-
MAKING ROPE - Gina Brown (foreground) and Shorty Drye (backgrou nd in bonnet), both volunteer demonstrators with the Pioneer Village, spin pieces of thread together to form a rope during Saturday's Pioneer Crafts Festival. It was one of several live demonstrations held during the event. -
BLACKSMITHING DEMONSTRATION - A couple of members of the Cleveland County 4-H Blacksmithing Club demonstrate their skills during the Pioneer Crafts Festival on Saturday. Ed Montgomery, a blacksmith from Rison who oversees the club, said the youth made and sold square nails as a fundraiser. He said square nails were common in the 1700's. The demonstration was held beneath a blacksmith shop that was added to the Pioneer Village a couple of years ago. -
BEARD HOUSE - The John Samuel Beard House is the latest addition to the historic structures at the Pioneer Village. Originally buil t in the 1870's in Ouachita County, the Beard House is a representation of the classic dogtrot style home that was common across Arkansas and the American South. Bob Abbott of Pine Bluff donated his grandfather's house to the Village last year. It was open for the first time to the public during the festival.
RISON - Despite a threatening weather forecast and rain washing out festivities Saturday afternoon, those behind the effort to revive the Pioneers Crafts Festival at the Pioneer Village in Rison are optimistic that it can once again become a major event for the community.The group reported that it sold out of food for the Beans & Greens Supper on Friday night, and more than 100 people passed through the pay gate Saturday morning before the rains came at about noon."I think we found a starting point," said Marty Bowlin, president of the Pioneer Village, Inc., the nonprofit group that oversees the grounds located at the corner of Yaney and Mockingbird Streets in Rison."For the first time being back in so long, I look forward to making it better," said Malinda Berry, a former president of Pioneer Village who also helped organizer Saturday's event.Both Bowlin and Berry said they found some things that worked, and some things that didn't. Bowlin said the Pioneer Village's executive committee will meet this week to review what the festival needs to continue and begin making plans for next year.Berry said she felt the forecast for rainy weather and cool temperatures kept many of the demonstrators away. She said she had one person who was going to demonstrate some oldfashion sewing machines tell her that she was not going to make the two-hour trip due to the weather forecast.Still, many demonstrators who did make it. Ed Montgomery of Rison, who helped organize a 4-H youth blacksmithing club in Rison, had three forges set up as a training class for his club members to serve as one demonstratrion area.Shorty Drye of the Staves community, one of the Pioneer Village volunteers, and Gina Brown of the Rowell community, used an old fashion rope making machine to make rope that they gave away to the kids.Meanwhile, a loomer was set up inside the McMurtry House demonstrating how make rugs while Luther Drye of Staves, another Pioneer Village volunteer, was showing how to make…
To access content, please login or purchase a subscription.