July program highlights at National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
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BAKER CITY, Ore. – The Bureau of Land Management’s National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is connecting visitors to public lands and America’s natural and cultural heritage with a variety of programs in July.
On July 4 and 5, folksinger and storyteller Hank “The Wanderin’ Minstrel” Cramer will be performing historic and contemporary songs about life in the American West at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, an invitational art exhibit entitled “The Wild is Calling” will be displayed July 13 through Sept. 16. These artworks express the value of wild places and free flowing rivers in our lives, and includes several pieces from the “Wilderness and Sublimity” series highlighting the conservation of Hells Canyon and the Snake River.
Live demonstrations throughout the month offer visitors a first-hand look at pioneer skills and the opportunity to try some for themselves, including candle dipping, rag dollmaking, flint knapping, knot-tying, whittling, Dutch oven cooking, and blacksmithing.
Other programs include evening chats and campfire conversations about life on the trail, and also interpretive presentations of women’s experiences on the trail.
Horses and other livestock were tremendously important to the pioneers making their way West and many of today’s wild horses are descended from stock brought to Oregon by pioneers and settlers. Visitors can meet domesticated wild horses and learn more about the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro program July 3, 19, 24 and 31.
For a complete schedule of July events and programs, dates and times, visit https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/national-historic-oregon-trail-interpretivecenter/events-and-programs.
The Bureau of Land Management National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is located five miles east of Baker City, Ore., on Highway 86. Take Exit 302 from I-84. The Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Admission for adults is $8 and $4.50 for seniors; children 15 and under are admitted for free. Federal passes are also accepted. Call (541) 523-1843 for updates on programs and events or visit blm.gov/nhotic.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.