Local History comes to life during Heritage Days
By: Patrick Ross
Heritage Days is taking place this weekend at the Mountain HomePlace.
Area school students came out Thursday and Friday to learn, visit, and
get a taste of what People with historical knowledge and experience
are brought in for the annual event. 1800s. They bring in people with
previous experience. “We bring in professionals from all the counties
around,” Brenda Cockerham, Johnson County Extension Agent said.
“We have about six areas of focus, and we build it based on the actual
community of the Mountain Homeplace,” Cockerham said. The event
Cockerham said has grown over the last few years and includes many
interactive activities and demonstrations for children to participate
including letting them play with the animals, visit the blacksmith,
and taste foods once commonly prepared for the 1800s family.
Horses, goats, donkeys, pigs, and chickens are among the farm animals
that are around for children to see and learn about the part animals
played in history. Children also got the chance to feed them.
Quilters reenacting the time era “demonstrate the quilting, and
children can stitch if they want to,” Cockerham said. Finished quilts
are displayed on the walls of the HomePlace church. “These quilts are
significant to signals and signs of the Underground railroad,”
Cocherham added.
Local wood crafter Terry Ratliff has been making wooden chairs and
other items around 34 years. “It has felt like a calling,” it has
kept me at it and something snags me back on to it, if I stray off to
another path,” Ratliff said. “This is what I need to do. One of my
biggest inspirations and mentors was Chester Cornett, and I hope
someday to make chairs something like he made,” Ratliff added. Having
Ratliff on the farm, teaching children about how furnishings and
fencings were once made without the use of modern day nails helps
showcase his true artistic talent.
Local actress, Jenny Robinson also gave a performance portraying May
Stafford from the Stafford House family. Students also got to “eat
pie, taste pepper jelly, and tomato jelly,” Cockerham said. They also
got to try a taste of old-fashioned sorghum.
“We intertwine the arts and the foods into our historic sites, Cockerham said.
This educational event is a fun activity to give students and other
visitors a chance to receive a taste of yesteryear. Heritage Days is
open to the public and will continue on Friday from 8-3.
Heritage Days is taking place this weekend at the Mountain HomePlace.
Area school students came out Thursday and Friday to learn, visit, and
get a taste of what People with historical knowledge and experience
are brought in for the annual event. 1800s. They bring in people with
previous experience. “We bring in professionals from all the counties
around,” Brenda Cockerham, Johnson County Extension Agent said.
“We have about six areas of focus, and we build it based on the actual
community of the Mountain Homeplace,” Cockerham said. The event
Cockerham said has grown over the last few years and includes many
interactive activities and demonstrations for children to participate
including letting them play with the animals, visit the blacksmith,
and taste foods once commonly prepared for the 1800s family.
Horses, goats, donkeys, pigs, and chickens are among the farm animals
that are around for children to see and learn about the part animals
played in history. Children also got the chance to feed them.
Quilters reenacting the time era “demonstrate the quilting, and
children can stitch if they want to,” Cockerham said. Finished quilts
are displayed on the walls of the HomePlace church. “These quilts are
significant to signals and signs of the Underground railroad,”
Cocherham added.
Local wood crafter Terry Ratliff has been making wooden chairs and
other items around 34 years. “It has felt like a calling,” it has
kept me at it and something snags me back on to it, if I stray off to
another path,” Ratliff said. “This is what I need to do. One of my
biggest inspirations and mentors was Chester Cornett, and I hope
someday to make chairs something like he made,” Ratliff added. Having
Ratliff on the farm, teaching children about how furnishings and
fencings were once made without the use of modern day nails helps
showcase his true artistic talent.
Local actress, Jenny Robinson also gave a performance portraying May
Stafford from the Stafford House family. Students also got to “eat
pie, taste pepper jelly, and tomato jelly,” Cockerham said. They also
got to try a taste of old-fashioned sorghum.
“We intertwine the arts and the foods into our historic sites, Cockerham said.
This educational event is a fun activity to give students and other
visitors a chance to receive a taste of yesteryear. Heritage Days is
open to the public and will continue on Friday from 8-3.
