Union City, Tennessee—Discovery Park of America has announced that the museum and heritage park in Union City, Tennessee, will participate in the Museums for All program beginning in January 2023. This initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is administered by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM). The program aims to ensure that all children and adults have access to high-quality museum experiences.

Individuals or groups of four participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can present an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card at the Discovery Park ticket counter and receive complimentary general admission tickets for that day.

Several research studies from the museum field show that early access to informal educational opportunities, like those offered by museums like Discovery Park, has a positive effect on children’s development and academic performance. As a result, IMLS and ACM partnered to launch the Museums for All initiative in 2014 in service to both organizations’ strategic goal of providing greater access to museums for all children and adults. Thanks to the success of the program, free and reduced admission is available today to eligible members of the public at more than 1,000 museums and other institutions across the country.

“Providing access to a world-class educational facility was the vision of our founders, the late Robert and Jenny Kirkland, when they decided to build a state-of-the-art museum and heritage park in rural Northwest Tennessee. The Museums for All program aligns nicely with our mission to inspire children and adults to see beyond,” said Dr. Emalee Buttrey, Discovery Park’s director of education, programming and museum experience. “Our goal is for those who visit to leave Discovery Park having experienced something new that ignites a lifelong desire to learn more. The decision to participate in the Museums for All program will allow us to welcome a greater number of guests by eliminating financial barriers and increasing accessibility.”

Visitors to Discovery Park experience the visual, literary, music and performing arts; interactive STEM exhibits; opportunities to learn about the cultural heritage of the region and more. This is achieved by convening public programs and interactive learning opportunities and the presentation of exhibits and live performances.

More information about planning a trip to Discovery Park can be found at discoveryparkofamerica.com/visit. A complete list of museums participating in the free admission program can be found at museums4all.org.

Photo Caption: Discovery Park of America has announced that the museum and heritage park in Union City, Tennessee, will participate in the Museums for All program beginning January 2023. This initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is administered by the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM).

Union City, Tennessee —A pop-up exhibit on waterfowl of the Mississippi flyway produced by Discovery Park of America will be premiered at the 87th annual World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest and Wings Over the Prairie Festival that is held Thanksgiving weekend in Stuttgart, Arkansas.

The non-profit museum and heritage park, located in Union City, Tennessee, has created the one-of-a-kind pop-up exhibit to provide festival attendees with a small example of a larger permanent exhibit coming to Discovery Park in 2023, “Duck, Duck, Goose: Waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway.” The pop-up exhibit will be located in the Commercial Exhibits Tent at the festival.

When opened at Discovery Park, 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 and the Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Foundation. Additional partners will be announced soon.

Held every Thanksgiving Week, the Wings Over the Prairie Festival is the largest outdoor expo in the Mid-South promoting the sport of duck hunting.

“Because of our relationship with so many waterfowl hunters and conservationists, we were aware of the festival and its importance, and we decided this is the perfect year to attend,” said Scott Williams, president and CEO of Discovery Park. “We’ll have a whole team there sharing a sneak peek at the exhibit, looking for content to include and hoping to meet additional partners who would like to help us tell these stories to our visitors from around the world.”

Discovery Park is located in the heart of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, an area that spreads from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the largest and longest of the flyways. Almost half of the waterfowl in North America use this area as a stopover during their annual migration. Also in the same area is historic Reelfoot Lake, a popular destination for hunters, fisherman and birdwatchers for decades. The lake was created after a series of earthquakes in 1811 and 1812 that sent the Mississippi River flowing into a large gash that had been opened by the earthquakes.

Anyone interested in more information about partnerships in this new permanent exhibit should contact Mary Nita Bondurant at mbondurant@discoveryparkofamerica.com or call 731-885-5455.

Union City, Tennessee —Discovery Park of America  is adding new lights and displays to its popular “Let It Glow” Christmas drive-thru and walk-thru light shows for the 2022 holiday season. “Let It Glow” is an annual fundraiser for the 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Opening night on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, will include a kick-off ceremony at 6 p.m. featuring performances by Merry Ellen Kirk and Marco Alexander, an ensemble from the Jackson Symphony, the Voices of Union City Elementary student choir and a special appearance by Santa Claus.

