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Sunday, June 28, 2009 5:37 PM Tobacco museum celebrates another year By Antonio Velarde | Times Staff Writer KENLY -- Tim Harrell and his family understand the rich heritage of tobacco in eastern North Carolina -- they've lived it. Harrell, assistant principal at Princeton High School, said he and his family grew up on tobacco farms and remember how different harvesting was before the process was modernized. Harrell said he wished more people would learn the history of tobacco. Especially by coming down to the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, where he and his parents Kim and Dannie were spending Sunday afternoon at the museum's 26th anniversary celebration. "People really need to take advantage of it," Harrell said. The Harrells and hundreds of others came to the anniversary celebration over the weekend, which was stretched out Saturday and Sunday and filled with live music, adult and children's games, contests and other activities. The museum also received a $45,000 grant during the weekend celebration from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. Elaine Richardson, manager and visitor services coordinator for the museum, estimated that 300 to 400 people on Saturday alone came out. She added that the museum charged for the event for the first time due to economic concerns. A host of area bands performed Saturday, a day filled with sack races, face painting, heritage demonstrations and tobacco stringing contests. A raffle and silent auction was also held, with the silent auction winner coming away with a week's trip to a north Myrtle Beach condo in July. On Sunday, a smaller crowd came to see an antique truck and tractor show and an agriculture-themed art show. Kim Carroll, of Benson, brought her boys Peyton, 8, and Preston, 2, to check out the antique tractors. Carroll said she remembers growing up on a farm and her father's favorite tractor, a McCormick Farmall Cub, an example was on display. "My dad was a tobacco farmer, and I wanted to bring my kids out," she said. Jim Evans Sr. and his son Jim, and Jim's wife, Eunice, all of Wilson, came out to show off a tractor and truck the junior Jim Evans had on display. Jim Evans Sr., 64, said when he was a child mules were just starting to be phased out in harvest use. Times have changed, he said. "Now it's all done in bulk," Evans said. Casey Jones, of Harnett County, came down with his friend Ken Strickland to the show. Jones, who is in an area antique auto and tractor group, was trying to convince Strickland to show a tractor at a future show. He said he was impressed at the turnout Sunday. "There are some nice-looking tractors here," Jones said. avelarde@wilsontimes.com | 265-7868 |
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Wilsonian said...
Oh my gosh, the cloggers that performed Saturday morning were amazing!!!!
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Oh my gosh, the cloggers that performed Saturday morning were amazing!!!!
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 2:32 PM
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