of a Roman army military standard.
•Roman busts of Scipio Africanus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero. American busts of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, each portrayed in togas.
•Gladiator/Football helmets. Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Harold Carmichael’s helmet will be on display with a gladiator helmet and four original pieces from the gladiator barracks of an amphitheater in Pompeii – a “greave” (shin guard), two spearheads, and a dagger.
•Excavated remnants from Pompeii , including silverware, a preserved piece of a wall fresco, and the cast of a man who did not escape the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius .
•A selection of classical works belonging to the Founding Fathers that helped shape their political thought during the early years of the American republic. John Adams’ personal copy of Plutarch’s Lives, John Dickenson’s personal copy of the works of Roman historian Tacitus, and John Quincy Adams’ personal copy of Cicero’s De Oratore.
•Two letters from August 1776 exchanged between John and Abigail Adams. In them, Abigail signs her name “Portia” after the wife of the Roman Senator Brutus. The letters are filled with classical references and ideas of republican virtue.
•Slave collars from ancient Rome and the United States . Both ancient Rome and America prior to 1865 were slave societies. Made in the early 1800s, the slave collar from the U.S. is a rare artifact that can be tied to one man’s quest for freedom. Ben, a slave who worked on a farm in Pennsylvania , tried to escape three times, and after the third time, his owner had an iron collar made for him.
The exhibition concludes with a video presentation about Rome ’s legacy. Though the Roman Empire declined and fell, it remains a powerful influence on the western world. As visitors depart the exhibition, they will be left to ponder the lessons ancient Rome teaches us about our nation’s future.
“The profound and pervasive legacy of ancient Rome is deeply embedded in the western culture of today; the lasting effects of Roman domination can be found almost anywhere,” said Linda Carioni of Contemporanea Progetti. “They can be seen in our judiciary and monetary systems, in our art and architectural patrimony, in the modern Romance languages, in our alphabet of 26 letters, as well as the calendar of Julius Caesar.”
To augment the exhibition, the Center’s public programming staff in the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach is developing a variety of special programs and family activities. Also in keeping with the Center’s mission to foster discussion and citizen engagement, evening programs about current and historical topics related to the exhibition are planned. In addition, the Center is offering a special iPod audio tour in conjunction with the exhibition.
Admission to Ancient Rome & America is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors ages 65 and up, and $12 for children ages 4-12. Active military personnel and children ages 3 and under are free. Group rates are also available. Admission to the Center’s main exhibition, The Story of We the People, including the award-winning theater production “Freedom Rising,” is included. iPod audio tours cost an additional $5. For ticket information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
CBS 3 and The CW Philly are the official media partners of Ancient Rome & America. CBS 3 (KYW-TV) and The CW Philly 57 (WPSG-TV) are part of CBS Television Stations, a division of CBS Corporation.
The National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch St. on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for debate on constitutional issues. The museum dramatically tells the story of the Constitution from Revolutionary times to the present through more than 100 interactive, multimedia exhibits, film, photographs, text, sculpture and artifacts, and features a powerful, award-winning theatrical performance, “Freedom Rising.” The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education. Also, as a nonpartisan forum for constitutional discourse, the Center presents – without endorsement – programs that contain diverse viewpoints on a broad range of issues. For more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Sailors Saluted on Postage Stamps
Four members of the U.S. Navy will be immortalized on stamps: William S. Sims, Arleigh A. Burke, John McCloy and Doris Miller. The First-Day-of-Issue dedication ceremony for the four 44-cent First-Class collectible "Distinguished Sailors" stamps takes place in Washington, DC, Feb. 4, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. in the Arleigh and Roberta Burke Theater of the United States Navy Memorial www.navymemorial.org at 701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. The event is free and open to the public.
WILLIAM S. SIMS
Commander of U.S. naval forces in European waters during World War I, William S. Sims (1858-1936) was an outspoken reformer and innovator who helped shape the Navy into a modern fighting force.
Sims was born in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada, where his father, an American citizen, was a railroad engineer. The family moved to Vermont when Sims was about twelve and soon thereafter settled in Pennsylvania.
