Discovery Park of America Exhibit Featuring Self-taught Sculptor Hattie Marshall-Duncan to Open with a Members-only Reception with the Artist

Union City, Tenn.– Discovery Park of America will be open to the public May 27 to Oct. 24, 2022.

Art in the exhibit is on loan from a variety of collectors including the West Tennessee Regional Art Center (WTRAC) in Humboldt, Tenn., Tom & O.E. Stigall Ethnic Library and Museum in Humboldt, Tenn., Arts in McNairy in Selmer, Tenn. and the private collection of Joanna and Shawn Pitts.

Marshall-Duncan has exhibited work in many galleries, including the Customs House Museum in Clarksville, the West Tennessee Regional Arts Center in Humboldt, the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Brownsville, the Latta Theater in Selmer and the Monthaven Arts & Cultural Center in Selmer. She was the recipient of the 2019 Tennessee Governor’s Folklife Heritage Award. Marshall-Duncan was also recently chosen to participate as a master artist in Tennessee’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, an initiative created to preserve rare and endangered art forms.

“At Discovery Park, we strive to share the visual arts with our guests and to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of Tennessee,” said Jennifer Wildes, senior collections and exhibits director for Discovery Park. “Hattie’s work certainly allows us to do that, and I look forward to sharing this special exhibit.”

“Southern Artist Showcase: Hattie Marshall-Duncan” will be on display May 27 to Oct. 27, 2022 and is free with park admission or membership.

Photo caption: Jennifer Wildes, senior collections and exhibits director for Discovery Park of America, gathering pieces for the “Southern Artist Showcase: Hattie Marshall-Duncan”

Discovery Park of America Celebrates Ag Day 2022

Union City, Tenn.— Although it was a rainy day that required many of the activities to move indoors, a crowd of more than 1,200 attended Discovery Park’s celebration of National Ag Day 2022 that took place at the museum and heritage park on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Among those in attendance were 13 student groups from throughout the region who received free admission thanks to the Kirkland Scholarship Fund. Students from all K-12 schools with 50% of the students qualifying for free or reduced lunches qualify for scholarships that pay for 100% of the ticket price to visit Discovery Park.

During the event, representatives from Discovery Park and Farm Credit Mid-America marked the beginning of construction of the Farm Credit Mid-America Education Pavilion and greenhouses that will open at Discovery Park later in the year.

During opening remarks, Scott Williams, Discovery Park’s president and CEO, shared that Discovery Park’s board and leadership felt a greenhouse was an obvious addition to the park. “With our 50 acres of landscaped grounds, our European, American and Japanese gardens and our new exhibit, “AgriCulture: Innovating for Our Survival,” a greenhouse just makes sense,” he said. “In the coming years, our talented grounds crew and education team will be hosting many classes and events at the Farm Credit Mid-America Education Pavilion and greenhouses. This will also give our guests an opportunity to observe the work being done by our grounds crew.”

After additional remarks from Tim Williams, senior vice president of ag lending for Farm Credit Mid-America, Scott Williams introduced nine students who have excelled in agriculture in various ag-related clubs and organizations. After a countdown from those in attendance, the students planted wildflowers in flower pots that were on the stage.

Also at the event was Haley Wheeler, Miss Kentucky 2022, who assisted in agriculture safety protocol demonstrations. Wheeler serves as the official spokesperson for the Kentucky Proud initiative.

For a complete list of all companies and organizations that participated in National Ag Day 2022 at Discovery Park of America, visit Discoveryparkofamerica.com/blog.

Organizations and individuals may give a gift to support the building of the greenhouses, and donations may be made in memory or honor of a friend or loved one. Those who give a gift of $100 or more will be included on the sponsorship wall as a “Green Thumb” supporter. Those interested in supporting Discovery Park’s greenhouse project can make a gift on Discovery Park’s website or by contacting Mary Nita Bondurant at mbondurant@discoveryparkofamerica.com.

Educators interested in more information about planning a group visit or accessing funds from the scholarship should email education@discoveryparkofameriva.com or call Sheridan at 731-599-1132.

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Download a video package of the day’s events here.

Photo Caption: Students from various schools helping mark the beginning of construction of The Farm Credit Mid-America Education Pavilion and greenhouses. Back row, l to r: Tim Williams, senior vice president of ag lending for Farm-Credit Mid-America, Wyatt Cunningham, Kendall Crabtree, Taylor Cantrell, Scott Williams, CEO and president for Discovery Park of America, Remi Gardner, Cassie Lewis, Haley Wheeler, Miss Kentucky, Jason Matthews, Caleb McClure, Autumn Smith and Andrew Melton, regional vice president for Farm Credit Mid-America. Front row: Suni Ray Wright.

