Feb. 5, 2020
MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — This February brings a busy schedule of programs and events to the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville. All events are free and open to the public.
Schedule of February Programs:
Saturday, Feb. 8, 1 and 3 p.m. – Second Saturday Film Series, “Carolina Stories: Finding Clovis” tells the story of archaeologists working at the Topper site in South Carolina as they find clues regarding the Clovis culture that lived at the site 13,000 years ago. The film examines theories about where the Clovis people came from, how they lived and whether their culture might have been destroyed by a comet. This 27-minute film was created by South Carolina ETV as part of its Carolina Stories series.
Thursday, Feb. 27, 7 p.m. – Lecture and Film Series, “Red Salt and Reynolds” features archaeological excavations at the Marmet Lock and Dam Project in Kanawha County, W.Va., where several historic sites were unearthed prior to construction that expanded the lock. Archaeologists discovered the foundations of the Reynolds family mansion, the cabin where the family’s slaves lived, four salt furnaces operated by the family using rented slaves and the family cemetery. Historic and industrial archaeology, bioanthropology and historic documents tell the tale of the rise and fall of the Reynolds family and the local salt industry, once the largest salt producer in America. This 30-minute film was created by Paradise Film Institute for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Saturday, Feb. 29, noon to 4 p.m. – “Leap out of Your Winter Blues with Indoor Gardening.”Join Jocilyn Depetro, program assistant in agriculture and natural resources at the Marshall County WVU Extension Service, along with several master gardeners and museum volunteers for an afternoon of activities relating to gardening and the museum’s Interpretive Garden. Create seed sprouting crafts, play a bird identification game, take seeds from the museum’s garden to plant at home, see how you measure up to a corn stalk, make a corn cob necklace and more. This program aims to be a welcome break from winter weather.
Discovery Table – Throughout February, the museum will provide visitors with greeting cards to color and decorate with stickers. Crafters can choose an image of the Grave Creek Mound or pick a Valentine’s Day motif during the beginning of the month leading up to the holiday. The activity is available to all guests during regular museum hours. For the less crafty, postcards also can be purchased in the museum’s gift shop.
In addition to the above mentioned programs, visitors interested in local industries can view the newly opened exhibits on Fostoria Glass and Marx Toys, both important in the Moundsville area, along with exhibits on Marble King in Paden City and Homer Laughlin China in Newell, two important manufacturers in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle.
Operated by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex features one of the largest conical burial mounds built by the Adena people between 250 - 150 B.C. and ranks as one of the largest earthen mortuary mounds anywhere in the world. Exhibits and displays in the Delf Norona Museum interpret what is known about the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mound. The complex also houses the West Virginia Archaeological Research and Collections Management Facility.
Admission to Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex is free. The Delf Norona Museum, located at 801 Jefferson Avenue, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday and Monday. Outdoor access closes at 4:30 p.m.
For more information about activities and programs at Grave Creek Mound, contact Andrea Keller, cultural program coordinator, at (304) 843-4128 or andrea.k.keller@wv.gov or visit www.facebook.com/gravecreekmound and www.twitter.com/gravecreekmound.
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