Sims attended the Naval Academy from 1876 to 1880. He then spent nearly two decades at sea, interrupted by a year (1889) in Paris studying French. From 1897 to 1900, he served as naval attaché to the U.S. embassy in France and to the ministry in Russia. During this time, he studied and made reports on European naval developments, which he found to be far more advanced than those in America. (While in France, he met his future wife, Anne Hitchcock, daughter of the U.S. Minister to Russia.)
In 1901, at great risk to his career, Sims circumvented his immediate superiors and wrote directly to President Theodore Roosevelt about “the extreme danger of the present very inefficient condition of the Navy,” emphasizing the glaring deficiencies of American battleships and the need for more accurate firepower. Roosevelt thanked Sims for the letter and encouraged him to continue offering suggestions. Sims was able to implement some of his ideas for reform, especially in the area of gunnery, while serving as inspector of target practice in the Navy’s Bureau of Navigation from 1902 to 1909. He trained officers and gun crews in a new gun control method called “continuous aim firing,” adapting the techniques of British officer Percy Scott and achieving significant improvements in firing speed and accuracy. He also served as President Roosevelt’s naval aide from 1907 to 1909.
Shortly before the United States entered World War I, Sims, by this time a rear admiral, was sent on a secret mission to gather information on wartime conditions and to confer with the British Royal Navy. Soon after America entered the war, he was appointed commander of U.S. naval forces operating near Europe. To counter the German strategy of unrestricted warfare by U-boats, Sims advocated various antisubmarine measures. He played a critical role in promoting and coordinating a system of convoys—using destroyers and other warships to escort merchant ships and transports through danger zones—that achieved dramatic reductions in Allied shipping losses. To the extent that the defeat of German submarine warfare was “the critical naval campaign of the war, essential to victory over the Central Powers,” as historian David Trask has written, Sims’s contribution to the Allied victory in World War I was profound.
After the war, Sims returned to the same position he had held previously at the Naval War College, serving as president until his retirement in 1922. He sparked a congressional investigation in 1920 of the wartime conduct of the Navy Department, leading to extensive hearings on the subject. He also wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the war, Victory at Sea (1920).
Sims continued to write and lecture about naval reform until his death in 1936, at which time the New York Herald Tribune declared that he had “influenced our naval course more than any man who ever wore the uniform.” The Navy has named three destroyers after Sims. The most recent, USS W. S. Sims (DE-1059), was commissioned in 1970 and was decommissioned in 1991.
ARLEIGH A. BURKE
After serving as one of the top destroyer squadron commanders of World War II, Arleigh A. Burke (1901-1996) had an equally distinguished postwar career in which he played a major role in modernizing the Navy and guiding its response to the Cold War.
Born and raised on a farm near Boulder, Colorado, Burke secured an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1919 and graduated in 1923. After serving for five years in the battleship USS Arizona, he pursued postgraduate work in ordnance at the United States Naval Postgraduate School and then earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1931. During the 1930s, Burke served in various capacities in a heavy cruiser and a destroyer before being given command of USS Mugford, which under Burke won the Destroyer Gunnery Trophy for 1939-1940.
At the outset of World War II, Burke was an inspector at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington. His repeated requests for sea duty went unheeded until he was given command in early 1943 of a destroyer division in the South Pacific. He soon gained a reputation for brilliance and innovation, especially after taking command that fall of Destroyer Squadron 23. Under Burke the squadron became known as “the Little Beavers” and fought in 22 separate actions in a four-month period, sinking or helping to sink 9 Japanese destroyers and downing some 30 of their airplanes. His exploits and his own nickname, “31-Knot Burke,” became widely known, and his performance in battle earned him an appointment in March 1944 as chief of staff to Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher in the famed Fast Carrier Task Force. According to the Dictionary of American Military Biography, in this post Burke “coordinated the operations of the largest naval striking force in history in the battles of the Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa.”
