Museum to Offer History Detectives: A Day Camp Adventure July 24-28th! (Posted by Ginger Smith)
Old Independence Regional Museum is excited to announce plans for its 2017 Day Camp. We invite campers on an adventure to explore some of our region’s historical mysteries. Campers will become history detectives. “Each day the campers will be asked to look at evidence from the past and examine clues left behind by those who lived before us,” states Amanda Nikkel, camp coordinator. “They will then use these clues to piece together a reasonable solution to the mystery.”
During camp students will be visited by Emily Weaver. Ms. Weaver was a resident of Batesville during the Civil War. Her father was a Union sympathizer, while her brothers fought for the Confederacy. Emily, herself, was accused of and tried for spying for the Confederacy. Campers will hear her side of the story, question her actions and motives, and examine letters written to Emily and testimony given about her during her trial. After all the evidence is collected, the campers will decide for themselves if Emily was a spy.
Abraham Ruddell came to Independence County around 1814. Shortly after his arrival he built Ruddell Mill and founded a community, later known as Ruddell Hill. This was just the end of his story. What happened to Abraham Ruddell? Campers will hear from Mr. Ruddell and examine his early life to find the answer to this intriguing mystery.
As the United States commemorates the 100th anniversary of our involvement in World War I, the campers at OIRM will investigate the main causes of death for the World War I soldier. Was it really enemy fire?
On the last day of camp, campers will delve into several famous historical mysteries, not only in our area (like the White River Monster), but also mysteries nationwide. We will look into the mysteries of Roanoke, VA, the Mary Celeste, and what the pilgrim’s really ate at the first Thanksgiving. In addition, the campers and volunteers will prepare a sampling of the Pilgrim’s foods together.
In addition to solving these mysteries, campers will participate in crafts and games from the time period of each mystery. This camp, designed for elementary age students, will be Tuesday, July 24 – Friday, July 28, 9 a.m. to noon each day. The cost is $65 per camper, and the museum requires at least 10 children to sign up in order to hold the camp. Class size is limited to the first 25 registrants. Contact April White at 793-2121 to register. The deadline to register is July 15, 2017.
Old Independence serves a 12-county area: Baxter, Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Marion, Poinsett, Sharp, Stone, White, and Woodruff. Parts of these present-day counties comprised the original Independence County in 1820s Arkansas territory.
The museum is located at 380 South 9th street, between Boswell and Vine Streets in Batesville.