Photo Caption: Suni Ray Wright from Union City Elementary enjoying the farm animals brought to Ag Day by Hooker Farms.

 Photo Caption: Representatives from Nutrien Ag Solutions, Tyler Hopper and Misha Sams, speaking with students at Discovery Park for Ag Day 2022.

Discovery Park of America Announces Lineup for 2022 Outdoor Concert Series, ‘Rhythm on the Rails’

Union City, Tenn.— Discovery Park of America has announced the lineup for the 2022 outdoor summer concert series, “Rhythm on the Rails,” that will begin on Fri., May 6 with a performance by American Idol runner up, Clark Beckham.

“Having an outdoor summer music series near the Depot is perfect because families can enjoy the south side of the park, fish in our lake, enjoy food trucks and listen to live music from artists in our region,” said Lauren Jones, director of events at the park. “With three new hotels right next door, this is also an opportunity for those who are from out of town to come for the weekend and visit Discovery Park on Saturday.”

Families are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs and fishing gear. The gate near the Train Depot will open at 5:30 p.m., and music will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thanks to the support of our partners, admission is free.

The headliners for the concert series are:

May 06: Clark Beckham

May 13: The WannaBeatles

May 20: Seeing Red 

May 27: Terry Mike Jeffrey Elvis Tribute Show and Mostly Locust

June 03: The ShotGunbillys

June 10: Ghost Town Blues Band

June 17: Johnny Mac

June 24: The Tyler Goodson Band

Several other bands will be performing throughout the music series, including Pacer Pans; Brent Hinson and Matt Crosson; Angela Hollowell; Steve Short and Keith Brown; Olivia Faye; and Tips in the Jar with John & Harrison Fry.

Information on booking one of the hotels next door to Discovery Park can be found at discoveryparkofamerica.com/visit.

“Rhythm on the Rails” is sponsored by Blue Bank Resort, Williams Sausage and The Citizens Bank.

For more information, visit discoveryparkofamerica.com/rhythm.

Photo Caption: Schedule of headliners for the 2022 Rhythm on the Rails Concert Series

Miss Kentucky 2022, Haley Wheeler, Added to Ag Day 2022 at Discovery Park of America

Union City, Tenn.— Haley Wheeler, Miss Kentucky 2022, has been added to the schedule of events for Ag Day 2022 at Discovery Park of America on March 22. She will be assisting in ag safety protocol demonstrations with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Turtle Plastics, Tennessee AgrAbility and the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads.

Wheeler serves as the official spokesperson for the Kentucky Proud initiative.

Joining Wheeler will be Dale Dobson, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s safety administrator, who will be spotlighting road safety with a tractor demonstration. He will also be educating those in attendance about grain safety using Turtle Plastics’ Turtle Tube Grain Bin Rescue Sleeve. The rescue sleeve is one of the items on display in Discovery Park’s exhibit, “AgriCulture: Innovating for Our Survival.”

“I am so excited about the opportunity to share the message of farm safety with those at Discovery Park for Ag Day,” said Dobson. “Because our demonstrations are unique, we frequently hear they make a big impact on those who see them.”

Also participating in the event are more than 25 other organizations, educators and individuals who will be sharing the impact of agriculture and potential careers in the field with the hundreds of students planning to attend.

Attendees are also invited to the ground-breaking ceremony of Farm Credit Mid-America Education Pavilion and Greenhouses that will take place that day at 11 a.m.

Students in groups will receive free admission to Ag Day 2022. For more information, email education@discoveryparkofameriva.com or call Sheridan at 731-599-1132.

Photo Caption: Miss Kentucky 2022, Haley Wheeler

Discovery Park Installs Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Union City, Tenn.— Discovery Park of America today unveiled four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that will allow visitors to fully charge their vehicles while they visit the museum and heritage park in Union City, Tenn.

Thanks in part to support from Union City Energy Authority, the museum and heritage park was able to install four, level two EV charging stations onsite. These will supply up to 25 miles of distance for each hour the chargers are plugged into the vehicles. The chargers are located in the lower south parking lot behind The Train Depot and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis during Discovery Park’s regular operating hours and during special events

“Those of us at Discovery Park are always looking for ways to contribute to a reduction in our carbon footprint and provide services our guests are looking for,” said Scott Williams, president and CEO of Discovery Park. “We are very grateful for Union City Energy Authority’s generous support of this project so we could make it happen for visitors to Obion County.”