With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Burke was sent to Japan to serve as deputy chief of staff to the commander of U.S. naval forces in the Far East. In 1951, he briefly served as commander of Cruiser Division Five before being designated a member of the United Nations Truce Delegation, which sought to negotiate an armistice in Korea. In late 1951, Burke was summoned to Washington for a two-year tour as director of the Navy’s Strategic Plans Division. In 1955, while still a rear admiral, he reached the pinnacle of his profession when President Eisenhower appointed him Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), promoting him ahead of nearly 100 more senior officers. During an unprecedented three terms as CNO, Burke sped up the construction of nuclear-powered submarines and initiated the Polaris Ballistic Missile Program.
Burke retired from the Navy in 1961 after nearly forty years of service. (He remained an influential figure and was at the forefront of efforts to establish the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, which was dedicated in 1987.) In 1977, Burke was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Navy honored him by naming a new class of guided missile destroyers after him. On July 4, 1991, the first of these, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), was commissioned in a ceremony attended by Burke and his wife Roberta.
When Burke died in 1996, he was hailed as a “sailor’s sailor” who defined what it meant to be a naval officer: “relentless in combat, resourceful in command, and revered by his crews.”
WILLIAM S. SIMS
Commander of U.S. naval forces in European waters during World War I, William S. Sims (1858-1936) was an outspoken reformer and innovator who helped shape the Navy into a modern fighting force.
Sims was born in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada, where his father, an American citizen, was a railroad engineer. The family moved to Vermont when Sims was about twelve and soon thereafter settled in Pennsylvania.
Sims attended the Naval Academy from 1876 to 1880. He then spent nearly two decades at sea, interrupted by a year (1889) in Paris studying French. From 1897 to 1900, he served as naval attaché to the U.S. embassy in France and to the ministry in Russia. During this time, he studied and made reports on European naval developments, which he found to be far more advanced than those in America. (While in France, he met his future wife, Anne Hitchcock, daughter of the U.S. Minister to Russia.)
In 1901, at great risk to his career, Sims circumvented his immediate superiors and wrote directly to President Theodore Roosevelt about “the extreme danger of the present very inefficient condition of the Navy,” emphasizing the glaring deficiencies of American battleships and the need for more accurate firepower. Roosevelt thanked Sims for the letter and encouraged him to continue offering suggestions. Sims was able to implement some of his ideas for reform, especially in the area of gunnery, while serving as inspector of target practice in the Navy’s Bureau of Navigation from 1902 to 1909. He trained officers and gun crews in a new gun control method called “continuous aim firing,” adapting the techniques of British officer Percy Scott and achieving significant improvements in firing speed and accuracy. He also served as President Roosevelt’s naval aide from 1907 to 1909.
Shortly before the United States entered World War I, Sims, by this time a rear admiral, was sent on a secret mission to gather information on wartime conditions and to confer with the British Royal Navy. Soon after America entered the war, he was appointed commander of U.S. naval forces operating near Europe. To counter the German strategy of unrestricted warfare by U-boats, Sims advocated various antisubmarine measures. He played a critical role in promoting and coordinating a system of convoys—using destroyers and other warships to escort merchant ships and transports through danger zones—that achieved dramatic reductions in Allied shipping losses. To the extent that the defeat of German submarine warfare was “the critical naval campaign of the war, essential to victory over the Central Powers,” as historian David Trask has written, Sims’s contribution to the Allied victory in World War I was profound.
After the war, Sims returned to the same position he had held previously at the Naval War College, serving as president until his retirement in 1922. He sparked a congressional investigation in 1920 of the wartime conduct of the Navy Department, leading to extensive hearings on the subject. He also wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the war, Victory at Sea (1920).
Sims continued to write and lecture about naval reform until his death in 1936, at which time the New York Herald Tribune declared that he had “influenced our naval course more than any man who ever wore the uniform.” The Navy has named three destroyers after Sims. The most recent, USS W. S. Sims (DE-1059), was commissioned in 1970 and was decommissioned in 1991.
ARLEIGH A. BURKE
After serving as one of the top destroyer squadron commanders of World War II, Arleigh A. Burke (1901-1996) had an equally distinguished postwar career in which he played a major role in modernizing the Navy and guiding its response to the Cold War.
