Beginning in January 2023, Homeschool Days will look different in several ways.
Three hours instead of two
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. instead of 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Classes will now begin promptly at 1 p.m. so please make plans to arrive no later than 12:45 p.m.
A 15-minute break with snack time will be included. Please alert of us any allergies that your child has in advance.
Threedifferent 45-minute classes and activities, instead of one
Five subject areas – History, Science, Music and Art, Wildlife, and Agriculture (will be offered on a regular rotation)
All grades will now experience all subjects
Three grade groups instead of four:
Grades 1-4 (Elementary)
Grades 5-8 (Middle School)
Grades 9-12 (High School)
While we have separated grades into three groups, you know your child best. It is always at the parent’s discretion to decide which grade group is most appropriate for their child, within reason. If you have questions, please ask!
Updated Version of Discovery Park Exhibit Popular with Young Children to Open Spring 2023
Discovery Park of America is working with Boss Display, an award-winning custom exhibits design firm, on a brand new, updated version of the water tables. The company designed and installed the original water tables when Discovery Park opened in 2013. Located next to the entrance of the Giant Man Slide, they provide one of the more memorable experiences at the museum, especially for younger children. The redesign is being funded by the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation, and the opening will be one of the many events scheduled during Discovery Park’s year-long 10th birthday celebration.
The designers have opted to shift from two sections to one much larger experience that incorporates many new interactive activities and snakes throughout the entire space. New elements added include a fishing pond, fog and water mushrooms, interactive rain clouds, many new water toys and an activity that encourages children to direct fog using a series of pipes. Movable islands and aqueducts will lead to one activity that will be returning — an opened-top spinning vortex into which colorful balls can be dropped.
“However, even that experience will have a new twist,” noted Jennifer Wildes, Discovery Park’s senior director of collections and exhibits. “The designers have added a conveyor belt that can take the ball on a journey straight up and across the ceiling before it lands into the vortex.”
Boss Display designers and the exhibits team at Discovery Park spoke with educators, parents and children to determine what elements should be included to create a fun and STEAM-friendly experience for children and adults.
“Water tables provide a wonderful, open-ended opportunity for families to learn through the power of play, so it’s no surprise they’re now considered a staple in many museums around the world,” said Steve Farrow, Project manager at Boss Display. “We’re thrilled Discovery Park’s Water Table experience has been such a hit that we get to come back and create something brand new for their 10th birthday.
Today is National Read a Book Day, so here’s a look at a very special book that impacted a young man’s life and contributed to a museum and heritage park that today is inspiring millions of children and adults. He was just 16 years old on May 21, 1954 when Discovery Park founder Robert Kirkland stopped by the Union City High School library and checked out the book “Historic Models of Early America and How to Make Them.” One of Discovery Park’s lead docents and an Obion County resident with a passion for local history, Art Chivers, discovered the book at a sale and snatched it up when he noticed Kirkland’s name at the top of the list of borrowers.
The book was written by C. J. Maginley and was released in 1947. Interestingly, as you flip through the chapters and illustrations included inside, you become increasingly aware of the connection between the contents of the book and the museum and heritage park Robert and Jenny Kirkland would open in 2012.
“Historic Models of Early America and How to Make Them” includes the history and purpose of various items used by early Americans and provides illustrations on how a model of these items can be made. The models include a canoe, farm implements, early-American cabins and more.
The Dec. 7, 1947 New York Times review of the book noted the instructions for building the models were “sketchy at best and would not be adequate for the youth who has had no previous experience working with hand tools and wood.” Little did they know one young reader would grow up and recreate the real things for a museum and heritage park that would inspire millions of visitors for decades to come.
Senior Fellow for the First Amendment for the Freedom Forum, Gene Policinski, to Speak at Union City Rotary on Friday, Sept. 23
Gene Policinski is Senior Fellow for the First Amendment for the Freedom Forum, where he contributes to the weekly “First Five” commentary on First Amendment issues, responds to news media inquiries and participates in Freedom Forum programs.
One of the founding editors of USA Today, he also is a trustee of the First Amendment Museum being developed in Augusta, Me. A longtime proponent of diversity as an essential element of a free press, he is a member of the board of directors of Journal-isms, a regular report on diversity in the news media.