In addition to his appearance at the kick-off, Santa Claus will be at the “Let It Glow” Walk-thru and available for photos with guests every Friday and Saturday night in the Gristmill.

Returning in 2022 is the drive-thru light show with an all-new route for guests to experience the 50-acre heritage park filled with never-before-seen light displays and new experiences. Unlike previous years, guests will enter through the north gate for the “Let It Glow” Drive-thru. It will feature more than a million lights twinkling along with popular Christmas songs, allowing guests to get a unique look at the Titan Missile, the 199-foot-tall Discovery Center, the settlement of log cabins and more, all decorated for the holidays.

The “Let It Glow” Walk-thru will take place on the north side of the park, which will once again be transformed into the “North Pole.” At the entrance, guests will find food and beverages for sale before they take a stroll through the Japanese Garden, European Garden and Mill Ridge, which will all be transformed into a glowing winter wonderland with plenty of opportunities for taking photographs.

Once guests arrive at Mill Ridge, they will find a shop with local handmade gifts for sale, Rudolph’s Barn, an area in the Smithy for children to write letters to Santa and, new this year, a large display of more than 150 nutcrackers on loan from Edith Adcock of Martin, Tennessee. Adcock received her first nutcracker as a gift for her 16th birthday and has been collecting them for more than 45 years.

Discovery Park has seen an increase in event bookings for the 2022 holiday season over recent years. “Our party planners can create the perfect holiday experience for groups of any size,” said Lauren Jones, director of special events for Discovery Park. “This year, we’ve also made it easy to share the magical experience of “Let It Glow” with your customers, staff, friends or family members with gift vouchers that are available at a discounted rate for 50 or more.” Those interested in “Let It Glow” gift vouchers or a holiday party at Discovery Park should email Jones at ljones@discoveryparkofamerica.com or call at 731-885-5455 for more information.

The 2022 “Let It Glow” drive-thru and walk-thru light show is sponsored by McDonald’s and ATA.

Both the “Let It Glow” Drive-thru and Walk-thru are open 5-9 p.m. from Friday, Nov. 11-Friday, Dec. 30, 2022, and closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Opening night of the “Let It Glow” Walk-thru will be free for Discovery Park members and $5 admission for non-members. Admission to the “Let It Glow” Walk-thru on all other nights is $5 for all guests with ages three and under admitted free. Admission to the “Let It Glow” Drive-thru is $10 per vehicle for all guests every night. Tickets may be purchased in advance online or at the gates.

Photo Caption: “Let it Glow” walk-thru 2021.
Photo: Jeremy Rasnic

Thanks to our partnership with Magnolia Place Assisted Living, children 17 and younger will once again receive free admission to Discovery Park of America throughout the month of January 2023. Our museum and heritage park will also be offering adult admission for just $10 in January.

New hours in 2023 will also provide more opportunities to visit. Beginning Jan. 2, 2023, Discovery Park will be open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays through February. From March through August, Discovery Park will be open seven days a week.

Discovery Park was an idea first introduced and then funded for $100 million by the late Robert Kirkland, a Union City businessman and philanthropist, and his wife, the late Jenny Kirkland. The ribbon was cut and doors opened for the first time at Discovery Park on Nov. 1, 2013. The mission that day, as it still is today, was to inspire children and adults to “see beyond” and leave inspired to learn more about the world around them. In the decade since, more than 2.5 million guests have visited and experienced the 100,000-square-foot museum and 50-acre heritage park.

Since Discovery Park opened, local tourism has increased significantly, contributing to the increase in sales tax collected in Union City. For 2012, the last full year before Discovery Park opened, the local tax collected by Union City was $7.1 million. For the eight full years after Discovery Park opened, the average local tax collected annually was $8.3 million — an average annual increase of $1.2 million.

According to statistics recently released by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, tourism spending in 2021 in Obion County was $66.9 million, up 28% over 2020. With the increase in tourism revenue, sales tax collected since 2012 continues to trend upward, with the City of Union City collecting a record of $9.8 million in local sales tax in 2021.

