|
|
Garst Gathering 2012
It takes a
community to support its “mint”
By Elaine Bailey
To See Photo Set 2, click here
It was a fairly quiet year in 1852. The first public baths opened
in New York City, the first edition of Roget’s Thesaurus was published,
and Congress authorized the building of the second US mint in San
Francisco. However, unbeknownst to the community, Darke County’s
own mint was being constructed a few blocks north of the county seat’s
court house, which at that time rested on the circle where the landmark
Broadway fountain now sits.
One hundred and sixty years from the year Emma Snodgrass was arrested
in Boston for wearing pants, there were thousands of pants drifting
across the lawn at the Garst Museum. A gathering of pants and
shorts and swaying skirts… at the Gathering at Garst. The
anniversary of the house itself passed by unnoticed for the observance
of a more historical event, Remembering the War of 1812.
People from as far as California and North Carolina traveled to the
Garst Museum this past weekend for the Gathering at Garst. There
were 85 vendors supporting the event with artistically designed and
handcrafted pottery, jewelry, floral arrangements, fabric and stained
glass art. Paintings, photographs, primitive furniture, and stone
sculptures lined the perimeter of the property.
A Living History Encampment, sponsored by the local Maid Rite, drew
spectators with thunderous cannonade. Children and adults alike
were introduced to priming, loading and firing a six-pound British
field cannon by the First Mad River Light Artillery. The Fourth Indiana
Light Artillery provided supporting demonstrations with a Civil War
cannon. Wide-eyed children with hands over their ears, watched
periodic skirmishes between the Indiana Light Artillery and the First
Tennessee Infantry Company B.
When the children were not in the field they were engaged in activities
provided by Michelle Drees and The Workshop Learning Center; Steve
Birt; and Kurstin Wysong and family. Hundreds of children made
pinecone bird feeders, matched animal prints, looked for treasures,
tossed bean bags, traded at a trading post built by Duane Wysong, or
had their faces painted with rainbows, peace signs, friendship
arrows, or other designs the children would challenge the artists
with.
Between activities, visitors supported food vendors. A gentle
breeze both days of the event wafted the aroma of hickory-smoked
barbeque entrees. A unique assortment of steamed bagels, Indian
fry bread, and Indian tacos drew long lines. Garst volunteers
served up scoops of ice cream with all the proceeds from the ice cream
supporting the Garst Museum. Silas the Rat Catcher was available on
Saturday offering rat stew recipes... for those who couldn’t find
something to eat, or weren’t quite full enough off the other offerings.
And the fun continued throughout the weekend with entertainment
provided by the Children’s Theatre Club, Sarah Bostic, Cinder Home, The
Midwest Revival, Eric Loy, The Workshop Learning Center, Prima Luce,
Tommy Renfro, Darke County Dulcimer Society, and Neeake who told
stories of the Shawnee.
With the generous contribution and support of Pam Carpenter Summers in
memory of her husband Dan Summers, a huge audience was entertained by a
Beatles Tribute Band, The Cavern Beat. By the end of the evening,
the Fab Four had the audience rocking on their feet to numerous
nostalgic numbers played on vintage instruments. There was one
moment during the evening when only a ripple moved the audience and
that was when the band dedicated the song “In My Life” to Pam from her
husband.
It was a quiet year in 1852. The house that was originally built
to serve as an inn probably had a number of visitors roaming its lawn
at that time. But oh, if only the folks back then knew what was
happening on its lawn in 2012.
Mrs. Nellie Garst Menke, offered her family home to the Fort
GreeneVille Chapter for a meeting place and historical museum in 1946,
but it was eventually donated to the Ohio Historical Society. In
1964 the stewardship of the museum and its property was transferred to
the Darke County Historical Society. Events such as the Gala,
held the first weekend in June, and the Gathering at Garst help provide
a portion of the funding necessary to operate Darke County’s
mint.
No one word from Roget’s Thesaurus can describe this year’s Gathering
at the Garst.
Jenny Clark, chairperson for the Gathering at Garst expressed, “It
really is a Gathering....a gathering of people who are passionate about
working for a good cause.”
It takes a community to support its mint. The community did that
this year.
To See Photo Set 2, click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
