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Long before the English settled these shores, American Indians had mastered living off the land and enjoyed rich cultural lives.  At Woodland Indian Discovery Day on September 8 at Historic St. Mary’s City, you will discover how the Yaocomaco people found or made everything they needed to live comfortably in this environment. 

When you need twine, you buy it at a hardware store.  The Woodland Indians might look for a patch of dogbane and spend a few hours coaxing cordage from its fibers.  Next time you want a snack, throw a bag of popcorn into the microwave and imagine those who lived on this spot 500 years ago planting corn, drying it, then popping it over an open fire!

At Woodland Indian Discovery Day, you can learn to shoot a bow and arrow, throw an atlatl, step a traditional dance, and make a rattle to keep the beat.  Experiment with making tools from rocks and learn which familiar plants were used for food, tools, and building material.   Shape a bowl from clay and help tan animal hides.  Children of all ages will enjoy trying crafts and skills throughout the day, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.   

Learn to see the world around you as Maryland’s first people saw it.  You’ll find food and fashion, entertainment and shelter where you never saw it before!  Special activities are included in general admission to the museum: $10 adult, $6.00 for children ages 6-18, and free for Friends and those under 5 years.  Historic St. Mary's City is a museum of living history and archaeology located in scenic tidewater Southern Maryland.  For more information, call the museum at 1-800-762-1634, 240-895-4990, info@stmaryscity.org, or visit the museum’s web site, www.stmaryscity.org.