Born and raised on a farm near Boulder, Colorado, Burke secured an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1919 and graduated in 1923. After serving for five years in the battleship USS Arizona, he pursued postgraduate work in ordnance at the United States Naval Postgraduate School and then earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1931. During the 1930s, Burke served in various capacities in a heavy cruiser and a destroyer before being given command of USS Mugford, which under Burke won the Destroyer Gunnery Trophy for 1939-1940.
At the outset of World War II, Burke was an inspector at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington. His repeated requests for sea duty went unheeded until he was given command in early 1943 of a destroyer division in the South Pacific. He soon gained a reputation for brilliance and innovation, especially after taking command that fall of Destroyer Squadron 23. Under Burke the squadron became known as “the Little Beavers” and fought in 22 separate actions in a four-month period, sinking or helping to sink 9 Japanese destroyers and downing some 30 of their airplanes. His exploits and his own nickname, “31-Knot Burke,” became widely known, and his performance in battle earned him an appointment in March 1944 as chief of staff to Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher in the famed Fast Carrier Task Force. According to the Dictionary of American Military Biography, in this post Burke “coordinated the operations of the largest naval striking force in history in the battles of the Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa.”
With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, Burke was sent to Japan to serve as deputy chief of staff to the commander of U.S. naval forces in the Far East. In 1951, he briefly served as commander of Cruiser Division Five before being designated a member of the United Nations Truce Delegation, which sought to negotiate an armistice in Korea. In late 1951, Burke was summoned to Washington for a two-year tour as director of the Navy’s Strategic Plans Division. In 1955, while still a rear admiral, he reached the pinnacle of his profession when President Eisenhower appointed him Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), promoting him ahead of nearly 100 more senior officers. During an unprecedented three terms as CNO, Burke sped up the construction of nuclear-powered submarines and initiated the Polaris Ballistic Missile Program.
Burke retired from the Navy in 1961 after nearly forty years of service. (He remained an influential figure and was at the forefront of efforts to establish the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, which was dedicated in 1987.) In 1977, Burke was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Navy honored him by naming a new class of guided missile destroyers after him. On July 4, 1991, the first of these, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), was commissioned in a ceremony attended by Burke and his wife Roberta.
When Burke died in 1996, he was hailed as a “sailor’s sailor” who defined what it meant to be a naval officer: “relentless in combat, resourceful in command, and revered by his crews.”
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Historic Preservation Group now on Facebook!
PreservationDirectory.com, a leading online resource for historic preservation and cultural resource management, has launched a companion page on Facebook.
The focus of the Facebook page will be to disseminate historic preservation-related news and policy alerts, job postings for museum/architecture/organizations, and photos of historic places and structures. The goal will be to use the networking expertise of Facebook to keep members aware of preservation news, job information, and policy alerts.
According to Tim Cannan, President of PreservationDirectory.com, "the new Facebook page will allow us to reach members instantly with late-breaking historic preservation news. We are also very excited to be able alert our members to job listings as soon as they are added to PreservationDirectory.com."
To view the new PreservationDirectory.com Facebook page, go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/PreservationDirectorycom/182062916596.
To celebrate the launch of the new companion group page on Facebook, PreservationDirectory.com has added hundreds of photos from their personal achives to the new group page. The photos are some of their favorite shots of buildings, roadside attractions, and other cultural sites from travels across North America.
Collaboration is also a big part of PreservationDirectory.com - in that spirit, they are looking for photos from the public to add to the architectural photo gallery. To submit photos and to receive historic preservation-related alerts, join the Facebook historic preservation group at http://www.facebook.com/pages/PreservationDirectorycom/182062916596.
In addition to regular updates to the architectural photo gallery, look for job postings in the fields of historic preservation, cultural resources and architecture, and policy alerts with links to new and archived documents.