The financial benefits of more visitors to Discovery Park and Obion County are expected to increase. In 2021, Obion County passed a new hotel/motel tax to be paid by those staying in Obion County hotels, bed and breakfasts and vacation lodging facilities of all kinds. In 2020, three new hotels opened next door to Discovery Park and a nearby Hampton Inn is being completed and will open soon.

The presence of Discovery Park was also a contributing factor in the decision to move forward with the Union City loop of I-69, which is now scheduled to open by fall 2023. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 included two high-priority corridors that later became sections of I-69. Corridor 18 from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Memphis, Tennessee, via Evansville, Indiana, runs behind the park with an exit ramp located on each side.

“It took a unique combination of vision, bravery and passion for the people of his region for Robert Kirkland to come up with the idea of a center of education in the first place,” said commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Mark Ezell. “At the time, some questioned the potential for such a large investment in one of our state’s rural communities, so it’s especially important for all of us in Tennessee to join them in the celebration of ten years of success in serving millions of Tennesseans and visitors to our great state from around the world.”

In 2023, there will be many opportunities for children and adults to celebrate Discovery Park’s 10th birthday.

Discovery Park’s new greenhouses and the Farm Credit Mid-America Education Pavilion will open in 2023 along with a new permanent exhibit coming in the summer, “Duck, Duck, Goose: Waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway,” that is being created in partnership with Ducks Unlimited. It will use three-dimensional objects, interactive elements and hands-on experiences to tell the story of waterfowl hunting, conservation and the ecosystem of the Mississippi Flyway.

Temporary exhibits include “Inside the Cornerstone Box,” a display of items our exhibits team discovered inside a cornerstone box that was found in the rubble of Dresden First United Methodist Church of Dresden, Tennessee, after a devastating tornado; updates to the Southern Artist Showcase and the Northwest Tennessee Photography Club Showcase; and a photography exhibit featuring photographs taken by Seth Dortch during waterfowl hunts along the Mississippi Flyway and in the Reelfoot Lake region.

Visitors in 2023 will also discover updates to two of the museums most popular experiences — Discovery Theater and the Water Tables in the Simmons Bank Children’s Exploration Gallery. The Discovery Theater is being upgraded to incorporate a state-of-the-art, laser-illuminated 4K Digital 3D projection system. Also 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.

The designers of the new Water Tables have opted for a larger experience that incorporates many new interactive activities and snakes throughout the entire gallery. New elements added include a fishing pond, interactive rain clouds, moveable aqueducts, many new water toys and an activity that encourages children to direct fog using a series of pipes.

While many of our popular annual events return in 2023, this will be the first year for a three-day Native American Educational Pow Wow to be held Oct. 27-29, 2023. The goal of the event, unique in Northwest Tennessee, is to provide a place for Indigenous people from tribes around the country to celebrate their culture while educating Discovery Park visitors on this aspect of our nation’s past, present and future.

“All of us who get to work at Discovery Park take our commitment to our important mission very seriously,” said Scott Williams, Discovery Park’s president and CEO. “We join our board, members and others in our community in looking forward to honoring Robert and Jenny Kirkland’s vision by welcoming visitors from around the world in 2023 to help us celebrate 10 years of Discovery Park.”

From January through February 2023, Discovery Park will be open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Mondays. From March through August, Discovery Park will be open seven days a week. Days and hours of operation along with more information to plan a visit can be found at DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com/visit.

For a complete list of events in 2023, visit DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com/2023.

Click to download a high-resolution photo.

Click here to download a high-resolution photo.

Union City, Tenn. – On Saturday, September 24, 2022, the Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan nonprofit foundation that fosters First Amendment freedoms for all, hosted its inaugural First Amendment Day Festival at Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tenn. More than 3,000 guests experienced a variety of family-friendly, First Amendment-themed games, trivia, crafts and conversations.

“The beauty of the First Amendment is that it’s yours, it’s not anybody else’s,” said Bret Baier, host of Special Report with Bret Baier on the Fox News Channel. “There’s a lot of power in knowing that you can determine your own future based on that.”

