History camp a success
Published 11:00 am Thursday, July 21, 2016
AMERICUS — Sumter Historic Trust’s, a community preservation organization, first annual history camp got underway at the Lee Council House, Trust headquarters. Lead instructor is Bryan Parkinson, GSW professor. The day camp attracted 13 rising fifth- and six-graders had fun while learning through a hands-on experience about local history that include early Native American tribes and pioneer settlers, a tour of historic Oak Grove Cemetery; the role Sumter County played in the Civil War, World Wars I and II, agriculture, planes and trains. They visited Andersonville where reenactors demonstrated blacksmithing, the operation of the grist mill in Pioneer Park, touring the Drummer Boy Museum, Andersonville National Historic Site Cemetery and National POW Museum; visiting the Jimmy Carter Regional Airport and South Georgia Tech aviation and learning how these two sites played major roles in both world wars, trolley touring through the Americus historic residential district and walking touring the downtown led by Charles Crisp, tea at Bittersweet that included a lesson on etiquette, and on the final day riding the SAM Shortline train to Georgia State Veterans Park with stops in Americus, Leslie and Plains. Kim Christmas served as chairman. The history day camp was sponsored through the generosity of the Mix Foundation and the Charles R. Crisp Preservation Trust.