- 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.
*Past 2022 events:
–Sunday, June 26th, 2022 we hosted a special presentation by David Connon, author of the book “Iowa Confederates in the Civil War”. David is an Iowa Humanities speaker.
–Sunday, July 10 2022 was the program, “Missives of the Civil War”, provided by Kevin and Patricia Kimle from Ames, Iowa. They are the authors of the book “The Only Free Road”, an historical fiction novel about the Underground Railroad. The Hitchcock House is included in the story about escaping freedom seekers. Mr. and Mrs. Kimle appeared in period dress and read letters that might have been written by wives and husbands during the Civil War.
–Saturday, August 20 we ended our summer 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.