During the festival, The Gatlin Brothers, performed some of their biggest hits including “All the Gold in California,” “Night Time Magic” and “Broken Lady.”

On Friday, groups of students grades five through twelve and college students from the University of Tennessee at Martin experienced a day of fun and interactive activities on the topic of the First Amendment. They were led by members of the Freedom Forum team who traveled to Union City from Washington, D.C. where the organization is headquartered.

Also on Friday, Gene Policinski, Senior Fellow for the First Amendment for the Freedom Forum spoke at the Union City Rotary. Policinski, a journalist and a founding editor of USA Today, writes, lectures and is interviewed regularly on news media and First Amendment issues. He noted, “It gives me hope that we have not changed those 45 words of the First Amendment since 1791. I think the middle is growing — the group that just wants to sit down and talk this out.”

About the Freedom Forum

The Freedom Forum’s mission is to foster First Amendment freedoms for all. It works to raise awareness of First Amendment freedoms through education, advocacy and action, sharing the stories of Americans who have exercised their rights to ignite change. Established July 4, 1991, by founder Al Neuharth, the Freedom Forum is a nonpartisan 501 (c)(3) foundation that advances First Amendment freedoms through initiatives that include Today’s Front Pages, the Free Expression Awards, the Power Shift Project, the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, the Chips Quinn Scholars and the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media. In addition to its Washington, D.C. headquarters, it has locations at the Al Neuharth Media Center at the University of South Dakota; the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics at the University of Mississippi; and the John Seigenthaler Center at Vanderbilt University.

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.

Pictured L to R: Steve Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers; Scott Williams, Discovery Park’s president and CEO; Rudy Gatlin; Jan Neuharth, Freedom Forum’s chair and CEO; Larry Gatlin; Bret Baier, host of Special Report with Bret Baier on the Fox News Channel.

Save the Date: Discovery Park Announces Important Dates for 10th Birthday Year

Get your 2023 calendar out, and mark the dates of some of the biggest and most exciting events in our museum and heritage park’s 10-year history. The ribbon was cut and doors opened for the
first time at Discovery Park on Nov. 1, 2013. Since that day, more than 2.5 million guests have visited and experienced the 100,000-square-foot museum and 50-acre heritage park. We are
celebrating this special date throughout the year, so make plans now to join us.

Dec. 10, 2022 – May 21, 2023
Inside the Cornerstone Box
A display of items the Discovery Park exhibits team discovered inside a cornerstone box that
was found in the rubble of Dresden First Methodist Church of Dresden, Tenn., after a devastating tornado.

Sat., March 4, 2023
Robert E. and Jenny D. Kirkland Discovery Awards
An important night as Discovery Park pays tribute to a group of honorees whose lives and
careers inspire children and adults to see beyond.

Fri. and Sat., April 28 – 29, 2023
Military History and Armed Forces Symposium
This event features a variety of programs and interactive activities that explore the past, present
and future of the American military.

May 5 – June 30, 2023
Rhythm on the Rails Summer Concert Series
Live music outside at the Train Depot on Friday evenings in May and June.

Sat., May 13, 2023
Cardboard Boat Regatta
Boats can only be made out of cardboard and duct tape – nothing more. This is a fun project for
your family, friends or classmates to put their STEM skills, teamwork and creativity to the test.

June – Dec. 2023
Northwest Tennessee Photography Club Showcase
This semi-annual contest is open to all amateur photographers. The winners receive cash prizes,
and their work is displayed at Discovery Park. Visit nwtnphotoclub.com to enter.

June 1, 2023 – Feb. 4, 2024
Southern Artist Showcase: Southern Self-taught Artists
An exhibit featuring a unique assortment of painters, photographers, sculptors and other self-
taught artists living in or inspired by the South.

Sat., June 3, 2023
Discovery Park Cruise-in
Car clubs and individuals from around the region display their classic cars and trucks throughout
Discovery Park’s 50 acres.

