Memorial Day Observance
On Monday May 29 the Tacoma Historical Society will present its annual Memorial Day Observance in Tacoma’s War Memorial Park at 6th Avenue and MacArthur Street. Two new memorials, bearing the names of 226 Pierce County citizens who lost their lives as a result of the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War, will be dedicated on that day.
Guest speaker will be Chief Warrant Officer 5 Teresa Burgess, who entered Active Duty in 1982. She earned her pilot wings in April 1984. Burgess joined the Washington National Guard in 1993 and became the second Command Chief Warrant Officer for the Washington Army National Guard.
In 2007 we dedicated the first monument bearing the names of Pierce County’s fallen military from World War II, researched by Tacoma Historical Society volunteers. In 2011 a second memorial honoring those lost during World War I was dedicated. We also erected a Medal of Honor memorial and installed a remembrance bench. The monuments are visible to nearby highway traffic and a steady stream of War Memorial Park visitors.
A Brass Quartet from Camp Murray will provide the music.
WHAT: Tacoma Historical Society presents its annual Memorial Day celebration
WHEN: Monday May 29, 2017
WHERE: Tacoma’s War Memorial Park, 624 N. Meyers Street, Tacoma
DURATION: 11:00am – 12:00pm
For more information contact: Tacoma Historical Society: (253) 472-3738, info@tacomahistory.org ...
Thank you to everyone who came out to The Chase Garden for today's event. And a big thank to the garden staff for their generous hospitality! What a beautiful local treasure. ...
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Crafts of the Past at Fort Nisqually
Historical crafts and skills come to life during the popular Crafts of the Past series at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum. This is the sixth year of the program, which features modern practitioners of 19th century artistic traditions sharing the methods and materials of their work.
Each weekend from May 27 through September 4 a different artist will be “in-residence” at the Fort with demonstrations and displays of their work. Most will also offer guests the opportunity to try the craft themselves and make something to take home. Featured crafts include tatting, wood turning, Native American basketry, scrimshaw, and banjo making. For the complete schedule, visit FortNisqually.org.
Crafts of the Past is sponsored by the Fort Nisqually Foundation and made possible by a grant from the Tacoma Arts Commission. It is free with paid museum admission.
Upcoming Artists-in-Residence:
May 27-28
Textile Arts
Synthia Santos will guide visitors willing to try a treadle sewing machine, and teach guests a few basic hand sewing and finger knitting techniques. The littlest visitors can practice on sewing cards and everyone can make a cockade to take home, a classic fabric rosette often seen adorning fine Victorian ladies and gentlemen. Santos has been practicing various textile arts — including sewing, cross-stitch, knitting, crochet — for 40 years. As a long-time volunteer at Fort Nisqually, she has become knowledgeable about mid-19th century patterns and methods. Santos is a regular contributor to the Fort’s living history clothing collection and has shared her expertise with others willing to learn.
June 3-4
Sheep to Shawl
Heather Kibbey has been spinning, weaving, knitting, crocheting, and tatting for more than 40 years. Guests will see her at work and have the opportunity to try their hand at using drop spindles or weaving on a loom. Heather is a regular volunteer at Fort Nisqually Living History Museum and often mentors other volunteers. On Saturday, guests will also get to see how the whole process begins — with the shearing of sheep — thanks to visiting sheep and Elaine Thompson from Blackberry Patch Farms.
June 10-11
Blacksmithing
Ray Baker (Saturday) and John Simpkins (Sunday) have together volunteered more than 20,000 hours as the Fort Nisqually blacksmiths. Throughout the weekend, visitors will have the opportunity to see them in action in the Fort's smithy. John Simpkins started working with metal in high school. He has hand-forged items for displays and living history programs at the Fort, where he has been volunteering for more than 20 years. Ray trained with the NorthWest Blacksmith Association (NWBA) and has participated in workshops with master smiths from Colonial Williamsburg. He has forged thousands of items for the Fort and the gift shop. He is a published author and has mentored several budding blacksmiths at the Fort, where he has been volunteering for 20 years.
June 17 (Saturday Only)
Tatting
Patti Logan will demonstrate the ancient tradition of tatting -- making knotted lace. Visitors will have the chance to try their hand at tatting with needles, learning to make double stitches and picots. A simple rings-only pattern will be available as a handout.
Tatting was popularized in the mid-1800s. Beginning in 1846, Mademoiselle Eleonore Riego de la Branchardiere published numerous books that helped propulgate the practice. During the 19th century, women in North America learned and embellished their clothing, pillowcases, handkerchiefs, made tatted christening bonnets, etc. Logan has been tatting for more than 20 years. She first mastered tatting with a needle, then became accomplished with a shuttle. She now teaches others at Arbutus folk school in Olympia.
July 1-2
Scrimshaw
Rich Repp has a love for history that led him to the arts of the era of Fort Nisqually. It was a logical progression of arts for him - first with leather work, then horn carving & wire inlay and finally, to scrimshaw. Rich will showcase his powder horn carving and scrimshaw work. His crafts’ demonstration will show the basic overview of what it takes to make a powder horn and personalize it with a design, name or both. Guests will be able to help with the steps to cut, file, shape and finish a typical horn and try some scrimshaw work.
Please visit www.metroparkstacoma.org/fort-crafts/ for the complete schedule.
Located in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum is a restoration of the Hudson’s Bay Company outpost on Puget Sound. Visitors experience daily life during the 1850s with the help of costumed interpreters. Seven restored and reconstructed 1850s buildings are open to the public, including two National Historic Landmarks. There is also a Visitor Center with Museum Store. The Fort is a facility of Metro Parks Tacoma.
For more information contact:
Allison Campbell, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, (253) 591-5339; allisonc@tacomaparks.com ...
It's going to be a beautiful day for today's Chase Gardens tour. Don't miss your chance to see this amazing local treasure.
Spring Garden Tour and Lunch ...
Spring Garden Tour and Lunch
May 23, 2017, 11:00am - May 23, 2017, 3:00pm
Don’t miss your chance to visit Chase Garden on Tuesday May 23, 11am-1pm!
The Heritage League of Pierce County invites you to our spring member event. Meet at Chase Garden at 11am for a 1-hour tour, followed by a networking lunch. Our tour guides will discuss the heritage and horticulture of the 4.5 acre garden as we walk along gravel, woodland paths.
Chase Garden will be closing to the public on June 30. This may be one of your last opportunities to see this beautiful local treasure unless/until the Garden Conservancy can find a local organization to manage the property as a public garden.
The tour is $6/person.
Bring a lunch; coffee and dessert will be provided. In case of rain, we’ll enjoy our lunches under the covered lanai.
Limited parking is available, so please try to carpool.
The native plant nursery and garden shop will be open during our visit.
chasegarden.org/
Chase Garden, 16015 264th St. East, Orting, WA 98360