Policinski writes, lectures and is interviewed regularly on news media and First Amendment issues. He is co-author, with Professor emeritus Robert Bickel of Stetson University, of a multi-media academic course, The First Amendment and the Civil Rights Movement. He is a contributor to “Whistleblowers, Leaks and the First Amendment,” published by the American Bar Association, providing a chapter on First Amendment issues and a free press; and has been published in a number of law review journals.
He is a member of the First Amendment Museum instructor team for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) classes, through the University of Southern Maine, on “The Five Essential Freedoms: The First Amendment and Your Life.”
The host of multiple radio and online audio programs during his career, including the current news and interview blog Ciceronia (a local news and information site about the town of Cicero, Indiana), he also was producer and then narrator for the 20-year multimedia musical touring production, Freedom Sings, which toured from 1999 through 2019). Policinski was executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning public television program “Speaking Freely,” several news and sports talk programs on “USA Today Sky Radio;” and was host of “Newseum Radio,” which aired for four years on NPR Worldwide.
He joined the Freedom Forum in 1996 as executive assistant to the president, and later served as vice president and executive director of the Freedom Forum’s First Amendment Center, at Vanderbilt University. He also served as president of the foundation’s Diversity Institute and retired in 2020 as president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute.
Policinski has directed several programs involving the federal judiciary and journalism. “Justice and Journalism” running since 1999, brings federal judges, journalists and others together to discuss issues of information access and accountability. Since 2019, he helps coordinate federal judges visits with college journalism students to discuss the role and operation of the various U.S. Courts. Both programs are done in partnership with the Judicial Branch Committee of the Judicial Conference and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
A former national trustee of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, he is a member of multiple journalism associations, including the News Leaders Association and the Society of Professional Journalists. He holds a Certified Journalism Educator designation from the Journalism Education Association.
In non-journalism related public service, Policinski serves as President of the Nickel Plate Heritage Railroad board of directors, a non-profit enterprise that operates the Nickel Plate Express, an education and historic preservation line, based in Noblesville, Indiana. A graduate of Ball State University, he is a member of the Dean’s Council for its College of Communications, Information and Media. He attended the Nashville School of Law. He was awarded membership in 2012 to Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, through its chapter at the University of North Georgia.
A 1980 recipient of the Indiana governors’ service award, Sagamore of the Wabash, he also has served as an adjunct faculty member at Winthrop University; on the education committee of the U.S. Olympic Committee; as a trustee of the United States Sports Academy; and on the board of advisors for the Institute for Media, Culture, and Ethics at Bellarmine University. He was a trustee of the Newspaper Association of America Foundation, a member of the board of trustees of the Association of Opinion Journalists Foundation and was co-chair of the 2012 national convention of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
Policinski’s daily journalism career included working as a reporter or editor at the Greenfield (Ind.) Daily reporter, the Marion (Ind). Chronicle-Tribune; at Gannett News Service bureaus in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C. and at USA TODAY, where he held various news executive positions, including Washington Editor at its launch, and later Page One editor and Managing Editor/Sports. Most recently, he is a contributor to the Hamilton County (Ind.) Reporter.
While at the Freedom Forum, Policinski directed multiple programs and initiatives, including the Religious Freedom Center, the annual rededication of the Newseum’s Journalist Memorial program and the foundation’s annual National First Amendment Moot Court; and partnership programs with other foundations and organizations, including for more than 20 years the National Freedom of Information Day observance and the Freedom of Information Hall of Fame. He began writing the weekly Inside the First Amendment column in 2004, which later retitled First Five. He also hosted several online audio and video programs, including the Journalism/Works series running from 2013 to 2018.
What is the Freedom Forum all about? Our mission is to foster First Amendment freedoms for all. We’re a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. Our goal is an America where everyone knows, understands and values their First Amendment freedoms.
Being nonpartisan is really important to us. Everyone in this country has First Amendment freedoms, no matter who they are or what they believe.
Why is the Freedom Forum coming to West Tennessee? We want to talk with Americans about what they know and think about the First Amendment. We do an annual survey called The First Amendment: Where America Stands, asking people across the country what they think about the First Amendment.
