| Some artifacts from Range Creek will be on display beginning March 10 in Green River. |
The Range Creek exhibit is coming to the John Wesley Powell River History Museum for one year, beginning March 10. A reception and introduction to the exhibit will take place that day. Utah Museum of Natural History personnel will be present to demonstrate the exhibit and answer questions. All interested persons are welcome and encouraged to attend this family oriented event.
The itinerary at the museum for that day will be: 1-1:50 p.m., children from elementary; 2-2:50 p.m., children from elementary; 5-6:30 p.m., family festival; 6:30-7 p.m., refreshments; and 7-7:45 p.m., film and talk by Dr. Duncan Metcalfe and Waldo Wilcox, followed by question and answer session.
The key concepts of the program will be: people’s lives-both today and in the past-are shaped by the environment in which they live; artifacts provide some evidence of how people lived a long time ago, the Fremont people are recognized on the basis of several unique living patterns and artifacts; and archaeological sites are irreplaceable and deserve stewardship for the benefit of everyone.
In addition to the above activities, five learning centers will be set up. Center 1 will be nature’s grocery store. This center will explore how the Fremont people used native plants. It includes a native plant game from Teaching Toolbox, grinding corn, processing seeds and nuts in mortar and pestle, and possibly winnowing seeds.
Center 2, hunters, will explore hunting practices and tools used by the Fremont. Also included will be an examination of projectile points and tools for making them and a demonstration with scrapers and hides.
Center 3 will be about pottery and baskets. This one will explore how the Fremont stored and transported their food. It will include the making of pinch pots from clay and a cordage activity to learn basic weaving and basketry.
Center 4, Fremont art, will explore the distinctive figures and rock art of the Fremont. Activities will include making figurines from clay by following illustrations or making plaster replicas from molds of originals. Drawing examples will also be given.
Center 5 will be concerned with the science of basic archaeology. Activities will include matching pottery fragments to whole pots; aging a site based on pottery types; and a tree ring activity. A map of Utah showing the distribution of the Fremont people and sites will also be handed out.
For the evening family festival, each child will be given an explorer’s passport. This will be a small booklet with questions to help guide them through each of the learning centers. Learning centers will be operated by UMNH staff and volunteers.