June 13, 2019
MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — The beginning of summer brings a busy schedule of events to the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville. All programs are free and open to the public.
Schedule of June Programs:
Saturday, June 15, 1 p.m. – “Growing Corn During West Virginia’s Late Prehistory,” lecture by David Fuerst, president, West Virginia Archeological Society. West Virginia’s prehistoric inhabitants became increasingly dependent on growing corn as a staple in their diet during the Late Prehistoric times (A.D. 1000 to A.D. 1675). Their gardens and field included corn, beans and squash, and they lived in permanent stockade villages with populations of up to 1,500 people. Visitors also will have the opportunity to try their hand at corn grinding after the presentation.
Thursday, June 20, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. – West Virginia Day, celebrate the Mountain State’s birthday with a giant birthday card, a museum hunt and “West Virginia: A Film History,” a documentary series produced by the West Virginia Film Project and the West Virginia Humanities Council.
Saturday, June 29, 1 p.m. - “A Secret History of American River People,” program by Wes Modes, a researcher from Santa Cruz, Calif. Modes is traveling down the Ohio River this summer interviewing people whose lives are connected to the river. He is a self-described artist focused on social practice, sculpture, performance and new media work, as well as a “high-tech runaway,” writer, community organizer, geek and mischief-maker. With an MFA from the Digital Art and New Media program at UC Santa Cruz, he is an art lecturer and curator at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.
Featured Artists of the Month – Throughout the month of June visitors can view an exhibit of paintings by four local artists: Hilda Steen, Ann Hendley, Bari Lehn and Alice Lemasters. They are making a return appearance to the museum after an exhibition in 2018, with a wide range of subjects, including landscapes, animals and seasonal themes.
Discovery Table – In honor of the state’s birthday month, visitors will receive a West Virginia Activity Booklet to complete while at the museum or to take home with them. The booklet includes images to color, a word search, and a puzzle identifying some of West Virginia’s state symbols as well as history of the Mountain State. This activity is available during regular museum hours.
Operated by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features one of the largest conical burial mounds built by the Adena people between 250 - 150 B.C. and ranks as one of the largest earthen mortuary mounds anywhere in the world. Exhibits and displays in the Delf Norona Museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The complex also houses the West Virginia Archaeological Research and Collections Management Facility.
Admission to Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex is free. The Delf Norona Museum, located at 801 Jefferson Avenue, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday. Outdoor access closes at 4:30 p.m.
For more information about activities and programs at Grave Creek Mound, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator, at (304) 843-4128 or [email protected] or visit www.facebook.com/gravecreekmound and www.twitter.com/gravecreekmound.
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