Summer 2023
“Duck, Duck, Goose: Waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway”
Our newest permanent exhibit uses three-dimensional objects, interactive elements and hands-on
experiences to tell the story of waterfowl hunting, conservation and the ecosystem of the
Mississippi Flyway.

Sat., July 1, 2023
Independence Day Celebration
Interact with living historians, be part of the Boston Tea Party, participate in the “Ringing of the
Bell” ceremony with the reading of the Declaration of Independence and enjoy colonial games
and activities throughout the park.

Fri. and Sat., August 4 – 5, 2023
Antique Tractor Show
Collectors from around the country display their tractors. Included is live music, food trucks and
a tractor parade.

Fri., Aug 11, 2023 – March 31, 2024
A special exhibit that will be announced soon.

Sat., August 12, 2023
David Crockett Birthday
Celebrate the lives of West Tennessee pioneers and the birthday of David Crockett, the folk hero,
politician and Tennessee settler who made his home here from 1822 until he departed for the
Alamo in 1835.

September 9, 2023
9/11 Stair Climb
Discovery Park partners with regional firefighters to host the annual stair climb as a way to pay
tribute to those who were lost in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Sat., September 16, 2023
Discovery Dash 5K/10K/10-Mile Fun Run and Pediatric Day
A day celebrating and exploring health and fitness.

Sat., September 23, 2023
Southern Heritage Arts and Crafts Festival
Vendors will have their unique creations displayed inside Discovery Center in the Natural
History Gallery and outside at STEM Landing. See homemade jewelry, pottery,
glassware, wood carvings and more as you walk through the galleries. This is the perfect place
for a little early Christmas shopping.

The Month of October 2023
Pumpkin Village
Explore the incredible, one-of-a-kind displays created by Discovery Park’s creative grounds
crew with more than 50,000 pounds of pumpkins along with fall flowers, hay bales and more
enhancing the decorations.

Fri. – Sun., Oct. 27 – 29, 2023
Native American Pow Wow
The goal of the event, unique in Northwest Tennessee, is to provide a place for Indigenous
people from tribes around the country to celebrate their culture while educating Discovery Park
visitors on this aspect of our nation’s past, present and future.

Sat., Nov. 4, 2023
Happy Birthday Discovery Park Celebration
A fun-filled day celebrating ten years of inspiring children and adults to see beyond.
Fri., November 10 – December 30, 2023
(Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)

Let it Glow Light Show Drive-thru and Walk-thru
This event has become a popular holiday tradition. Drive through more than a million lights, then
park and explore the heritage park decorated for Christmas. Make your way up to Mill Ridge at
Discovery Park for refreshments, holiday music and shopping for gifts to put under the tree.
Polar Express is considered part of this event.

Dec. 2023 – May 2024
Northwest Tennessee Photography Club Showcase
This semi-annual contest is open to all amateur photographers. The winners receive cash prizes,
and their work is displayed at Discovery Park. Visit nwtnphotoclub.com to enter.

Union City, Tenn.– Discovery Park of America has announced details for the return of the popular Singer-Songwriter Night featuring Phillip Coleman and other musicians from the country music industry. The performances will take place in Discovery Park’s Reelfoot Room on night one, Thurs., Sept. 8 and night two, Fri., Sept. 9, 2022. Tickets will go on sale to Discovery Park members on Wed., Aug. 3, 2022. Members may purchase up to four tickets for each evening. Any remaining tickets will go on sale to the public on Sat., Aug. 6, 2022 at 10 a.m. The ticket price is $45.

On Thursday night, Phillip will be accompanied by Rory Feek and Scotty Emerick. Rory and his late wife, Joey, made up the Grammy-award-winning duo, Joey+Rory.  Feek has written multiple number-one songs, including “Some Beach” by Blake Shelton and “A Little More Country Than That” by Easton Corbin. His memoir, “This Life I Live: One Man’s Extraordinary, Ordinary Life and the Woman Who Changed It Forever,” debuted at the top of the New York Times Bestseller. On his blog, Feek shares his life with millions of readers who follow along.

