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February 21, 2010
WOLF CREEK HERITAGE MUSEUM NOTES by Virginia Scott MUSEUM HAPPENINGS The stories are coming in and we are excited about that. It is not too late so keep writing . We have no limit on the number of stories. Remember also you can purchase memorials, ads,etc. The details are on our brochures. Target date for all stories is April 1. I traveled to Snyder and Lubbock last week to represent the museum and our region at the Texas Plains Trail meeting and the meeting of the Northwest Texas Museum Association. These meeting give us the opportunity to network with other organizations and share ideas. Membership in the Plains Trail is based on your counties population and this fee assists in all the marketing and promotional costs that the group does. Visitors to the museum has been slow mainly due to the weather. We are staying open as much as we can. When the weather is bad , just call before traveling our way. We are preparing for next month's exhibit, It is the BRA TALK Art Collection from the Amarillo Area Breast Health Coalition . This exhibit is to raise awareness of the importance of breast health . We will have a reception to celebrate breast cancer survivors. Date to be announced. If you know a breast cancer survivor, send us their name so we can invite them to the reception. If you haven't seen this exhibit , please plan to attend. HISTORICAL MUSINGS Even though we observed President's day last Monday, This Monday was George Washington's birthday. It was 1971, that Pres. Nixon combined Lincoln's birthday , February 12 and Washington's birthday, February 22 into one single federal public holiday , Presidents day, to be observed on the third Monday of February. Washington served two terms as President and turned down a third term. His birthday was celebrated during his terms as President and legends were told of him which have never been proven but emphasized his strength and honesty. The most famous was the story of him cutting down the cherry tree and admitting to his father that "I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my Hatchet." This story made cherry pie a favorite dessert to celebrate his birthday. Washington held a contest to design the "President's Palace". Thomas Jefferson submitted a design but did not win. The winner was James Hoban who won $500 , a piece of land, and of course the honor of having designed the President's residence. Americans referred to the residence as the President's House because the word "palace" reminded them of the monarchy that they recently broke away from . The official name was the "Executive Mansion" from 1818 -1902. Today's name "The White House" is said to have began after it was painted white after being burned by the British in 1812. The president never had the chance to stay in the house. He died on December 14, 1799, one year before the White House was completed during the Presidency of John Adams. Lincoln's and Washington's birthdays are still celebrated with pageants and reenactments of their milestones. |
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