Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Keeping the past alive...

Log Cabin Village has dedicated itself to educating its visitors about the past. As time marches on and entire ways of life disappear in developed nations, our role in preserving historic crafts becomes even more critical. Increasingly more and more of our visitors are unable to say, "I remember when Grandma did that." The past as it relates to the frontier is becoming farther and farther removed.

While we all are certainly anxious to leave some of the hardships of the past behind (cholera, anyone?), we feel it is important to retain knowledge of frontier skills. It keeps our collective memories alive, it weaves us into the multicolored fabric our ancestors started, and it helps ground us in a realization that each of us represents one spot on an infinite timeline.

As our programming continues, our visitors increase, and our interpreters teach, we will be mindful of connecting our patrons to their history. We are continuing to seek local artisans who are interested in volunteering their time at our events to help keep the past alive. From knitting and sewing to carving and weaving, we invite everyone to escape the present...experience the past.

If you have a special skill that you'd like to share at Log Cabin Village, please e-mail me for more information about volunteering. We'd love to learn from you!

No comments: