ARCHIVE OF PAST EVENTS

Don’t miss"Passport to the Past" kids activities during our annual Covered Bridge Festival on October 9-10, 2010! Here’s more information—click on the images to view full size:

For more information, visit www.passporttothepast.com or call 515-462-2134.

Fundraising for the "Passport to the Past" kids activities during our annual Covered Bridge Festival is underway!

An outdoor concert featuring the band "USE OF TIME" was held June 19, 2010.

(click images for a larger view)

Everyone who attended has a wonderful time relaxing under the shade trees of the 18 acre historical complex. For more information see www.passporttothepast.com or call 515-462-2134.

“Art on the Hill”
Madison County Art Extravaganza
Saturday, September 12, 2009
11am-2pm

See pottery artist Mike Sibel, painter Maggie Ripperger, and violinist Sonya Kepford. Refreshments served.
Click graphic or here to see the full-size poster

October 11-12, 2008

Madison County
Covered Bridge Festival Events

History Comes to Life at the Madison County Historical Complex during the annual Covered Bridge Festival!
Sat. Oct. 11 & Sun. Oct. 12, 9am-5pm
815 South 2nd Avenue

Catch the FREE horse wagon shuttle to the museum complex for a step back in time. Enjoy activities such as:

Buy penny candy at the Field Mercantile
Get a free balloon at the Martin Bros. Station
Stop by the train show in the 1800’s Winterset Depot
Enjoy an old fashioned school lesson at Tusha School (station on the “Passport to the Past” program)
Visit with Civil War soldiers at the Civil War encampment located north of the museum (station on "Passport to the Past" program)

Be sure to visit the two-floor museum and 1856 Victorian Bevington-Kaser House.
Admission for museum & house is $5.00.

“Passport to the Past”

Passport stations:

Monumental Park - Meet Madison County Civil War soldiers Col. Cummings and William C. Newlon and learn what war was like for them.
Storytelling Tent/Scavenger Hunts - Listen to stories about Madison County or go on a Scavenger Hunt around the Square.
Art Center activities - Be creative with local artists and find the artist inside of you
Library activities - Meet librarians and make a quilt square.
Madison County Historical Complex - Tusha School/Civil War Camp - Visit with Civil War soldiers or have an old fashioned school lesson.
George Washington Carver Park - Come visit the park and get a hands-on lesson in plantings
Courthouse Tours - Meet Susan B. Anthony and take a scheduled tour of the historical Madison County Courthouse - (Must be accompanied by an adult)
Fire Safety display - Visit the fire safety truck compliments of the Winterset Fire Department and learn the history and importance of the “old fire bell”

Complete a station and receive a gift.
Complete 4 of the 8 activities and receive a GRAND PRIZE!

History and learning CAN be fun!

For more information and photos from previous years activities visit:
www.passporttothepast.com

October 13-14, 2007

Madison County
Covered Bridge Festival Events
October 13-14, 2007

FREE Horsedrawn Shuttle from the Historical Complex to the Courthouse Square festivities and the Birthplace of John Wayne. Hop into the haywagon and listen to stories as four Clydesdales carry you along at a leisurely pace.

Captured soldiers are brought past the cannon at the Civil War Camp.

The mighty cannon fire could be heard throughout the town.

The cannon proved to be an even more impressive display at sunset. Larger view

Photos from the special “Old Fashioned” service at the Zion Church

EVENTS AT THE HISTORICAL COMPLEX

Cannon Firing CIVIL WAR CAMP
on the Complex grounds

Featuring cavalry horse demonstrations, sundown cannon shot, fireside chat & cooking demonstrations Saturday only. Most Sunday activities will be before Noon.

Click for a full-page poster

TUSHA SCHOOL HOUSE
Sat. 10am-4pm; Sun. 11am-1pm

Old fashioned one room school lessons!
Play games!

ZION CHURCH
Old-Time Lutheran Church Service
11am-12pm

Free horse-drawn shuttle

FREE Horse-Drawn Shuttle to the Historical Complex. See History Come To Life!

Pickup/dropoff locations:

McKee Agricultural Building at the Historical Complex
Downtown, Court Ave. & 2nd St., (by Madison County Tire)
Just north of the Birthplace of John Wayne

EVENTS DOWNTOWN

STORYTELLING TENT
NE corner of the Courthouse lawn
Sat. & Sun. 9am-5pm

Get your passports!
Meet local storytellers!
Meet professional storytellers Maureen Korte and Paxton Williams!
Listen to live music!

Click for a full-page poster; click for page 2.

STORYTELLING TENT SCHEDULE
Saturday, October 13		Sunday, October 14
9am	Planting Traditions: Lilian Eivins & Emily Vant Hul	9am	Earlham Stories: Jackie Leckband
9:30am	Susan B. Anthony: JoAnn Collins	9:30am	John Wayne Stories: Ruth Reed
10am	Mayme Bevington: Maureen Korte	10am	Mayme Bevington: Maureen Korte
11am	Music & Scavenger Hunts	11am	Music & Scavenger Hunts
1pm	George Washington Carver: Paxton Williams	1pm	Uncle Henry: Bob Kaldenberg
2pm	Mayme Bevington: Maureen Korte	1:30pm	Stories of Madison County: Pat Sullivan
3pm	Uncle Henry: Bob Kaldenberg	3pm	Musical group “Switchback”
3:30pm	Hometown interviews: Pat Nelson	4pm	Uncle Sam: Jerry Triplett
4:30pm	Jessie Hiatt: John Safford	4:30pm	Susan B. Anthony: Diane Fitch, with Uncle Sam
schedule subject to change

PASSPORT ACTIVITIES
COURTHOUSE TOURS
Sat. 10am-4:30pm; Sun. 12pm-1pm
Meet “Susan B. Anthony” and take a tour of the Courthouse with an accompanying adult. Tours every half hour, open to the public. Don’t miss it!

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER PLAY
Sat. 11:30am-12pm
Presented by Paxton Williams in the courtroom

SCAVENGER HUNT
Saturday:
9am-11am Monument Park
11am-1pm Storytelling tent
1pm-5pm Monument Park

Sunday:
9am-1pm Monument Park
11am-1pm Storytelling tent
1pm-5pm Monument Park

CARVER PARK
Sat. & Sun. 9am-5pm

Plant a peanut with local gardeners
Appearances by “George Washington Carver!”

WINTERSET ART CENTER
Sat. 9am-5pm; Sun. 10am-5pm
Be creative & listen to the stories of the Underground Railroad

WINTERSET LIBRARY
KIDS:
Sat. 9am-5pm
Pioneer Crafts and Stories in the library

Inflatables in front of the library for that youthful energy, all weekend 9am-5pm

ADULTS:
Sat. 9am-5pm
Iowa authors will be in the library, signing & selling their books. Authors include Shirley Damsgaard, John Thompson, Howard Terrell, Kali van Baale, and Mike Manno.

1pm-3pm only, local authors Marianne Fons and Deb Engle will be available.

Made possible by a grant from Humanities Iowa

More Information about the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival

Thank you to the following Sponsors:
Mary Agan, Norma Alexander & Rod Monroe, JoAnn & Wayne Allen, Naomi Bradbury, Marge Brokaw, Susan & Chet Chickering, Kory Darnall, Mike & Rita Drysdale, Dale & Esther Frank, Esther Hannon, Murray J. Harpole, Mary Hart, Nancy & Bryan Henggeler, Harold & Harriett Jackson, Carita Kelleher, Jim & Margaret Koch, Jane Martens, Pat Montross, Richard W. Newton, Suzanne Null, Ethel Lee Osborn-Tucker, Shirley Parkins, Rita Paul, Phylliss Peterson, RoxAnn & Jim Rhoads, Annabelle Cameron & Don Ross, Hugh & LaNelle Ruth, Bob & Linda Saylor, Mina Jean Slater, Oliver Stromberg, Mary Jo Tucker, William Van Werden, Tim Waddingham, Gary & JoAnne Walker, Mildred Waltz, Laura & Larry Waltz, Vera White, Arthur & Evanell Whitworth, Bernard & Frances Wight, Ione Wight, Bob & Dixie Young, Alan & Peggy Hoffman, Pat Sullivan, The Bakery Unlimited, BB&P Feed & Grain, Inc., Ben Franklin, Court Avenue Books, Ellwanger Expressions, Inc., Garden & Galley B&B, Madison County Abstract, Madison County Chamber of Commerce, Madison County Realty, McGowen, Hurst, Clark & Smith, Professional Resources, The Honorable Jodie Tymeson, The Honorable Staci Appel, Winterset Kiwanis Club, Winterset Optimist Club & our many volunteers.

