Annual Prairie Day Held In Park

On Saturday, September 11th, George Washington Carver National Monument hosted Prairie Day, celebrating life on the southwest Missouri farm of George Washington Carver’s childhood.

Visitors took wagon rides as a storyteller interpreted the prairie, listened to Ozark folktales and legends, watched a quilting bee in progress, enjoyed traditional music, dipped candles, identified prairie birds, and learned about edible and medicinal uses of prairie plants.

The event was a fun and educational way to share with visitors the cultural and natural settings of Carver’s early years. Among the other features were Civil War medicine, stories of African American life on the prairie, natural dyes, history of the Carver Family Cemetery, prairie walks, and agriculture.

Residents from the four-state area look forward to this fun day held in September and this year over 1,300 visitors came out to their local national park. Held in conjunction with the City of Diamond’s Gem City Days, the event was supported by over 100 VIPs and the Carver Birthplace Association.