These chargers will be filling a need for EV charging stations as currently there are only two in Union City and two in nearby Martin, Tenn.

One of the other charging stations in Union City is located at the offices of Pediatric Place of Union City. Dr. John Bates, founder of Pediatric Place, has driven an electric vehicle for many years and worked with Discovery Park on their charging stations.

“I know how often visitors to our area stop at Pediatric Place to charge their cars,” said Dr. Bates. “I’m grateful to see Discovery Park is working to make this a better, brighter and greener community.”

Over the next several decades, the U.S. will change over largely to zero-emission vehicles if global climate goals are to be met. Currently, electric vehicles make up only a small portion of the automobiles sold worldwide, but that is changing quickly. According to BloomburgNEF, sales are now growing due to a combination of policy support, improvements in battery technology and cost, more chargers like the ones at Discovery Park being built and new models coming from automakers.

For example, Ford Motor Company recently announced a planned automotive assembly complex about 80 miles south of Discovery Park in Haywood County, Tenn. Blue Oval City will be operated by Ford Motor Company and SK Innovation, and is expected to be operational in 2025. The facility will primarily consist of an automotive assembly plant that will produce electric Ford F-150 Lightening pickup trucks and a plant that will manufacture electric vehicle batteries, as well as a battery recycling facility, suppliers and a training center.

Visitors with electric cars can find Discovery Park’s charging stations on the Plugshare and ChargeHub apps and other places chargers are listed.

Photo Caption: Dr. John Bates, founder of Pediatric Place of Union City, tests the electric vehicle charging stations at Discovery Park of America.

‘Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical Hands-On Adventure’ Coming to Discovery Park of America

Union City, Tenn.— “Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical Hands-On Adventure” will be making its debut in Tennessee at Discovery Park of America in the museum’s ATA Temporary Exhibit Hall June 18, 2022 to Jan. 8, 2023.

The exhibit, created by Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. in partnership with The Franklin Institute, features eight galleries, each inspired by different visionaries from the Victorian Age and focused on how their philosophy, art, innovation and science have shaped our world today.

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction inspired by the Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style and art, along with a celebration of 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.

Authors featured are: Mary Shelley, the English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel “Frankenstein;” Jules Verne, the French novelist, poet and playwright who wrote bestselling adventure novels including “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas” and “Around the World in Eighty Days;” and H.G. Wells, the science fiction author who wrote “The Time Machine,” “War of the Worlds” and “The Invisible Man” and who is often remembered today as the “father of science fiction.”

Along with the visionary authors, the exhibit features four influential Victorian-era inventors: Isaac Singer, who developed the sewing machine; Thomas Blanchard, who worked on automation and the first automobiles; George Eastman, who helped popularize photography; and Jan Matzeliger, the son of a Surinamese slave, whose inventions made decent footwear accessible to the masses.

Tom Zaller, President and CEO of Imagine Exhibitions, said of the exhibition, “The steampunk movement contains so many concepts that are vital for young people to learn: engineering, artistry, innovation and collaboration to name a few. I am proud of the Imagine Exhibitions team for putting together such an engaging exhibition that ties these concepts together — using the fun and fanciful steampunk aesthetic as the central theme to inspire guests to think differently about the past, present and future.”

The exhibit uses steampunk to provide a fun opportunity for children and adults to experience the humanities, science, technology, engineering, art and math. It includes robotics, photography, automation and sculpture along with a variety of opportunities for hands-on learning.

“Having ‘Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical Hands-On Adventure’ at Discovery Park is the perfect way to further the vision of the museum’s late founder, Robert Kirkland,” said Scott Williams, Discovery Park’s CEO. “On opening day, Robert Kirkland shared that he hoped in the future, guests would arrive for each visit with an expectation that they would experience innovation presented in a fun way. This exhibit certainly does that.”

The exhibit is also designed with school groups and teachers in mind. An educator guide composed of 16 activities is available for teachers to make a field trip to Discovery Park even more meaningful. Included are activities that cover a variety of performance standards for students in grades three through eight.  Thanks to the Kirkland Scholarship, students from all K-12 schools with 50% of the students qualifying for free or reduced lunches qualify for a scholarship that pays for 100% of the ticket price to visit Discovery Park and experience this exhibit.

“Everyone in the education department at Discovery Park is passionate about helping teachers ignite and inspire the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers and innovators,” said Polly Brasher, Discovery Park’s senior director of education and guest experience. “This one-of-a-kind exhibit provides an opportunity for us to do what we do best.”

Teachers and administrators wishing to book a school group should download Discovery Park’s Student Group Planning Guide, e-mail reservations@discoveryparkofamerica.com or call reservations at 731-885-5455.

