May 29, 2011
WOLF CREEK HERITAGE MUSEUM NOTES by Virginia Scott MUSEUM HAPPENINGS Georgia and I traveled to Houston to the annual meeting of the American Association of Museums (AAM). The conference was huge and it took us awhile to get oriented to program, place, and people. Some of our classes were off-site and we had to get on buses and venture through Houston. Needless to say, it was an adventure. The town has changed drastically since I lived there much to the better I must say and visiting the various museums and sites was great. One tour we made was a walking tour of the Buffalo Bayou and how they are beautifying it. Thankfully, it was a morning class and still cool. Another class I attended was on blogging and twittering. I learned that this column was basically a blog so I will sending the weekly column out on a blog soon as I register us. The blog will receive comments. Wish me luck in this new adventure for the museum. I never know what I will find on my desk when I return from a trip, but this morning I was a little over whelmed. There are packages, new (old) benches, messages, notes,etc. I think the museum was busy last week with lots of visitors. It will take a couple of weeks to catch up with everything so be patience. A REMINDER THE AKERS FAMILY EXHIBIT IS UP. Please drop by and visit the wonderful art by Pam, Sharon, Larry, and Mom. You will not be disappointed. The RECEPTION is JUNE 26 AT 2 PM. HISTORICAL MUSING Today as I write this column, The President of the United States, Barack Obama, is laying a wreath on the grave of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. He will also deliver an address to all who attend. This type of ceremony will occur throughout the United States to honor all our fallen soldiers. Families will visit their family plots to remember their family loved ones and to teach their children about the ancestors. This National Holiday was started in 1866 when the United States was recovering from the long and bloody Civil War, Henry Welles, a drugstore owner in Waterloo, New York suggested that all the shops close for one day to honor the soldiers who were killed. On the morning of May 5, the townspeople placed flowers, wreaths, and crosses on the graves of the Northern soldiers. At about the same time, Retired Major General Jonathan A. Logan planned a ceremony for all the soldiers who survived the war. He led the veterans through town to the cemetery to decorate their comrades' graves with flags. It was not a happy celebration, but a memorial. The townspeople called it Decoration Day. The two ceremonies were joined in 1868 and commemorated the day on May 30. In 1882, the name was changed to Memorial Day. In 1971, along with other holidays, President Richard Nixon declared Memorial Day a federal holiday on the Last Monday in May. The Southern states had similar ceremonies and memorial observances but on different dates, some of the southern states i.e. Louisiana and Tennessee observe Confederate Memorial Day on June 3rd and North and South Carolina on May 10th. Have a good week and remember Peace starts with a smile. |
© 2006 - 2024 Wolf Creek Heritage Museum
All Rights Reserved |