Feb. 20, 2023

Union City, Tenn. – Discovery Park of America announced Linda Lu Stone Harding has been selected as the 2023 Volunteer of the Year during a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at Blake’s Southern Milling in Martin. Harding, who was born in and has lived in Union City all her life, has been volunteering for more than five years at the museum and heritage park.

When working at Discovery Park, Harding can frequently be found at the information table helping guests plan their day or making recommendations about other attractions, hotels or restaurants that are in the area.

“Volunteering at Discovery Park is such a wonderful and rewarding experience,” Harding said. “I meet people from all over the world, and hopefully make their experience in our region even better. It’s also always fun to run across people when I travel who mention Discovery Park. I’m always proud to say, ‘I work there.’”

On an average year, Discovery Park has around 30 active volunteers who perform duties in the museum, on the grounds, as craftspeople and in advisory roles.

“A robust volunteer program is one of the best indicators of a healthy non-profit museum,” said Scott Williams, Discovery Park’s president and CEO. “All of us at Discovery Park are so grateful to our volunteers like Linda who enhance our visitors’ experiences in so many ways.”

Discovery Park will host two information sessions on the volunteer program on Monday, March 6 at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. in the Tennessee Room. Many different volunteer opportunities exist currently, and duties can be tailored to meet individuals’ passions and interests. To sign up for the session or for more information, please email Samantha Simbeck at ssimbeck@discoveryparkofamerica.com.

Photo Caption: Discovery Park’s 2023 Volunteer of the Year, Linda Lu Harding

Photo caption: Discovery Park’s 2023 Volunteer of the Year, Linda Lu Harding, along with fellow volunteers and Discovery Park staff. (seated, l to r) Linda Lu Harding, Cherry Pyron and Kathy Davis (standing, l to r) David Hill, Russell Orr, Samantha Simbeck, Alice Fennel, Emalee Buttrey, Sue Ellen Morris and Scott Williams.

Feb. 7, 2023

Discovery Park of America Hosting Informational Session about Civil War Trails to Increase Tourism in Northwest Tennessee 

Union City, Tenn.—Discovery Park of America will be the venue for an information session for those in Northwest Tennessee interested in The Civil War Trails on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, 4 – 5 p.m. CT. Presenting at the session via Zoom will be Drew Gruber, executive director of the program.

Civil War Trails has been working with communities since 1994 to share their stories and connect visitors across a network that now spans six states. Travelers look to Civil War Trails to put them in the footsteps of the generals, soldiers, citizens and the enslaved who found themselves in the midst of the Civil War.

Civil War sites are known to be a major generator of tourism dollars. In the National Park Service’s 2019 Visitor Spending Effects Report, the data showed 18.8 million recreational visits to battlefields managed by the National Park Service. These visits supported an average of 464 jobs within each surrounding community, producing an average of $14.5 million in labor income.

“While there are many points of interest relating to the Civil War in Northwest, Tennessee, there are only a small number of sites included on the trail compared to the rest of the state,” said Scott Williams, president and CEO of Discovery Park. “We hope by hosting this session, we can see Northwest Tennessee better represented. That will lead to an increase in visitors to this area to experience everything we have to offer in this region.”

During the session, Gruber will review procedures on adding a site to the Civil War Trails program, the types of sites that are approved for inclusion, the tourism-related benefits communities may anticipate, costs, case studies and more.

The Civil War Trails program boasts over 1,550 interpretive signs across five states. Every Civil War Trails interpretive sign is supported by placement in a signature map-guides and other print and digital media.

“Civil War Trails not only distributes several thousand maps monthly, but our partners continually promote our sites through the cooperative nature of the program, said Drew Gruber, executive director of the program. “Additionally, we ensure that visitors, whether by chance or design, find an attractive and well-maintained sign at each site.”

To reserve a spot at the info session in person or on Zoom, contact Alexis Millsaps at 731-885-5455 or amillsaps@discoveryparkofamerica.com

Photo Caption: A new Civil War Trails directional sign was installed at Fort Hill in Waverly, TN late last year. Courtesy, Civil War Trails, Inc.

Photo Caption: Each Civil War Trails site around the nation has a dual-leg interpretive sign like this one which was installed in Goldsboro, NC earlier this year. Courtesy, Civil War Trails, Inc.