About PreservationDirectory.com:
PreservationDirectory.com is a primary online resource for historic preservation, building restoration and cultural resource management in the United States & Canada. Our goal is to foster the preservation of historic buildings, historic downtowns and neighborhoods, cultural resources and to promote heritage tourism by facilitating communication among historic preservation professionals and the general public. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, PreservationDirectory.com has continually expanded and evolved to cover a comprehensive array of topics and resources of most interest to the historic and cultural resource community.
Contact:
Tim Cannan, President
PreservationDirectory.com
7017 N. Alma Ave
Portland, OR 97203
503-223-4939
info@preservationdirectory.com
http://www.PreservationDirectory.com
The focus of the Facebook page will be to disseminate historic preservation-related news and policy alerts, job postings for museum/architecture/organizations, and photos of historic places and structures. The goal will be to use the networking expertise of Facebook to keep members aware of preservation news, job information, and policy alerts.
According to Tim Cannan, President of PreservationDirectory.com, "the new Facebook page will allow us to reach members instantly with late-breaking historic preservation news. We are also very excited to be able alert our members to job listings as soon as they are added to PreservationDirectory.com."
To view the new PreservationDirectory.com Facebook page, go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/PreservationDirectorycom/182062916596.
To celebrate the launch of the new companion group page on Facebook, PreservationDirectory.com has added hundreds of photos from their personal achives to the new group page. The photos are some of their favorite shots of buildings, roadside attractions, and other cultural sites from travels across North America.
Collaboration is also a big part of PreservationDirectory.com - in that spirit, they are looking for photos from the public to add to the architectural photo gallery. To submit photos and to receive historic preservation-related alerts, join the Facebook historic preservation group at http://www.facebook.com/pages/PreservationDirectorycom/182062916596.
In addition to regular updates to the architectural photo gallery, look for job postings in the fields of historic preservation, cultural resources and architecture, and policy alerts with links to new and archived documents.
About PreservationDirectory.com:
PreservationDirectory.com is a primary online resource for historic preservation, building restoration and cultural resource management in the United States & Canada. Our goal is to foster the preservation of historic buildings, historic downtowns and neighborhoods, cultural resources and to promote heritage tourism by facilitating communication among historic preservation professionals and the general public. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, PreservationDirectory.com has continually expanded and evolved to cover a comprehensive array of topics and resources of most interest to the historic and cultural resource community.
Contact:
Tim Cannan, President
PreservationDirectory.com
7017 N. Alma Ave
Portland, OR 97203
503-223-4939
info@preservationdirectory.com
http://www.PreservationDirectory.com
Friday, November 20, 2009
Smoky Mountain Heritage Festival
Townsend , Tenn. , a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , hosts a series of
yearly events to preserve and promote the heritage, history and culture of Appalachia in order to educate and entertain visitors and locals alike. For more information about any of the events, please visit www.smokymountains.org or contact Jeanie Hilten at the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Winter Heritage Festival: February 4-7, 2010
To share its heritage and natural beauty, preserve its history and allow visitors and locals to
experience and celebrate the culture that is authentic to Appalachia and East Tennessee , the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with its partners host the Winter
Heritage Festival each year. The festival includes classes, exhibits, music, hikes, tours and demonstrations to provide first-hand experience and insight in the Great Smoky Mountains , Townsend area, and Cades Cove community. The award-winning event has been recognized as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast and with an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History.
WHEN: February 4-7, 2010
WHERE: The four-day event will be held at various locations throughout Townsend , Tenn.
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
Winter Heritage Classes: Various dates from Jan. 9—March 27, 2010
For those interested in learning a new skill, developing a hobby or simply learning about a craft and creating a unique work of art, the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau (SMCVB), will offer classes taught by local artisans during January, February and March 2010. The classes will showcase the many gifted and talented artisans and musicians in the area, as well as informing others of the traditional crafts and skills used in the Smokies. Participants can learn about basket-making, pottery, sewing and appliqué, rug hooking, and mandolin and flatpicking guitar.
WHEN: Pottery: January 9 and 23, and February 21, 2010.
