Walker Tavern’s ‘Wednesdays at Walker’ programs bring history to life

Walker Tavern will host its “Wednesdays at Walker” series starting July 11 with a program on Native American traditions. The programs run from 1 to 3 p.m. and are designed to bring Michigan history to life for adult-and-child teams learning together.

The “Wednesdays at Walker” programs include:

First Peoples, July 11. This program celebrates Michigan’s pre-European settlement heritage. Participants will learn about Native American storytelling, sign language, foods, crafts and ways of life. Children will make a dream catcher to take home.

Journey to Freedom, July 18. Cambridge Junction was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Learn what the long and dangerous journey was like for men, women and children who followed the road to freedom. Children will make a “church doll” to take home.

Wilderness Survival, July 25. In this program, participants will learn how to live off the land like Michigan’s early explorers. Basic map reading and compass skills will be taught, along with how to start a campfire with one match and how to build a shelter from found materials.

Pack Your Wagon, Aug. 1. Imagine you are a pioneer moving west to the Michigan Territory. Examine a covered wagon and decide what to pack and what to leave behind. Learn the pioneer craft of tin-punching and make a sample to take home.

 

 

 

Pre-registration is required for each program. There is a $6 per-person fee for each adult and each child in the program. For a registration form, call 517-467-4401 or print out a form online at www.michigan.gov/walkertavern. Checks may be made payable to Friends of Walker Tavern.

 

Walker Tavern is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Department of Natural Resources. It is located at the junction of US-12 and M-50, east of Jackson. For more information, call 517-467-4401 or visit www.michigan.gov/walkertavern.