Scotty Emerick is an American country music artist, known primarily for his work with Toby Keith. In addition to penning 53 of Keith’s songs, Emerick has also written for Willie Nelson, Sawyer Brown, George Strait, Kenney Chesney and many other artists. In 2004, Emerick was named “Songwriter of the Year” by the Nashville Songwriters Association.

Friday night’s show will feature Phillip Coleman with Annie Moser and Byron Hill. Moser’s song “Goldfish” was recently produced and recorded by British pop icon and Beatles producer Alan Parsons. She is a winner of the Texas Wildflower Music Festival, a regular at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe and a longtime member of the sassy Nashville-based group “Girls With Guitars.”

Byron Hill has written songs released on ninety-five industry certified Gold and Platinum albums and singles, earning ten ASCAP awards, thirty-six U.S. and Canadian top-ten chart hits, and have become hits in many other worldwide markets. To date, fifteen members of the Country Music Hall of Fame have recorded his songs. Byron was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018. The songs “Fool Hearted Memory” (George Strait), “Pickin’ Up Strangers” (Johnny Lee), “Politics, Religion, And Her” (Sammy Kershaw), “Nothing On But The Radio” (Gary Allan), “Born Country” (Alabama), “High-Tech Redneck” (George Jones), “Alright Already” (Larry Stewart), “If I Was A Drinkin’ Man” (Neal McCoy), “Size Matters” (Joe Nichols), “Nights” (Ed Bruce), and “Lifestyles Of The Not So Rich And Famous” (Tracy Byrd), are just a few of the notable songs in his recorded catalog that spans four decades and includes songs recorded by a long list of other iconic and current artists of our time. In 2022, Byron’s song “Fool Hearted Memory” recorded by George Strait is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary as Strait’s first #1.

Unlike previous year’s Singer-Songwriter events, there will be six VIP tables at the front of the venue, close to the stage. All other seating will be theater style and seating will be very limited for this event.

Those interesting in purchasing a table can email Mary Nita Bondurant at mbondurant@discoveryparkofamerica.com. The cost of a table is $2,000 and includes seating for ten and two free drink tickets per guest.

“The reason so many of us love this fundraiser is because it’s one of the rare opportunities to enjoy hearing Phillip and the other musicians in a close, personal setting,” said Mary Nita Bondurant. “It’s almost our own little Bluebird Café right here in Obion County.”

Active members will receive a link to purchase up to four tickets in advance of the public at 9 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2022. You may become a member online or at the Discovery Park ticket counter. If you are a member who wants to purchase tickets and need to check the current status of your membership, please check with the ticket counter, call the membership department at 731-885-5455 or email membership@discoveryparkofamerica.com.

The doors open at 6 p.m. each evening with a cash bar and complimentary heavy hors d’oeuvres in the Military Gallery. The show begins at 7 p.m.

Photo caption: Phillip Coleman performing at the 2019 Singer-Songwriter Event at Discovery Park of America.

Photo caption: Rory Feek will perform on Thurs., Sept. 8 at the 2022 Singer-Songwriter Event.

Photo caption: Scotty Emerick will perform on Thurs., Sept. 8 at the 2022 Singer-Songwriter Event.

Photo caption: Annie Moser, will perform on Fri., Sept. 9 at the 2022 Singer-Songwriter Event.

Bryon Hill, will perform on Fri., Sept. 9 at the 2022 Singer-Songwriter Event.

Union City, Tenn.—Dr. Emalee Buttrey has joined Discovery Park of America as the museum and heritage park’s director of education, programming and museum experience. Buttrey will help set strategic vision and manage implementation of the museum and heritage park’s mission-oriented education initiatives and fundraising events targeting a regional audience.

Buttrey comes to Discovery Park with over 15 years of experience in education, research and communications. She received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Agriculture from West Texas A&M University. Most recently, she has been serving as the assistant director of the honors programs and associate professor of animal science at the University of Tennessee at Martin. She previously worked at Louisiana Tech University and the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service. Buttrey and her husband live in Martin, Tenn., where they own and manage BERG Livestock. They have two children, and Buttrey is very active in church and civic organizations in West Tennessee.

