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NHTIC Volunteer Keith Cottam reads a story to children called Cowboy Camp. The snowflake competition. Children learned to make traditional holiday candles. Jo Foster, Rock Springs Field Office Outdoor Recreation Planner, volunteered to teach children to knit.

National Historic Trails Interpretive Center Celebrates the Holidays with Music

By Lesley Collins, Public Affairs Specialist, High Plains District

More than 560 people joined the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center (NHTIC) for its annual “Holiday on the Homestead” on, Dec. 12, 2009.

This year the festival featured holiday music, hot apple cider, and a variety of activities, including popcorn stringing and candle dipping. The event was free and open to the public.

“Holiday on the Homestead is a community holiday celebration,” said NHTIC Center Director Mike Abel. “This year, we are offered a variety of family-oriented, educational and fun activities.”

The following is a list of some of the activities offered:

• Story Time
  Children gathered around the Christmas tree for traditional holiday stories.

• Snowflake competition
  A snowflake station gave children the chance to cut out snowflakes which then adorned the Trail Center’s lobby. A judge awarded prizes to the most creative, artistic designs, based on three age categories: Age 3-6, 7-9, and 10-12.

• Rag Dolls
  Emigrant children on the trails often made their own dolls. Children learned to create their own unique rag dolls using scraps of cloth, stuffing and string.

• Women’s Circle: Knitting, Crocheting and Quilting
  Volunteers taught the traditional arts of quilting, crocheting and knitting.

• Popcorn Garlands
  Visitors made traditional popcorn garland made with needle and thread.

• I Cantori, opera band, Casper College Music Department
  I Cantori, the Casper College Opera Band, performed contemporary selections and an old Holiday favorite arranged by Ms. Jean Tichenor, Director of Music Programs for Voice at Casper College.

• Ana and Friends
  "Ana and Friends,"a local strings instrument group played historic holiday songs from the days of the westward migrations.

• Senior Strings
  A string quartet of local talented musicians performed holiday selections.

• Candle Dipping
  Traditional holiday candles were made by dipping a string into wax.

• Winter on the Frontier
  Re-enactors in period dress portrayed frontier life in the winter.

The NHTIC is a public-private partnership between the BLM and the National Historic Trails Center Foundation. The facility is located at 1501 N. Poplar Street, Casper, Wyo.