Overwhelmingly, Americans see the First Amendment – which protects our essential freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition – as vital to our democracy. But people also express worry about free speech on college campuses, for instance, and threats to religious freedom. And many people are afraid to speak freely today for fear of consequences, both online and in-person.
We want to hear more from the people here, and we also want to celebrate these incredible freedoms that Americans uniquely enjoy. We are the only nation to have protected these essential freedoms in our founding documents. The only one!
We’re also marking First Amendment Day on Sept. 25, an opportunity for all of us to celebrate our most fundamental freedoms.
The First Amendment is the way we talk to each other as a nation. Sometimes we agree and oftentimes, we don’t. But we speak out, we publish news and opinions, we assemble in groups to talk and maybe protest and we petition the government for change. And of course, freedom of religion – often called the First Freedom – protects our consciences, it protects our deepest beliefs from government interference.
But why Tennessee? Tennessee has an incredible First Amendment history. It was the Tennessee legislature that finally made women’s right to vote a nationwide law in 1920.
And civil rights protesters in the 1960s in Nashville and other cities sat at lunch counters and rode buses to protest segregation. Those are just two examples of the power of the First Amendment: People assembled and petitioned the government to change. It didn’t come nearly quickly enough, but the First Amendment creates the space for our country to adjust and revise our laws and our treatment of each other.
Today, schools and parents are wrestling with the issue of book selection: Some parents and politicians are seeking to remove or restrict books in school libraries they consider inappropriate; other librarians, educators and other parents are arguing for access to those books.
On a lighter note, Tennessee was the home of Elvis Presley, and his hip-shaking free expression rocked and shocked Americans in the 1950s. People often don’t think about the First Amendment protecting your right to free expression – it protects musicians and artists. It protects dance and the way you express yourself in clothing – and even your tattoos!
We also love that Discovery Park of America’s mission is to see beyond. We hope people will see beyond the political differences so evident today to celebrate the freedoms that nearly all Americans treasure. Because another of our survey findings was that 61% of Americans think the First Amendment can help bridge those divisions.
What do you know about Tennessee, anyway?
I’m glad you asked! We hosted four focus groups with community leaders and asked them about First Amendment issues they are interested in or concerned about.
What they told us was very much aligned with what we found in our national survey: People told us that speech and religion are their most essential First Amendment freedoms. But people are worried that religious freedom is threatened today, and they also feel that free speech is threatened. People feel the divisive political climate we’re living through has made it hard for people from opposing points of view to talk civilly. And people don’t trust the news media.
And we have deep Tennessee roots. John Seigenthaler, an award-winning journalist at The Tennessean and USA TODAY, a member of President John F. Kennedy’s Justice Department and a true champion of First Amendment freedoms, was the leading force for the Freedom Forum’s First Amendment work. His legacy can be seen in journalism programs across the state, from Middle Tennessee State University to Vanderbilt University. And we have offices and team members based on Vanderbilt’s campus in Nashville.
What will visitors do at the First Amendment Festival on Sept. 24?
The theme for the festival is fun, freedom and fellowship. We hope visitors will have a lot of fun celebrating the rights that make our country unique. We will have yard games like Jenga and cornhole, trivia games and a First Amendment scavenger hunt for the kids. We’ll have Fast Facts and Snacks, where people can get a cookie and a quick 5-minute download from our First Amendment educators about free speech, the forgotten First Amendment freedom and being media savvy. Folks can take a selfie with some famous First Amendment heroes in our Walk of Fame.
The big event of the day is a conversation with Fox News Channel anchor Bret Baier, who will talk about his career as a journalist and how the First Amendment supports his work. After Bret, we will have a special musical performance by the Grammy-winning Gatlin Brothers. We are really excited!
The Friday before our festival, our Freedom Forum educators will engage with local students from fifth grade on up to college on some First Amendment basics. And they’ll create a chalkboard expression about the First Amendment that will be on display for visitors to the festival the next day.
What else is the Freedom Forum up to these days?