Committee Members: Carol Liechty, Nancy Trask, Brenda Hollingsworth & Debbie Zacharias

October 14-15, 2006

Music Festival Civil War cannon shot
“History Came To Life” during the 2006 Covered Bridge Festival

The complex came to life with Martin Gas Station attendants handing out free balloons, clerks at the Field Mercantile selling penny candy (it really did cost just one cent!), school lessons every 30 minutes at Tusha Schoolhouse, a music festival in the museum lounge, train show at the early 1900s Winterset Depot, Civil War encampment with cannon shots at 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm and to top it off - free Blue Bunny ice cream!

We also worked with the Winterset Public Library, Art Center and schools to present “Passport to the Past” for kids attending the festival. They picked up their passports on the Winterset Courthouse square in the “History Comes To Life” tent. There were 7 activities and when they had 4 of them completed, they showed their passport at the museum or tent and received a prize!

Click the images to the left to view full-size (8-1/2" x 11") posters with information about our events during the 2006 Madison County Covered Bridge Festival. (.pdf documents)

Saturday, October 14th, 11:00 a.m.: American Dreamer: The Life and Times of Henry A. Wallace This one-act play was presented at the McKee Agricultural Barn. Based on the award-winning book of the same name by Senator John C. Culver and John Hyde, actor Tom Milligan portrayed Henry A. Wallace, the agricultural innovator and founder of Pioneer Hi-Bred seed corn company who became U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and later Vice President under Franklin Roosevelt. Admired by many and later branded as a Socialist during his controversial 1948 campaign for the presidency, Wallace always held out a vision for the future.

More Information about the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival

October 8-9, 2005
“History Comes Alive!” During the 2005 Covered Bridge Festival
The Historical Complex jumped in with both feet for the 2005 Madison County Covered Bridge Festival by sponsoring an Pioneer Days area on the Courthouse lawn on the Square downtown and a number of new activities on the Complex grounds including:

Lessons every half hour at the Tusha one-room Schoolhouse
Penny candy at Field Mercantile store
Free balloons at Martin Bros. Station
Music on the porch of the Bevington-Kaser House
Free ice cream
Lemonade & cookies
Tours of the facilities
Eulenspiegel Puppet American Folk Music Workshop

A montage of images from the 2005 Coivered Bridge Festival

A wide variety of music ranging from traditional folk songs to Celtic and Civil War-era music rang out from the west porch of the Kaser-Bevington house during the Festival.

March 13, 2005
Zion Church Soup Supper

The Soup Supper is the annual fundraiser for the Historical Complex, held in the Zion Church on the Historical Complex grounds. This year’s event was a tremendous success, as a huge number turned out to partake of soup and exquisite pies baked by local supporters.
Zion Church Crowd
Those waiting their turn for food in the church basement were entertained by the Benge family, here with vocals by Sue Hansen. A great time was had by all!

Sue Hansen and the Benge Family

December 12, 2004

A Christmas Concert with Simon Estes
Miller Auditorium, Winterset High School

June 13, 2004

Simon Estes Concert
The concert in celebration of the Madison County Historical Society’s 100th anniversary featuring world-renowned bass baritone Simon Estes went very well indeed!

Preceeded by the Harbour Lights Quartet, Estes sang several solo numbers, and The Battle Hymn of the Republic with members of the Winterset High School choir. An enthusiastic crowd of about 500 was thrilled and delighted by the afternoon’s performances. Estes grew up in Centerville, Iowa, and has performed throughout the world. The Madison County Historical Society was honored that Estes helped us to celebrate!