Missouri Heritage Days

We had a FANTASTIC trip to Missouri Heritage Days at Babler State Park this year!  Students were able to rotate through stations to learn about the past.  Below are several pictures that tell the story of our day!  Enjoy!

Our first stop was to learn about pioneer tools.  The speaker showed us many different tools and how they work.  A few lucky students were able to build a "house" without nails! 

Margaret, Robbie, and Allie work on the back, side, and doorway of the house.

Our next visit was to learn about music that was played over 200 years ago!  We learned the difference between a violin and a fiddle (ask your child if they remember the difference ), how a banjo was created, and heard a variety of jigs!

Click on the video below to hear "Cricket on the Hearth". A song that was played when George Washington was president! Our speaker told us this song used to have words but over time became an instrumental. (25 seconds)

After listening to music, we got to play with old fashioned toys!  There were lots of fun toys to play with.

Remy and Shelby toss a beanbag back and forth by rotating a stick with cans nailed to the end of it..  We learned many years ago children would nail their broken shoes to the end of the stick and toss a rock back and forth!

Luke and Logan demonstrate a game where you have to pull each other up by pulling on a stick.  Students had a lot of fun with this game.

Andres and Mateo showing their strength!

Colleen and Annie play "Graces".  In this game players must toss and catch a ring using sticks.  

Good toss, Kiley!

Ethan made a button game that was popular long ago!

Maggie and Kiley making their own button toys.

Colleen tries to get the ball into the cup.  She was pretty good !

Next, we visited the Mountain Man.  He taught us about Lewis and Clark and the rest of the Corp of Discovery. He also showed us mapping tools that Lewis and Clark used to create detailed maps of the Louisiana Territory. Did you know that the map Clark created during the voyage west was still used up to 75 years ago? This was a favorite stop for a lot of students!

After that, we went Square Dancing! Students were a little nervous at first, but quickly got the hang of it.

In our lines preparing to Square Dance!

Our caller.  He taught us our step and when the music started he told us what to do.

Max and Kiley creating a roof for dancers to pass under.

Ailey and Griffin making a bridge for classmates to dance through!

After lunch, we learned how the wash was done in the 1800s.  Students were shown clothing worn during that time and learned, first hand,  how the laundry was done!

Luke and Mateo show us what a men's shirt used to look like while Sam shows us men's socks.

Griffin wearing a jacket commonly worn in the 1800s by men.

Remy, Colleen, and Maggie using their muscles to wash clothes.

Kiley, Loren, and Allie rinsing the clothes.

Seamus bringing the water to the girls to use to do the wash!

Shelby, Cassie, and Annie work on ironing the clothes!  

Our final stop was the Blacksmith.  We learned the Blacksmith got his named since he works with black iron. While a person who worked with gold with be called a Goldsmith. He made a nail and hook for us using a very hot fire, nearly 1200 degrees, and simple tools!

It was a terrific day!