Lots! This fall, we’re visiting three universities – the University of Georgia, Morgan State University in Maryland and the University of South Dakota – to listen and learn from students and engage with them about exercising their First Amendment rights. We know from our survey that the majority of Americans think campuses should foster free exchange of ideas, yet we’re often divided about how to do that. Our religious freedom educators have developed new shareable content and videos about how recent Supreme Court rulings relate to how students and teachers can pray in public schools. And our journalism initiatives are working to improve the culture of newsrooms across the country, and in the process, improve the news. We share First Amendment stories and artifact in museums and public spaces across the country, including exhibits open right now at Reagan and Dulles airports in Washington, D.C. We also host an annual Free Expression Awards event to honor individuals who champion free expression and the First Amendment, and inspire others with their stories.
If people want to learn more about the Freedom Forum or get more involved in championing the First Amendment, what should they do?
Follow us on social media at @1stForAll on Twitter and @FirstAmendmentForAll on Facebook and Instagram.
Visit our new website, freedomforum.org.
And one final thought: If we want to enjoy First Amendment freedoms, we need to protect them for all of us – even those with whom we disagree. That’s what the Freedom Forum is all about: Fostering First Amendment freedoms for all.
Where can I get a ticket for the event at Discovery Park?
Discovery Park of America Announces Partnership with Ducks Unlimited and Addition of Permanent Exhibit on Waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway
Union City, Tenn.—Discovery Park of America announced today an exhibit dedicated to telling the story of waterfowl hunting, conservation and the ecosystem of the Mississippi Flyway is currently being developed. “Duck, Duck, Goose: Waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway” will open at the museum and heritage park in 2023. Ducks Unlimited, the world’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation, is the premier sponsor of the exhibit.
“This new, permanent exhibit will use a combination of stories, three-dimensional objects, interactive elements and hands-on experiences,” said Scott Williams, Discovery Park’s president and CEO. “While some of our guests who encounter this exhibit will be well acquainted with waterfowl hunting and conservation, many others will be exposed to those topics for the first time.”
Louisville, KY-based Solid Light, a leader in the exhibit design and fabrication field, has been selected to head the project. Solid Light also worked with Discovery Park on the recently opened exhibit “AgriCulture: Innovating for Our Survival.”
Cynthia Torp, Solid Light’s owner and CEO, and her team have already been working alongside the Discovery Park exhibits professionals on the project for more than a year. They’ve also been working closely with experts at Ducks Unlimited throughout this research phase.
“With the museum’s location in the heart of the Mississippi Flyway and their unique mission of inspiring their visitors to explore the world around them, Discovery Park is in the perfect place to tell this story,” Torp said. “And I can’t imagine a better partner for this exhibit than Ducks Unlimited.”
Ducks Unlimited was founded in 1937 during the Dust Bowl when North America’s drought-plagued waterfowl populations had plunged to unprecedented lows. A small group of sportsmen joined together to form an organization that became known as Ducks Unlimited.
“As the world’s largest and most effective private waterfowl and wetlands conservation organization, our impact comes through a series of partnerships with private individuals, landowners, agencies, scientific communities and other entities like Discovery Park,” said George Dunklin, Ducks Unlimited past president and current board member. “We’re thrilled to be able to apply our expertise on wetlands conservation to help tell these stories to the millions of Discovery Park visitors who will experience the exhibit in coming years.”
Another partner, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is partnering with the museum to host the upcoming 2023 Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp Award Ceremony in April. The Junior Duck Stamp program is a dynamic art- and science-based curriculum that teaches wetland and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. The program encourages students to learn about waterfowl and their habitats and express what they have learned through an art contest. A variety of programs are being planned, such as Junior Duck Stamp Camp on Discovery Park’s STEAM Saturday, which can be enjoyed by anyone in grades K-12 interested in participating in the contest.
Although research and development for the exhibit is still underway, the initial direction has been determined by focus groups with content experts including waterfowl hunters, educators in the fields of conservation and wildlife and published reports and papers on the topic.
Those interested in partnering with Discovery Park on this exhibit should contact Mary Nita Bondurant at 731-885-5455 or mbondurant@discoveryparkofamerica.com.
