By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
The Val Verde County region’s rich and diverse history came alive at the Whitehead Memorial Museum during its Living History Day events on Friday and Saturday.
and Trooper Jerry Eddin from the Bexar County Buffalo Soldiers in San Antonio, Texas, pose for
a picture during Living History Day at the Whitehead Memorial Museum on Friday. Carter said
their organization has been attending the events at the Whitehead for more than 14 years. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
Michael Diaz, executive director of the Whitehead Museum, said Living History Day focuses on the history of Southwest Texas from various decades. Several historical presenters, local and from out of town, attended to teach visitors to the event about native people, geological features and historic battles.
Living History Day was a two-day event, taking place on Friday and Saturday. Friday was an educational day for groups of fourth-grade students to visit the museum, and Saturday was for the public to attend.
teaches fourth-graders about the types of corn the Native American tribes ate over the years.
Anaya said she educates kids about the type of food natives had to survive on. (Photo by Louis
Zylka)
The classes and families who attended during the weekend were taught about various devices for making threads and clothing, artifacts from prehistoric peoples that were found in caves along regional rivers and weapons and equipment used during wars in the 1800s.
Some of the groups who were part of Living History Day included the Bexar County Buffalo
Soldiers from San Antonio, Texas; the Tiny Town Texas Museum from Castroville, Texas; the Indian Scout Association from Brackettville, Texas; and The Lipan Apache Band of Texas from Brackettville, Texas.
next to an 1890 William Morrison during Living History Day on Saturday. Wanat said the William
Morrison displayed on Saturday was the “first successful self-propelled” vehicle that was made
in the country. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
Tables and tents were set up around the museum grounds, including a huge tipi set up by the Lipan Apache Band. A steer and a miniature donkey were also brought to the museum by the Z Lazy T Ranch. Guests were able to pet the animals as they learned about the history of cattle drives in the region.
Some of the groups who have attended the Whitehead the longest include the Bexar County Buffalo Soldiers, who taught visitors about the first border patrol groups and park rangers to patrol this region of Texas.
The National Park Service (NPS) is another group that has been part of the museum’s educational events over the years. Members of the NPS gave demonstrations on how to create friction fire and displayed several ancient rabbit sticks, which were used by native people for thousands of years to hunt rabbits and other small game.
Other activities were set up around the Whitehead to teach people about artifacts and the geology of Texas. Kids and families
grade class about a three-inch ordnance rifle cannon called “The Judge” on Friday at the
Whitehead Memorial Museum. McConnaughy’s group, the Living History Unit from Fort
Stockton, Texas, brought cannons from the 1800s to be displayed during Living History Day at
the Whitehead. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
were able to partake in archaeological digging, corn grinding, wash boarding, rock-art exercises and rabbit-stick throwing.
