UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE SOCIETY July 18 | Special Guests Cindy Wilson & Barbara Boustead Authors of The Beautiful Snow and Wilder Weather , who will discuss The Long Winter .
July 25 | A Day with Laura Actress Jessica Michna
portrays an elderly Laura. The day will also feature pioneer demonstrations, including soap making, barbed-wire making, shoe making, and more.
The Society has welcomed visitors from all 50 states and 38 countries. Wertz says they have seen guests from every country in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and a few from Africa. In the summer, tour guides wear period dress, and it’s not uncommon for guests to dive into the pioneer spirit themselves. Some simply wear bonnets while others look like they stepped right out of the 19th-century prairie. The Discovery Center is open June through August and is a space for non- digital play. Children can dress up in prairie costumes, play house with a cast-iron stove, pretend to do the wash, and "attend" school. “They can learn about hunting and animal tracks, touch real animal furs, practice writing with a stencil just as Mary did, use an old-fashioned sewing machine, and truly let their imaginations run wild,” said Wertz. New this year is the First Families of De Smet , which preserves the legacy of early settlers who shaped the town. The exhibit was the brainchild of one of the Society’s interns, Grace Schaefer , who worked on it for two summers. Volunteers Cheryl Palmlund , Eric Fairchild , and Cindy Wilson brought her vision to life.
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