Pictured l to r: Steven King, DU, deputy general counsel; David Marrone, DU, general counsel and assistant secretary; Scott Williams, Discovery Park, president and CEO; George Dunklin, DU past president and current board member; Jennifer Wildes, Discovery Park, senior director of collections and exhibits; Corey Dunn, DU, director of development; Sage Stockton, DU, director of development; and Mary Nita Bondurant, Discovery Park, director of development.
Part of the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program, the contest features an art- and science-based curriculum that teaches wetland and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school.
“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with Discovery Park of America on helping more people discover the importance of waterfowl conservation,” said Joan Howe, refuge ranger and Tennessee state coordinator for the Junior Duck Stamp Program. “With their current exhibits and educational programs that relate to the wildlife of this region, they are a natural fit.”
While specific details have not yet been announced, Discovery Park currently has a permanent exhibit about waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway planned for 2023.
After studying about waterfowl and their habitats, students from across the United States draw or paint a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species. They submit their artwork to their state, territory or district art competition.
The “Best of Show” from each competition is submitted to the National Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest where judges select an image to become the next Junior Duck Stamp and one they believe has the strongest conservation message. The top three artists at the national level and the student with the winning conservation message receive scholarships.
The Junior Duck Stamp Program was inspired by the successful Federal Duck Stamp Program. Waterfowl hunters ages 16 and older are required to purchase and carry a duck stamp while hunting. A Duck Stamp also provides free admission to national wildlife refuges that are open to the public. Duck stamps are sold at post offices nationwide and at many refuges and sporting goods stores. Electronic versions of the duck stamp can also be purchased online.
Revenue generated by the sales of Duck Stamps and proceeds from the Junior Duck Stamp Program fund environmental education programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and several territories.
For those interested in participating in next year’s contest, a Junior Duck Stamp curriculum guide is available for educators and homeschool parents.
Photo Caption: (Left to right) Joan Howe, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency refuge ranger and Tennessee state coordinator for the Junior Duck Stamp Program; Glenn Schreiber; Isaac Schrieber, Best of Show winner in the 2022 Junior Duck Stamp Competition; Ruth Schreiber; and Don King, chief multimedia development for Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Discovery Park of America Upgrades Theater to Include State-of-the-art 4K Digital 3D Technology
Union City, Tenn. –Discovery Park of America has begun a project to upgrade the current Starship Theater incorporating a state-of-the-art, laser-illuminated 4K Digital 3D projection system designed and integrated by D3D Cinema.
Included in the upgrade is the latest high-efficiency 40,000-lumen laser projector on the market, an advanced surround-sound system and the ability to show 3-D films which will provide significant new programming capabilities in the theater.
An additional change is the renaming of the theater to “The Discovery Theater.”
“For all of us at Discovery Park, this is more than just new technology and a name change,” said Karl Johnson, Discovery Park of America director of information technology. “The new projection and audio system and the ability to show 3D films gives us a fun, new way to implement our mission to inspire children and adults to see beyond.”
The Discovery Theater will close for the remodel on September 12, 2022 and reopen on October 8, 2022 with the 20-minute version of two award-winning 3D films, “Dinosaurs of Antarctica 3D” and “Tiny Giants 3D.”
“Dinosaurs of Antarctica 3D” from Giant Screen Films and D3D Cinema uses the latest in CGI technology to follow a team of paleoecologists on a quest to understand the southern continent’s profound transformation from a warm and bio-diverse Mesozoic to the frozen desert we know today. “Tiny Giants 3D” from BBC Earth is an adventure film created by the award-winning nature filmmakers Michael Gunton (“Africa, One Life,” “Madagascar”) and Mark Brownlow (“Planet Earth,” “South Pacific”) and narrated by English actor, broadcaster and comedian Stephen Fry.
“Our team is honored by the trust placed in us by Discovery Park to design, integrate and support this important re-imagination of their theater,” said Derek Threinen, D3D’s Senior Vice President of Business Development. “The versatility of this new system will allow Discovery Park to open new worlds of discovery with stunningly-immersive sights and sounds from around the world, and in subjects as diverse as the museum and park itself.”
Photo Caption: Left to right, Discovery Park docent, Alexis Millsaps, greets Ivan Hogan, Levi Hogan, Tiffany Hogan, Fred Hogan and Oliver Hogan, a family visiting Discovery Park from Mississippi, as they enter The Starship Theater to enjoy one of the current films.
