- The first event for 2023 will be the Pioneer Skills Festival in partnership with the Cass County Conservation Board and the Hitchcock House Advisory Board. This event held on May 6th, opens the season of educational events and programs. Visitors will be able to see and participate in skills used by pioneers in everyday life. Activities include hand dipping candles, butter making, tin punch, apple cider production, rope making and more. Pioneer Skills Festival is especially entertaining for children.
Join us in the Big Red Barn from 1 – 4 p.m. for this unique event. The activities in the barn are free. The Reverend George B. Hitchcock House will be open and guided tours given. Tours are $5/person for adults and those attending high school.
2023 FREE SPECIAL EVENTS:
—Sunday, June 25th, 2023 we will once again host a special presentation by David Connon, author of the book “Iowa Confederates in the Civil War”. David is an Iowa Humanities speaker. Join us in the Big Red Barn at 2pm for this presentation with light refreshments. Bring your lawn chair, or wooden chairs are available. House Tours will be available from 1-2pm, then resume after the presentation.
—Sunday, July 16th, 2023 at 2pm join us in the Big Red Barn for a special first time visit by Leo Landis, Curator for Museum & Historic Sites at the State Historical Museum. Leo will speak about Iowa’s First 25 Years of Statehood. Light refreshments will be provided, please bring your own lawn chair or wooden chairs are available. House tours available from 1-2pm, then will resume after the presentation.
—Saturday, August 26, 2023 will we end our summer special events with music on the lawn featuring a local group, “Sweet Harmony”. Sweet Harmony is a gospel and oldies quartet that has been singing together for 40+ years. The members consist of Deb Parkison, Pam Koso, Gail Wallin, and Jessica Jacobsen. They have performed for groups from 5 to 5,000 over the past years. They have praised God’s name in churches in the tri state area but they also enjoy singing for different community events. This group really is a family affair Deb and Pam are sisters and Jess is Deb’s Daughter and Gail is our sister in Christ.
