March 4, 2010
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History will present its “Second Saturday” program of museum activities celebrating Women’s History Month on March 13, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex, in Charleston. The free program is geared for children of all ages. It is recommended that children under the age of 13 be accompanied by an adult.
On Saturday, kids can enjoy participating in a scavenger hunt while using the Museum Bingo Sheet all day long. They also can visit the “hands-on history cart” which will have various carpentry tools from the early 1900s. From 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., they can participate in the “make ‘n take” craft activities in the North Connection Room of the museum. Kids also can participate in drawing activities exploring and celebrating the art of Georgia O’Keefe.
At 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon, participants can gather in the North Connection Room to hear the story, Night in the Country, which was written by West Virginia native Cynthia Rylant. The tale paints a picturesque landscape of Appalachia, with its warm country nights, cool breezes, fireflies and other common sights and sounds of the evening hours. Following the story, children can make a bookmark.
At 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m., kids can examine artifacts in the museum that deal with the history of women in West Virginia during the “museum walk ‘n talk” session. The children can see objects such as a revolver owned by Rose Lee Hatfield, a daughter of Anderson “Devil Anse” Hatfield. They also can see a painting of Betty Zane, who according to legend, saved Fort Henry in 1782 Wheeling with a brave dash through a group of Native Americans to bring gunpowder to the fort. Mary Levy’s flag quilt will be on display, as well. Levy of Ronceverte, Greenbrier County, collected small national flags offered as premiums in cigarette packages, ca. 1912. She incorporated the flags into a quilt which she used to teach her children the flags of the world.
In addition, at 1 p.m., and 2 p.m., kids can see historic re-enactor Becky Park’s portrayal of Colonel Ruby Bradley, a native of Spencer, one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history. Bradley was a nurse who survived two wars, a prison camp and near starvation. Her military record included 34 metals and citations of bravery, including two Legion of Merit medals, two Bronze stars, two Presidential Emblems, the World War II Victory Medal and the U.N. Service Medal. She also was the recipient of the Florence Nightingale Medal, the Red Cross’ highest international honor. Bradley died May 28, 2002 at the age of 94.
For more information about “Second Saturdays,” contact museum guest services, at (304) 558-0220, ext. 111.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Culture Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Culture Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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