Military History and Armed Forces Symposium 2022 Held at Discovery Park of America
Thousands of children and adults enjoyed the 2022 Military History and Armed Forces Symposium that was held here at Discovery Park April 29 to May 1, 2022. The event featured a variety of programs and interactive activities that explored the past, present and future of the American military. For the first time ever, all branches of the military had representatives at the symposium.
Attendees experienced a number of special guests including Bill Allen, one of the last remaining D-day survivors. You can hear an episode of our podcast recorded earlier with Mr. Allen here. Jennifer Horbelt with WPSD Local 6 also recorded an in-depth interview with Mr. Allen at Discovery Park.
Other special guests participated in panel discussions and presentations on a wide range of topics that included details on how to enter the military, managing a military career and tips to apply after leaving the armed services. Videos and recordings of the panels and conversations will be shared in the coming weeks.
Discovery Park CEO Scott Williams recorded a live episode of “Reelfoot Forward: A West Tennessee Podcast” featuring Kevin Rumley. Kevin went from homeless, drug-addicted veteran to having a master’s degree in social work, performing in numerous bands as a drummer and running the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court, a program that helps divert veteran offenders from prison to community service and recovery.
Music was also a big part of the event with concerts and live performances by Operation Song and the 52nd Regimental String Band. Operation Song empowers veterans, active-duty military members, and their families to tell their stories through the process of songwriting. Their performance at the members only reception on Friday night included songs written after spending time with local veterans David Blincoe and Ray Pollard. In addition to performing at the reception, the string band also provided guests with music and dance instruction at a new event, an early-American folk dance.
A number of historic interpreter groups were on hand inside and out to educate guests on the military of the past and authors of military-related books were here to share their stories from their years in the military.
“A Country Divided: Photos from the Civil War,” an exhibit of rare Civil War photos and artifacts, made its world debut at the event and will be on display through May 25, 2022. Designed by Discovery Park’s collections and exhibits team featuring items from the collection of Jason Pate, the exhibit consists of several early photography examples depicting soldiers that either lived in or traveled through Obion County and the surrounding Tennessee/Kentucky region during the Civil War.
The popular Lantern Walk returned to The Settlement with stories and voices from the Civil War. Among the new cast members was Flo Roach who has appeared in films including “The Help.”
New to this year’s symposium was the U.S. Navy “Nimitz” virtual reality experience. Guests had the opportunity to participate in a 360-degree virtual reality view of what it is like to be on a Special Warfare Combatant-Craft crewmen mission in America’s Navy. Outside, guests could also view a Black Hawk helicopter, an M113 armored personnel carrier, Oshkosh M1070 tank transporter tractor unit and more.
Be sure to save the date for the 2023 Military History and Armed Forces Symposium that will be held April 28-29, 2023.
April 18, 2022 – Discovery Park of America would like to honor 2021 volunteer of the year, Carol Whitmore. She has for years routinely distinguished herself through her ability to blend an educational environment with a unique experience. Carol Whitmore is an accomplished basket weaver who enhances the experiences of guests by practicing her craft in the Settlement.
Discovery Park’s Settlement is an area set aside to show the tools, construction, and way of life that predominated in West Tennessee for a great many years of its history. Guests curious about the past are in for an amazing surprise when they enter the Settlement cabin and see the far-ranging and extremely impressive variety of Carol’s creations and workspace, usually accompanied by the pleasant greeting by Carol herself.
When her work invariably brings out the inquisitiveness in guests, she speaks to patrons and answers their questions with the same diligence, patience and calm attentiveness with which she pursues her craft. Discovery Park of America is pleased to recognize Carol for her outstanding volunteerism, and thank her for making Discovery Park of America a more interesting, friendlier and a more memorable place for staff and guests alike.
Polly Brasher (left), director of education, and Scott Williams (right), president and CEO of Discovery Park, present Carol Whitmore with the 2021 Discovery Park of America Volunteer of the Year award.