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About Discovery Park of America

The mission of Discovery Park of America, a premier world-class museum and heritage park located in Union City, Tennessee, is to inspire children and adults to see beyond. Included is a 100,000-square-foot museum featuring 9 interactive exhibit galleries with additional space for temporary exhibits from around the world and a 50-acre heritage park. Discovery Park of America is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations including its principal funder, the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation. For more information, visit DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Union City, Tenn. —Discovery Park of America will exhibit all 24 artifacts found inside a cornerstone box from the historic Dresden First United Methodist Church. The exhibit, “Inside the Cornerstone Box,” will feature the items that were found on Feb. 2, 2022, when Discovery Park artifact experts opened the box as many church members watched.

The box had been discovered during the demolition of the church that was damaged beyond repair in December 2021, during one of the worst outbreaks of tornadoes ever recorded in the United States. It was found bricked inside a part of the church that was dedicated in 1924 and was previously unknown to many of today’s church members. Once discovered, demolition halted as those on hand began work to carefully extract the box from behind the building’s cornerstone. Wayne McCreight, a church trustee, contacted Discovery Park to ask for help safely extracting the contents of this gripping find. 

“Of all the artifacts we discovered, the most meaningful for me was a typed letter from the church’s pastor at the time, S. L. Jewell,” said Wildes. “It included a short history of the church, and he noted that the letter had been ‘hastily written for information of someone who may in coming years look in the box.’”

The majority of the items were well preserved with the most unexpected item being an ear of corn. A letter wrapped around the ear noted it was of the Little Willice variety and was placed in the box by R. E. Ellis, the Weakley County agriculture agent. Ellis wrote, “May God’s richest blessings be with each farmer and those that depend on farmers as long as good old Weakley County continues to be populated with people.” Other items that will be on display include newspapers, hymnals and historic church documents. These items will be seen by the public for the first time in 100 years.

Since removing the items from the cornerstone box, the Discovery Park collections team has been hard at work conserving the materials and safely preparing them for viewing. “Paper documents had been folded inside the box for a century, so they needed to undergo a humidification, drying, and flattening process before being placed on display,” said Jennifer Wildes, Discovery Park’s senior director of collections and exhibits. “A small amount of mold had to also be removed from certain hymnals—a result of moisture produced by the ear of corn as it desiccated over the years inside the box.”

“We feel honored that the Dresden First United Methodist Church allowed Discovery Park to be a part of this special discovery and for trusting us to retrieve, care for and display their cornerstone box items,” said Scott Williams, the museum’s president and CEO. “I know many of our guests will be as excited to see these items as I am.”

Contributions to the rebuilding of Dresden First United Methodist Church may be made online by visiting GoFundMe.com and searching for “Dresden FUMC Rebuilding Effort,” or checks may be mailed to Building & Renovation Fund, Dresden First United Methodist Church, 411 Morrow Street, Dresden, TN 38225.

“Inside the Cornerstone Box” will be at Discovery Park Jan. 21 to May 21, 2023 and is free with admission or membership.

To plan a trip to Discovery Park, visit DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com.

Photo Caption: A photograph of 2-year-old Norma Leone Lewis was discovered inside a hymnal that was removed from the cornerstone box.

Photo Caption: Jennifer Wildes, Discovery Park’s senior director of collections and exhibits, examining a fragile document found within the cornerstone box.

Remember when the exhibits team at Discovery Park opened the cornerstone box found at the historic Dresden First United Methodist Church?

From Jan. 21 to May 21, 2023 all 24 artifacts found inside that box will be on display here at our museum.

The box had been discovered during the demolition of the church that was damaged beyond repair in December 2021, during one of the worst outbreaks of tornadoes ever recorded in the United States. It was found bricked inside a part of the church that was dedicated in 1924 and was previously unknown to many of today’s church members. Once discovered, demolition halted as those on hand began work to carefully extract the box from behind the building’s cornerstone. Wayne McCreight, a church trustee, contacted Discovery Park to ask for help safely extracting the contents of this gripping find.

“Of all the artifacts we discovered, the most meaningful for me was a typed letter from the church’s pastor at the time, S. L. Jewell,” said Wildes. “It included a short history of the church, and he noted that the letter had been ‘hastily written for information of someone who may in coming years look in the box.’”

The majority of the items were well preserved with the most unexpected item being an ear of corn. A letter wrapped around the ear noted it was of the Little Willice variety and was placed in the box by R. E. Ellis, the Weakley County agriculture agent. Ellis wrote, “May God’s richest blessings be with each farmer and those that depend on farmers as long as good old Weakley County continues to be populated with people.” Other items that will be on display include newspapers, hymnals and historic church documents. These items will be seen by the public for the first time in 100 years.