Mandolin Workshop: February 12-13, 2010
Flatpicking Guitar Class: February 19-20, 2010
Basket Making Class: January 16, 21, 28 and 30, February 4, 18 and 27, and March 6, 25 and 28, 2010
Wool Applique: March 13, 2010
Rug Hooking: March 24 and March 27, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountains.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival: March 19-20, 2010
Hosted by the Townsend Artisan Guild and Fine Arts Blount, this interactive fiber arts event connects the community with fiber arts activities. The festival will include fiber animal exhibitions, sheep to shawl contest, an arts exhibition, fashion show, workshops, educational demonstrations of fiber processes, spinning, weaving, needlecrafts, dyeing, hands-on projects with children and adults, Fiber Arts Market and more.
WHEN: March 19-21, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountains.org, http://www.smfaf.org/ or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Herb and Wildflower Day: April 3, 2010
The Smoky Mountains are home to more than 1,500 kinds of flowering plants, with a show of blooms beginning in March and running through October. The Herb and Wildflower Day at the Townsend Visitors Center is a great way to learn about these wildflowers and herbs, as well as their many practical and traditional medicinal uses. Participants can also buy locally grown plants, delicious baked goods and hand-made pottery.
WHEN: April 3, 2010 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit http://www.smokymountains.org/info/herb_wildflower.html or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Spring Festival and Old Timers Day: April 30-May 1, 2010
Take the time to stop and smell the flowers, learn a little about Appalachian culture, experience a bluegrass jam session or performance, enjoy the Young Pickers Talent Contest, taste some authentic Southern barbeque, listen to a story or two, and get your fill of arts, crafts and mountain heritage—and do it all for FREE at the 18th Annual Spring Festival and Old Timer’s Day in Townsend. The event celebrates the unique and enduring heritage of Townsend, Blount County and the Great Smoky Mountains .
WHEN: April 30-May 1, 2010 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival: June 4-5, 2010
The Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival brings together potters from around the region in a juried event to exhibit, sell and demonstrate their craft. The festival emphasizes the finest pottery available in Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains , providing an opportunity to educate others about the long-time tradition of pottery and the various styles and methods used by potters in the past and present. The 2010 festival will have 35 pottery booths, an education and children’s tent, and Cynthia Bringle will be the featured potter.
WHEN: June 4-5, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit http://www.smokymountains.org/pottery-festival.html or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
Trout Fest: May 14-16, 2010
Troutfest is a yearly fly fishing exposition and fundraiser. Fly tyers will demonstrate their skills for many types of fly tying, such as trout, bass, panfish and saltwater. The event also features southern food and live bluegrass music. Fly fishermen will offer free seminars and share their expertise, and National Fly Tackle Manufacturers will have gear on site. Fly shops, artists, non-profit organizations and government fish and game agencies will also exhibit. Proceeds from this event are donated to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Fisheries Department, Friends of the Smokies Fisheries Scholarship Endowment or other youth educational conservation projects.
WHEN: May 14-16, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For details, call Little River Outfitters at (865) 448-9459 or visit www.troutfest.org.
Christy Fest: June 16-20, 2010
Christy Fest is an annual event, held in Townsend , Tennessee , to celebrate the character of
“Christie”, the TV series, movies and classic novel by Catherine Marshall. Cast members,
producers, writers, directors and crew from both productions come to Christy Fest to share
memories, mingle with fans, and enjoy the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains , where the
television series was filmed.
WHEN: June 16-20, 2010
WHERE: Townsend, Tenn.
CONTACT: For a schedule of events, or to register for Christy Fest, please visit www.christyfest.org.
Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day: September 24-25, 2010
The 18th Townsend Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day will include a wide array of Appalachian experiences for guests—everything from bluegrass music and clogging, to an antique tractor and engine show, storytelling, children's activities, crafts by local artisans, great food and demonstrations of a variety of traditional skills such as basketry, spinning, weaving, sorghum molasses, apple butter making, lye soap, beekeeping and blacksmithing. The two-day festival is free, and it celebrates Southern Appalachian Mountain culture and heritage. It has been voted several times as one of the top 20 events in the Southeast.