Actress Flo Roach to Join Cast of Lantern Walk as Part of 2022 Military History and Armed Forces Symposium
April 14, 2022 – Discovery Park of America announced today that actress Flo Roach will join the cast of the Lantern Walk that will be presented on Sat., April 30 at 7:30 p.m. and at 9 p.m. as part of The 2022 Military History and Armed Forces Symposium. Roach has appeared in films including “The Help,” “100 Lives” and “Chapters.” Most recently, you may have seen her in an episode of Bluff City playing to role of a shelter director.
In addition to writing a new portion of the production, she will play the role of a soldier’s mother. Roach joins a talented group of historic interpreters who portray events and share stories from all perspectives of those living in South Western Ky. during the Civil War.
The Lantern Walk features an evening tour through the Settlement at Discovery Park, a collection of hand-hewn log buildings resembling what one might have found in a mid-19th century frontier community. For this special evening event, guests encounter those historic interpreters as they sit around the fire, make themselves comfortable on the front porches or just go about their lives. The audience moves from place to place observing the performances.
Tickets to the Lantern Walk are free but limited and must be reserved in advance here. This event will sell out, so to allow as many guests as possible to enjoy the Lantern Walk, please reserve tickets in only one of the two time slots.
Discovery Park of America Adds U.S. Navy “Nimitz” Virtual Reality Experience, Black Hawk Helicopter and Exhibit of Rare Civil War-era photos to the Military History and Armed Forces Symposium 2022
Union City, Tenn. –Discovery Park of America announced even more military vehicles, the U.S. Navy “Nimitz” Virtual Reality Experience and a never-before-seen exhibit have been added to the 2022 Military History and Armed Forces Symposium. In addition to the rare appearance of a Black Hawk helicopter, guests will be able to experience an M113 armored personnel carrier, Oshkosh M1070 tank transporter tractor unit and more. The 360-degree virtual reality “Nimitz” provides a view of what it’s like to be on a Special Warfare Combatant-Craft crewmen mission in America’s Navy. The Nimitz will be open to visitors 14 and older. All participants must register either onsite or online prior to the event. Guests 17 and younger will need to present a waiver completed by a parent/legal guardian or have completed online registration in advance request a link by emailing education@discoveryparkofamerica.com.
Those with an interest in Civil War-era photos will appreciate “A Country Divided: Photos from the Civil War,” an exhibit of rare Civil War photos and artifacts that is making its world debut at the event and will be on display through May 25, 2022.
Designed by Discovery Park’s collections and exhibits team featuring items from the collection of Jason Pate, it consists of several early photography examples depicting soldiers that either lived in or traveled through Obion County and the surrounding Tennessee/Kentucky region during the Civil War. Guests will learn of the main photography mediums used during this time (ambrotypes, tintypes and cartes de visite) and of the soldiers’ stories that have survived along with their 160-year-old photographic counterparts on display.
Jason Pate, an award-winning educator currently employed with Obion County Schools, is an avid collector and “caretaker” of Civil War history. Using his nationally published collection, Pate has told, and brought to life, the stories of hundreds of Civil War soldiers from both sides of the war.
Sponsored by Union City Coca-Cola and Dixie Gun Works, the Military History and Armed Forces Symposium will also feature presentations from special guests including COL Many-Bears Grinder, USA (Ret), Maj Gen Tommy H. Baker and Kevin Rumley, USMC just to name a few. Guests will also experience historical interpreters and period musicians throughout the museum and park.
The popular Lantern Walk returns now representing stories and voices from the Civil War-era from a multitude of perspectives. The members-only reception will feature entertainment provided by Operation Song and an early-American folk dance with live music and dance instruction provided by the 52nd Regimental String Band. The band will also be performing during a church service held on Sunday morning. Friday’s events have been designed with students in mind and will provide both military- and history-related content perfect for school groups.
All the programs, panel discussions and other events during the symposium are included with park admission or membership. Tickets to the Lantern Walk, members-only reception and an early-American folk dance are free but limited and must be reserved at discoveryparkofamerica.com/event/military.
All active military, veterans, their guests and student groups receive free admission all three days of the event. Group leaders wanting to request scholarships for student groups should email Sheridan Wells at education@discoveryparkofamerica.com or call 731-599-1132.