“We’re all excited to have someone with Emalee’s experience join the leadership team here at Discovery Park since the work she does will impact the experience of every child and adult who visits us,” said Scott Williams. Especially important will be the role she will play in the work our education department does with school groups from throughout the region and the management of the docent and volunteer programs.”

Buttrey may be reached at ebuttrey@discoveryparkofamerica.com.

Dr. Emalee Buttrey has joined the Discovery Park team as director of education, programming and museum experience.

Union City, Tenn.—Discovery Park of America will mark David Crockett’s birthday on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022 with interactive activities, live demonstrations and the opening of a new blacksmith’s forge at the heritage park’s turn-of-the-twentieth century town reproduction, Mill Ridge.

The new forge is the result of a partnership between Discovery Park and the Tennessee River Artist Blacksmith Association (TRABA), an organization that offers various opportunities for the public to learn about blacksmithing. Demonstrations of the new forge at Discovery Park will take place periodically throughout the year and will provide an opportunity for guests to experience blacksmiths using the forge to create various projects from start to finish.

Dr. Jared Teague, associate professor for the Department of Engineering at the University of Tennessee at Martin, also plans to use the forge for students taking classes in historic forging. They will learn about the crystal structure of metals, receive hands-on training in historic blacksmithing and interact with the public through visual demonstrations.

“We are excited about the partnership we have with Discovery Park to offer our students an extended classroom experience. It is a good opportunity for the students not only to learn about this historic trade, but also develop communication skills by explaining their demonstration to park visitors.”

Having access to a forge was crucial for early settlers like David Crockett.

“During David Crockett’s day, a blacksmith was one of the most important people to arrive in a pioneer community. In addition to keeping the workhorses shod, they provided all kinds of metal items for use in settlers’ homes,” said Jennifer Wildes, Discovery Park’s senior director of collections and exhibits. “Adding this new forge right across from our gristmill is another way we can remember the lives of the men and women who settled this area.”

Crockett was a celebrated folk hero, frontiersman and politician who made his home in Northwest Tennessee from 1822 until he departed for the Alamo in 1835. Crockett, known for his marksmanship, was one of the earliest non-Native American hunters around nearby Reelfoot Lake. A passionate advocate for the earliest settlers of West Tennessee, he served in the state legislature from 1821-24, then as a member of Congress representing West Tennessee counties in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1827-31 and 1833-35.

In addition to TRABA demonstrating the new forge, other activities during the celebration of Crockett’s birthday include:

•  Performances by Mulberry Jam, a five-piece band that plays period songs of the past with traditional instruments and arrangements of the string dance performers of the 19th and early 20th centuries
•  J.C. Stahlman’s The Living Historians
•  Native American skills, crafts and cooking education with homemade fry bread available for purchase
•  Operation of the Brewer-Austin Gristmill
•  Birds of Prey program presented by Reelfoot Lake State Park
• The Family Community Education Crystal Club of the UT/TSU Extension Program demonstrating textile arts and sewing
• Demonstrations by the Reelfoot Area Flintnappers
• Presentations on 1800s natural medical practices
• Presentations on wildlife of West Tennessee during Crockett’s time in the region
• Living historians demonstrating traditional skills and crafts including candle and soap making and spinning and weaving

Visitors will also find many other ways to experience David Crockett at Discovery Park that are at the museum and park all year long. Included is a statue dedicated to the frontiersman, a congressional exhibit in Liberty Hall at Freedom Square, a reproduction of Crockett’s portrait by John Gadsby Chapman, a replica of his first and fondest rifle, the Regional History Gallery telling the story of Northwest Tennessee, a 20,000-gallon aquarium and tanks featuring the wildlife of Reelfoot Lake, a one-of-a-kind Earthquake Simulator, the Native American Gallery, an 1800s Tennessee log cabin community, Mill Ridge featuring a working gristmill and the new forge and more.

More information about the celebration of David Crockett’s birthday is available at DiscoveryParkofAmerica.com/Crockett22.

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Photo caption: Broadway actor Bart Shatto with Jace, a big fan of David Crockett,

at the 2021 David Crocket Birthday celebration at Discovery Park.