“Discover Steampunk: A Fantastical Hands-On Adventure” will be at Discovery Park June 18, 2022 to Jan. 8, 2023. Visit DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com to plan your visit.

“Discover Steampunk” is funded in part by a grant from the Humanities Tennessee, an independent affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Discovery Park of America Presents Awards at the 2022 Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Awards Gala and Fundraiser

Union City, Tenn.— On Saturday evening, March 5, Discovery Park of America honored four individuals who, like the museum and heritage park, bring enlightenment, awareness and education to those whose lives they have touched.

The Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Awards Gala was attended by a sold-out crowd of 350 who joined Discovery Park in celebrating the award recipients, all of whom have deep roots in the region. The 2022 Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Award recipients were:

• Anita Kay Archer
• LtGen John (Glad) Castellaw USMC (Ret)
• Dr. Ron Kirkland
• Jerry Reese

More than $100,000 was raised to benefit the museum and heritage park. During the “Fund-a-Need” segment, gifts were raised for the Kirkland Scholarship Fund that provides free admission for students from all K-12 schools with 50% of the students qualifying for free or reduced lunches.

Master of Ceremonies was Jennifer Horbelt, co-anchor of WPSD Local 6 News. Entertainment for the cocktail party was provided by Terry Mike Jeffrey, while dinner entertainment was provided by The Art Edmaiston 4tet.

LtGen John “Glad” Castellaw, USMC (Ret), founder and CEO of Farmspace Systems, summed up the spirit of the evening perfectly by sharing the inspiration he witnessed firsthand when visiting Discovery Park. He said, “I saw a young girl coming down the escalator. As she came down, she saw the dinosaur and the other exhibits for the first time, and as I looked into her bright, shining, excited eyes, I saw that inspiration burning brightly. Rest in peace Robert Kirkland, your dream has come true.”

Discovery Park CEO Scott Williams welcomed the audience and introduced a new video about the museum and heritage park titled, “A Day in the Life of Discovery Park” and shared the 2021 Impact Report. Both can now be viewed online at DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com/mission.

Photos and more information about the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Awards Gala can be accessed on Discovery Park’s blog post, and attendees can view and download their photos from the evening on Discovery Park’s Flickr page.

Discovery Park of America Presents Awards at Gala and Fundraiser on March 5, 2022

The Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Awards Gala recognized individuals for their contributions in inspiring children and adults to see beyond.

March 8, 2022 – Guests arriving here Saturday evening, March 5 for our Robert E. and Jenny D. Discovery Awards Gala weren’t the only ones dressed up for the occasion. The iconic cave bear that, thanks to countless selfies taken and posted by guests has become Discovery Park’s de facto mascot, could be found next to the red carpet in a bow tie and formal hat created just for the special occasion. Discovery Park honored four individuals who bring enlightenment, awareness and education to those whose lives they’ve touched.

The inaugural gala and fundraiser was attended by a sold-out crowd of 350 people from around the region who joined Discovery Park in celebrating the winners, all of whom have deep roots in West Tennessee. Many in attendance had come to witness their friends and family members receiving the award and were visiting Discovery Park for the first time. The 2022 Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Awards Gala winners were:

• Anita Kay Archer
• LtGen John “Glad” Castellaw USMC (Ret)
• Dr. Ron Kirkland
• Jerry Reese

Live music was one of the highlights of the evening. At the cocktail party, guests enjoyed music provided by Terry Mike Jeffery. During dinner, background music was provided The Art Edmaiston 4tet.

Master of Ceremonies was Jennifer Horbelt, co-ancher of WPSD Local 6 News.

LtGen John “Glad” Castellaw, USMC (Ret), founder and CEO of Farmspace Systems, summed up the spirit of the evening perfectly by sharing the inspiration he witnessed firsthand when visiting Discovery Park. He said, “I saw a young girl coming down the escalator. As she came down, she saw the dinosaur and the other exhibits for the first time, and as I looked into her bright, shining, excited eyes, I saw that inspiration burning brightly. Rest in peace Robert Kirkland, your dream has come true.”

During the evening, Discovery Park CEO Scott Williams introduced a new video about the museum and heritage park titled, “A Day in the Life of Discovery Park” and shared the 2021 Impact Report. Both can be viewed here.

During the “Fund-a-Need” segment, gifts were raised for the Kirkland Scholarship Fund that provides free admission for students from all K-12 schools with 50% of the students qualifying for free or reduced lunches.

Attendees can view and download their photos from the evening on our Flickr page.