Since removing the items from the cornerstone box, our collections team has been hard at work conserving the materials and safely preparing them for viewing. “Paper documents had been folded inside the box for a century, so they needed to undergo a humidification, drying, and flattening process before being placed on display,” said Jennifer Wildes, Discovery Park’s senior director of collections and exhibits. “A small amount of mold had to also be removed from certain hymnals—a result of moisture produced by the ear of corn as it desiccated over the years inside the box.”

“We feel honored that the Dresden First United Methodist Church allowed Discovery Park to be a part of this special discovery and for trusting us to retrieve, care for and display their cornerstone box items,” said Scott Williams, the museum’s president and CEO. “I know many of our guests will be as excited to see these items as I am.

Contributions to the rebuilding of Dresden First United Methodist Church may be made online by visiting GoFundMe.com and searching for “Dresden FUMC Rebuilding Effort,” or checks may be mailed to Building & Renovation Fund, Dresden First United Methodist Church, 411 Morrow Street, Dresden, TN 38225.

“Inside the Cornerstone Box” will be at Discovery Park Jan. 21 to May 21, 2023 and is free with admission or membership.

Photo Caption: Jennifer Wildes, Discovery Park’s senior director of collections and exhibits, examining a fragile document found within the cornerstone box.

Photo Caption: A photograph of 2-year-old Norma Leone Lewis was discovered inside a hymnal that was removed from the cornerstone box.

Union City, Tenn.—Discovery Park of America and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge will host the 2023 Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp Awards Ceremony on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at 5 p.m. The dinner is sponsored in part by Obion County Tourism, Ducks Unlimited and the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge. Winners will receive two free tickets to Discovery Park in Northwest Tennessee so they can spend the day exploring in advance of the ceremony. Additional tickets may be purchased at the museum’s group rate at the ticket counter.

Numerous free activities will take place on Sunday at the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge for winners and their families, such as canoe trips, archery, herp hike and a live bird of prey and snake program.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a dynamic art- and science-based curriculum that teaches students wetland and waterfowl conservation.

The program encourages students to explore their natural world, invites them to investigate biology and wildlife management principles and challenges them to express and share what they have learned with others. The program uses the environment as the theme to creatively teach core subjects. Students are encouraged to design a duck stamp depicting a native North American waterfowl species in their natural habitat and submit their artwork for the competition.

The competition is open to any child in grades K-12 in Tennessee. First, second, third or honorable mention ribbons are presented to 100 Tennessee students — 25 in each grade group (K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12). First, second and third place awards will be presented to 36 competitors who receive a special engraved Junior Duck Stamp plaque.

The Tennessee Best of Show winner receives the Jeannette Rudy $1,000 college scholarship, a framed Federal Duck Stamp print and his/her artwork featured on the state waterfowl stamp. Awards are provided by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation. The Tennessee Best of Show will also go on to compete in the national Junior Duck Stamp contest.

More information and details about the contest, including how to enter, are available at fws.gov/refuge/reelfoot.

Discovery Park will open a permanent waterfowl exhibit in 2023. “Duck, Duck, Goose: Waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway.”

When opened, the permanent exhibit will use a combination of stories, three-dimensional objects, interactive elements and hands-on experiences to tell the stories of waterfowl hunting and conservation. Ducks Unlimited, the world’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation, is the premier sponsor of the exhibit. Other partners in the exhibit include Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Five Oaks Lodge, Final Flight Outfitters, Inc., First Choice Farm and Lawn, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Deupree Family Foundation, Commercial Bank and the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation. Additional partners will be announced soon.

“Being asked to host the 2023 Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp Awards Ceremony at Discovery Park of America is an honor and privilege. We’re a natural fit given our location along the ancient Mississippi Flyway near historic Reelfoot Lake, and our commitment to inspire children and adults to see beyond through our daily interactive STEAM educational initiatives,” said Dr. Emalee Buttrey, Discovery Park’s director of education, programming and museum experience. “We look forward to welcoming these young artists and their guests from across Tennessee to what is arguably the most important region in the state for waterfowl conservation.”

Photo Caption: Discovery Park of America and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge will host the winners of the 2023 Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp Awards on Saturday, April 15, 2023. In addition to exploring the Regional Gallery and other exhibits in the 100,000-square-foot museum and 50-acre heritage park, winners are invited to an award ceremony at 5 p.m. Additional free activities will take place on Sunday at the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.