WHEN: September 24-25 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
yearly events to preserve and promote the heritage, history and culture of Appalachia in order to educate and entertain visitors and locals alike. For more information about any of the events, please visit www.smokymountains.org or contact Jeanie Hilten at the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Winter Heritage Festival: February 4-7, 2010
To share its heritage and natural beauty, preserve its history and allow visitors and locals to
experience and celebrate the culture that is authentic to Appalachia and East Tennessee , the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with its partners host the Winter
Heritage Festival each year. The festival includes classes, exhibits, music, hikes, tours and demonstrations to provide first-hand experience and insight in the Great Smoky Mountains , Townsend area, and Cades Cove community. The award-winning event has been recognized as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast and with an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History.
WHEN: February 4-7, 2010
WHERE: The four-day event will be held at various locations throughout Townsend , Tenn.
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
Winter Heritage Classes: Various dates from Jan. 9—March 27, 2010
For those interested in learning a new skill, developing a hobby or simply learning about a craft and creating a unique work of art, the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau (SMCVB), will offer classes taught by local artisans during January, February and March 2010. The classes will showcase the many gifted and talented artisans and musicians in the area, as well as informing others of the traditional crafts and skills used in the Smokies. Participants can learn about basket-making, pottery, sewing and appliqué, rug hooking, and mandolin and flatpicking guitar.
WHEN: Pottery: January 9 and 23, and February 21, 2010.
Mandolin Workshop: February 12-13, 2010
Flatpicking Guitar Class: February 19-20, 2010
Basket Making Class: January 16, 21, 28 and 30, February 4, 18 and 27, and March 6, 25 and 28, 2010
Wool Applique: March 13, 2010
Rug Hooking: March 24 and March 27, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountains.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Smoky Mountain Fiber Arts Festival: March 19-20, 2010
Hosted by the Townsend Artisan Guild and Fine Arts Blount, this interactive fiber arts event connects the community with fiber arts activities. The festival will include fiber animal exhibitions, sheep to shawl contest, an arts exhibition, fashion show, workshops, educational demonstrations of fiber processes, spinning, weaving, needlecrafts, dyeing, hands-on projects with children and adults, Fiber Arts Market and more.
WHEN: March 19-21, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountains.org, http://www.smfaf.org/ or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Herb and Wildflower Day: April 3, 2010
The Smoky Mountains are home to more than 1,500 kinds of flowering plants, with a show of blooms beginning in March and running through October. The Herb and Wildflower Day at the Townsend Visitors Center is a great way to learn about these wildflowers and herbs, as well as their many practical and traditional medicinal uses. Participants can also buy locally grown plants, delicious baked goods and hand-made pottery.
WHEN: April 3, 2010 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit http://www.smokymountains.org/info/herb_wildflower.html or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134.
Spring Festival and Old Timers Day: April 30-May 1, 2010
Take the time to stop and smell the flowers, learn a little about Appalachian culture, experience a bluegrass jam session or performance, enjoy the Young Pickers Talent Contest, taste some authentic Southern barbeque, listen to a story or two, and get your fill of arts, crafts and mountain heritage—and do it all for FREE at the 18th Annual Spring Festival and Old Timer’s Day in Townsend. The event celebrates the unique and enduring heritage of Townsend, Blount County and the Great Smoky Mountains .
WHEN: April 30-May 1, 2010 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival: June 4-5, 2010
The Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival brings together potters from around the region in a juried event to exhibit, sell and demonstrate their craft. The festival emphasizes the finest pottery available in Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains , providing an opportunity to educate others about the long-time tradition of pottery and the various styles and methods used by potters in the past and present. The 2010 festival will have 35 pottery booths, an education and children’s tent, and Cynthia Bringle will be the featured potter.
WHEN: June 4-5, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit http://www.smokymountains.org/pottery-festival.html or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
Trout Fest: May 14-16, 2010
Troutfest is a yearly fly fishing exposition and fundraiser. Fly tyers will demonstrate their skills for many types of fly tying, such as trout, bass, panfish and saltwater. The event also features southern food and live bluegrass music. Fly fishermen will offer free seminars and share their expertise, and National Fly Tackle Manufacturers will have gear on site. Fly shops, artists, non-profit organizations and government fish and game agencies will also exhibit. Proceeds from this event are donated to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Fisheries Department, Friends of the Smokies Fisheries Scholarship Endowment or other youth educational conservation projects.
