By Deborah Shiverdecker
Darke County Parks
History is one of my favorite things. It is amazing when you consider the experiences our ancestors must have lived through to survive the wilderness that they found when they came to the Ohio Valley. It must have been beautiful (and wild and dangerous). I am sure there are many things, even tragic things, that happened to them which taught them important life lessons. Men and women with the pioneer-spirit forged our places in this new country we call America. Before Europeans arrived, Ohio was home to three main Native American tribes: the Erie, Kickapoo, and Shawnee. Darke County may have had a few European settlers in the early 1700s but it wasn’t until the signing of the Treaty of Greene Ville in 1795, when the Native Americans ceded most of the land that makes up Ohio, that the floodgates were finally opened to the West. Think of the many exciting stories!
Of course, my favorite way to learn history is through participation. How do you participate in the past? I would like to invite you to “participate” in the past on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sept. 29 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., when the Darke County Park District will host another historic encampment at Shawnee Prairie Preserve around the log house education area. We will have long-hunters in the forest, and settlers in the log house baking breads in the cobb oven or cooking over the hearth. There will be smithies in the blacksmith shop, perhaps some farm animals, and many historical interpreters who would love to share their passion for history with you. People who are passionate about history may enjoy learning about the past, understanding how societies have changed, and gaining insights into the lives of others. They may also believe that studying history can help people prepare for the future by revealing patterns and building empathy. They are interesting folks! You never know who may show up: could be Johnny Appleseed, Mad Anthony Wayne, a Shawnee native, or Annie Oakley!
For this event, our lovely pioneer women would like to share their skill at making delicious hand-baked breads in the cobb oven of the log house. They will be taking pre-orders until September 23 so you can be sure they will have the selections that you may want. After September 23, you can still stop out on the encampment weekend, September 28th and 29th, and take your chances that there will be bread available in the log house. Call the office at Shawnee Prairie Preserve (937-548-0165) to place your orders beginning September 4th when a list of available flavors will be posted. Payment will be due at pick-up on September 28th or 29th, cash or check only.
I am a supporter of each American learning the history of America. We have a great country. We need education about our history so we learn the good and bad, and so we can keep moving ahead. Learning from the good helps us move forward quickly to new things without duplicating efforts. Learning from the bad helps us avoid the same mistakes in the future. Our county in particular has an important place in history. We should be proud of that.
Come join us for a relaxing weekend on the prairie, see what life may have been like, and talk to the participants about what they do; you may find out you would love to carry on this passion as well! We can always use historical volunteers at the Parks; our two-hundred-year-old friends get tired easily! September 28th and 29th, 2024, 4267 St. Rt. 502 W., Greenville, OH 45331 (937-548-0165 www.darkecountyparks.org.
