Heritage Center outlines summer activities

With the beginning of Daily Adventures on June 1, the American West Heritage Center, a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving and celebration our area’s heritage and history, opens its doors to living history and heritage-oriented activities for all ages. Daily Adventures is one of the Heritage Center’s keystone programs and runs June – August each year, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm. It is located at 4025 S. Hwy 89-91 in Wellsville, Utah. Costs are $8 for adults and $6 for youth 3-17, seniors and military personnel. The American West Heritage Center is the organization that brings Baby Animal Days to our community each year.

Typically, five specific venues are open to visitors with hands-on and historic activities. The 1917 Jensen Historical Farm is a real farm that uses old-fashioned equipment, skills, and know-how to get things done. Visitors can explore family life on a farm during World War I on the home front in northern Utah. At the Pioneer Site, guests can learn about Dutch oven cookery, play pioneer games, pull a handcart, or do a number of other things. The Mountain Man Camp is a place to discover how trappers lived, throw tomahawks, or do a myriad of other things. At Patch’s Woodwright Shoppe, visitors can learn old-fashioned wood-working techniques and visit with the very friendly character Patch Peterson, a world-famous sculptor who has been with the Heritage Center for over three decades. Visitors can also experience life as a native Shoshone. The Northwest Band of the Shoshone Indians is the tribe native to our area and is a partner in presenting authentic native American life ways.

This year, the Heritage Center is aligning its activities around weekly themes to keep things fresh and exciting each time guests come. The themes include “Four Weddings & A Funeral”, its first weekly theme taking  place  June 1-5. Preparations will be made all week for the five mini-events, and then on Saturday, June 5, four wedding reenactments will happen, one each at the Pioneer Settlement (11 am), a Shot Gun Wedding (“Wild West”) (1 pm), 1917 Farm (2 pm), and a Mt. Man wedding (3 pm). A funeral reenactment will be presented at the Pioneer Settlement at 12 pm that will explore burial rites of our pioneer ancestors. Additionally, a Victorian Bridal Tea Party will take place on Friday, June 4 at 2 pm. Reservations are required for the tea party (additional cost of $2 applies to cover costs for the generous dessert).

Other weekly themes, in order of appearance, are “How the West Was Worn”, “Arts Week”, “Cooking & Foodways”, “Things That Go!” (during the week of the Cruise In, of course), “Honor Our Military (Military personnel get in free that week, by the way), “Lawmen & Outlaws”, “A Stitch in Time: Fiber Arts”, “The Ways of Wood”, “Shoshone Indian Days”, “Weird Science”, “Preserving Memories”, and “International Immigrants Week”. Each of these weekly themes will allow the Heritage Center to display and use different artifacts and explore different activities and topics.

Along with the weekly themes, the Heritage Center will host a number of special workshops throughout the summer in which old-fashioned skills will be presented. Some of the workshops include working on a pioneer rug loom, musical instrument repair, quilting, and many more. You can find a complete list with dates on the Heritage Center’s website: www. awhc.org . Some workshops do have an additional cost because of supplies.

Additionally, other activities also take place at the Heritage Center during Daily Adventures. Each day, a historic party is presented at 2 pm to help visitors access the past in fun, engaging ways. Tuesdays and Fridays feature a Victorian children’s tea party (by reservation; an additional cost of $2 applies to this party only; ages 4 and up). On Wednesdays, a Mt. Man party or mini-rendezvous takes place. Thursdays feature Pioneer parties, where old fashioned pioneer games and activities are planned. A tipi party is hosted each Saturday and feature Native American fun.

A new program this year will be “Art Every Day” in which guests can engage in historic arts activities or in fine art or craft activities that help to access and enjoy the heritage of our area. The crafts are usually free or are very inexpensive. Each craft has been selected to match a various site or venue each day. Pony rides take place daily from 11 am – 1 pm and from 3 – 5 pm at no additional cost. One exciting addition this year is the new railroad train that visitors can ride at no additional charge.

Other summer programs include the popular Summer Camps where kids can enjoy “Life on the Farm”, “Life on the Frontier”, “Art in the Barn!”, “Little House in the Valley”, and several one-day camps. Though popular, there are still a few positions left in several camps and parents should call for reservations soon.

Two returning popular activities this year will be Family Nights and Bread & Jam. Family Nights take place the first and third  Monday evening of each month beginning June 7. Families can enjoy old fashioned games and activities, animal-interaction, and a snack. Cost is $5/person. You’ll want to bring your instruments or voices (or just ears) to Bread & Jam, held 4 pm on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month (beginning June 10) as music jamming is the focus. The Heritage Center assures everyone that it’s relaxed, friendly, and it’s all for fun so you shouldn’t be shy. Bread and jam will also be served up as a snack, of course! There is no additional charge for Bread & Jam, but it does require admission to Daily Adventures.

The new Camp Rendezvous is also open all summer for youth conferences, girls camps, reunions and other larger group camping. It had its grand opening last week with the Spring Campfire.

There are several large events taking place this summer at the Heritage Center as well. The Spirit of ’47 Pioneer Jubilee is Utah’s most authentic pioneer celebration. It takes place on July 24 and is a free event. It includes pioneer activities for all ages and a giant old-fashioned water party in the afternoon. The ever popular Pioneer Handcart Progressive Dinner is that same day in the evening. Events also include the annual Star Party, held in partnership with Stokes Nature Center on Aug. 13, an All Night Scrapbooking Expo on Aug. 20-21, and the annual Celtic Festival and Highland Games on Aug. 28.

For more information about Daily Adventures, or to schedule a larger group to attend, please contact them at (435) 245-6050. You can also find more detailed information about these events and activities by visiting their website at www.awhc.org .

Music is often experienced at the Heritage Center.