Trying their little hands at Native American pottery                                                                                - The Bay Net Photos by Tom Latchaw

August 12, was the annual American Indian Heritage Day at the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum in St. Leonard. According to Michele Parlett this was the eighth annual such event that traditionally draws about 500 people.  The weather for this day was promising a record crowd as admissions were already over 1,200 at 1pm.

Andrew Twele helped some young visitors to clean a hide

The Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum is located on Mackall Road. in St. Leonard.  It is about 560 acres of retired farmland with barns, riverside waterfront and a visitor’s center.  The mission of the Park and Museum is to preserve and promote the natural and human history of Southern Maryland and their motto is “Experience, Discover, Learn and Have FUN!”  Programs include archaeology, natural history, native peoples, and revolutionary and war of 1812 era re-enactments. 

The atmosphere was very family friendly with crafts, games, storytelling, music and dance demonstrations that encouraged participation.  Children made pots, strung beads, painted a mural, wove baskets, and had their faces painted into fantastic creatures.  The food available to sustain the visitors between activities was superb and made freshly. The fry bread lunch, was one meal well worth waiting in line for.

Jan Horton (R), candidate for Calvert County Commissioner

A short wagon ride away was a native “hamlet” consisting of one Hogan-style home built of branches, bark and leaves, and an open-sided pavilion constructed of similar materials.  These were constructed by “Earth Connection School of Primitive Survival and Ancient Skills” (www.earth-connection.com).  Earth Connection was there in association with MAPS, the Mid-Atlantic Primitive Skills group (www.maps.org). Their demonstrations included hearth cooking, construction of a dugout canoe, flint napping, use of primitive tools, cordage and hide tanning. 

Jan Seiden not only plays but makes her own Native American flutes

Finally we slaked our 20th century appetites with a visit to Calvert Kettle Corn for some sweet and crunchy goodies.  This stand is a perennial favorite at Calvert County events and is run by Tom and Paulette Peterson of Cheaspeake Beach (www.calvertkettlecorn.com).  The Petersons make and sell their kettle corn fresh at the events and serve it still warm YUM!

All told this event kept this reporter and his two daughters, Vicki and Lizzie going strong all day long.  The entertainment was constant and consequently tiredness and whininess were at a minimum (although I did feel whiney toward the end. . .)   If you have an opportunity to attend next year, I would heartily recommend it. See more of the activities from this year in the slideshow below.

Future events at Jefferson Patterson Park include the landing of the John Smith replica shallop scheduled for August of 2007, and a very large re-enactment of the largest naval engagement in Maryland history in the summer of 2008.  For more information about the park, see www.jefpat.org.

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