WHEN: May 14-16, 2010
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For details, call Little River Outfitters at (865) 448-9459 or visit www.troutfest.org.
Christy Fest: June 16-20, 2010
Christy Fest is an annual event, held in Townsend , Tennessee , to celebrate the character of
“Christie”, the TV series, movies and classic novel by Catherine Marshall. Cast members,
producers, writers, directors and crew from both productions come to Christy Fest to share
memories, mingle with fans, and enjoy the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains , where the
television series was filmed.
WHEN: June 16-20, 2010
WHERE: Townsend, Tenn.
CONTACT: For a schedule of events, or to register for Christy Fest, please visit www.christyfest.org.
Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day: September 24-25, 2010
The 18th Townsend Fall Heritage Festival and Old Timers Day will include a wide array of Appalachian experiences for guests—everything from bluegrass music and clogging, to an antique tractor and engine show, storytelling, children's activities, crafts by local artisans, great food and demonstrations of a variety of traditional skills such as basketry, spinning, weaving, sorghum molasses, apple butter making, lye soap, beekeeping and blacksmithing. The two-day festival is free, and it celebrates Southern Appalachian Mountain culture and heritage. It has been voted several times as one of the top 20 events in the Southeast.
WHEN: September 24-25 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Townsend Visitors Center
7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend , Tennessee 37882
CONTACT: For more information, please visit www.smokymountainfestivals.org or contact the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 525-6834 or (865) 448-6134
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Where is the Best Place to Buy an Old House?
As part of the ongoing commitment to the preservation community, PreservationDirectory.com has once again teamed up with This Old House magazine to promote their search for "The Best Places to Buy an Old House." An upcoming issue and Web feature from TOH will feature the 3rd annual "The Best Places to Buy an Old House" article, which strives to identify affordable—or just plain magnificent—homes in historic neighborhoods and districts across the United States.
According to This Old House Associate Editor, Keith Pandolfi, “In the past two years, TOH has introduced our readers to more than 100 great neighborhoods jam-packed with older homes, and residents determined to both restore them—and maintain them—for future generations. This year, we’re looking for 51 more (one in each state, and one in Canada) to add to our list of the Best Places to Buy an Old House. As always, we’re especially interested in overlooked places known for affordable houses that are heavy on architectural details.
In order to most effectively accomplish this search, This Old House and PreservationDirectory.com are seeking the help of dedicated preservationists, neighborhood boosters and heritage travelers! To nominate your historic district, town or city, please submit the following information:
- The name of the neighborhood, town or district you wish to nominate
- A brief history of the area
- A brief description of the types of houses available, including architectural styles, the period in which they were built; and the average price range.
- A short paragraph on why you think the area deserves to be included on our list.
- At least five high-res digital photographs (300 DPI, at about 8.5 by 6.5) of houses and/or streetscapes in the neighborhood.
The top picks, as determined by the This Old House staff, will be published in a future issue of This Old House and will be featured on the homepage of PreservationDirectory.com. Past "winners" include Centre Park Historic District in Reading, PA; Old Louisville, KY; Albany, OR; Washington, GA; Victorian Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY; and Georgetown, TX.
To view last year's Best Places article, go to www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20283021,00.html
Nominations are due no later than November 16, 2009. Please send information outlined above to This Old House Associate Editor, Keith Pandolfi at keith_pandolfi@timeinc.com.
About PreservationDirectory.com:
PreservationDirectory.com is a primary online resource for historic preservation, building restoration and cultural resource management in the United States & Canada. Our goal is to foster the preservation of historic buildings, historic downtowns and neighborhoods, cultural resources and to promote heritage tourism by facilitating communication among historic preservation professionals and the general public. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, PreservationDirectory.com has continually expanded and evolved to cover a comprehensive array of topics and resources of most interest to the historic and cultural resource community.
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