January 22, 2010
The Archives and History Library of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History will present its next after hours lecture on Tuesday, Feb. 2, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. The program is entitled “Digging into West Virginia’s 18th Century, Groundhog Style,” and will be led by living history presenter Doug Wood. The lecture will take place in the library at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. All sessions are free and the public is invited to attend. The library will close at 5 p.m., and reopen at 5:45 p.m., for lecture participants only.
Wood will explore West/Western Virginia’s history in the 18th and 19th centuries using the Marmota monax or groundhog as the theme, in keeping with Groundhog Day. “American Indian groundhog connections, musical woodchuckles, and whistlepig wonderment will be revealed from the resources available at the Archives and History Library,” Wood says of his talk. Participants are encouraged to bring their own groundhog stories to share during this entertaining and educational evening.
A longtime library patron, Wood portrays Ostenaco, a Cherokee leader, both in independent activities and in association with the West Virginia Humanities Council’s History Alive! program. He provides historical and nature education through workshops and interpretive walks, including lifeways demonstrations and cultural interactions of American Indians and Europeans. As an instructor with Trails, Inc., Wood has presented educational programming at a number of state parks, national historic sites and other venues.
The next session will be “Going Back Before 1850: Genealogical Strategies for Early American Research,” with Jaime Simmons, research specialist with the State Archives on March 2.
Registration is not required, but is requested to ensure proper seating. To register in advance, contact Robert Taylor, library manager for archives and history, at (304) 558-0230, ext. 163, or by e-mail at Bobby.L.Taylor@wv.gov. Participants interested in registering by e-mail should send their name, telephone number and the name and date of the session. For additional information about the lecture and workshop series, contact the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230.
The Archives and History Library is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Monday through Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Thursday. The library is closed on Sunday.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Culture Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Culture Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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