Eatonton’s Old School History Museum at The Plaza Arts Center hosted its 4th annual August Adventure on Saturday, welcoming crowds ready to enjoy some old-fashioned fun.
“Our August Adventure has evolved over the years,” OSHM Director Sandra Rosseter explained. “This year’s August Adventure is our second featuring the ice cream social.
“But we hosted one that focused on plants and herbs that were native to this area, and it was really fun. We also did one that concentrated on Native Americans and their artifacts, like arrowheads,” she added. “We want children to know that they live in this wonderful area that’s so rich in history.”
This year’s August Adventure took several months to plan after the team brainstormed ways to make it even more engaging.
“We expanded on what we did last year. I think we have a much better turnout of families with children this year, which is what we wanted,” said Mary Air, who spearheaded the event. S
he emphasized, too, that it required a team effort, with everyone involved working hard for it to happen.
“This year, we opted for more active games, which I think the kids really loved,” Air said. These games included watermelon seed spitting, jump rope, water balloon toss, and more.
Many local families came to participate in the carnival-style outdoor games and other exciting activities that got everyone moving. The Arts Barn held cake walks, barn dances, and clogging throughout the day, and people of all ages were encouraged and welcomed to join in.
There was also a popular face-painting station and classic games like checkers available for those cooling off inside to escape the August heat. Meanwhile, Georgia Benjamin-Smith of The Uncle Remus Museum and Mothers Against Crime told stories of the past in The Plaza’s historic classroom throughout the event.
A barbershop quartet performed songs right outside the OSHM entrance, where homemade peach ice cream was being scooped and served to happy visitors. Other refreshments were also provided, including hot dogs, popcorn, and juicy slices of watermelon.
Thanks to the hard work of friendly volunteers and OSHM board members, this free event bolstered community spirit and togetherness. Families, some local and some not, flocked to the August Adventure to reminisce about times past and evoke feelings of curiosity and nostalgia.
Lora Garcia-Carreras, founder and director of The Arts Barn, thanked everyone who made the event a success, including Costco and Ingles for their donations, Linda Elkins for her sign-making, the Eatonton Fire Department, and the all-important volunteers.
OSHM has more events planned this year, including the return of its “Sunday at The Museum” lecture series on Oct. 6, which will feature a talk on “The History of Beer” by Dr. Eric Tenbus, dean of the GCSU College of Arts and Sciences.
OSHM has more plans to support its slogan, “Preserving the past for the future.” The museum is open for docent-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
For more information, visit oldschoolhistorymuseum.org online or check the Old School History Museum Facebook page.