Hunt for Heroes at the Museum of the Mountain Man

 Tonight we had a fun event at the Museum of the Mountain Man.  The 4H clubs in the state are celebrating the month of the military child this month and hosting events all around the state.  The goal is to recognize and encourage kids who have a parent or sibling serving in the armed forces.  It was a special day for us (and especially for our 10 year old, who is in 4H) to be recognized for our oldest son's service.  He is in the Air Force, stationed in Turkey.

 The theme was "hunt for heroes" and the kids did a scavenger hunt around the museum for local mountain man heroes.  The military man that was there to make the presentation also showed the kids that many of the mountain men mentioned in the museum were also military men.  There is quite a bit of information on regional military outposts too.  It's pretty interesting.  Here are a few of the displays in the museum...

 Can you imagine playing with these cards?  I'd think it would be a challenge, with no numbers in the top corners.

 Beaver coats and gloves.

A small bison.  The five year old wanted to know if it drinks water. Lol. Not anymore.

They have a pretty neat display of western wildlife.

I'm thankful we no longer need to use urine when dying things!

One of our county commissioners came to read the proclamation the commissioners signed, recognizing April as the month of the military child.

 Then a military man (I really should have paid more attention to what rank, etc he was) read a letter from senior officials thanking children and families for their service.

They recognized our ten year old for his brother's service.

It was pretty cool.

The the kids completed a scavenger hunt for heroes in the museum.

After they completed the scavenger hunt, they were awarded a 4H 100 Years cup.

 Face to face with a fox - literally about two inches (and plate glass) away from being nose to nose.

 A badger pelt.

Tomorrow (the 15th) is "Purple Up" day - a celebration of military, where everyone is encouraged to wear purple (a combination of the colors of the armed forces).  We were all given buttons to wear, and had a group picture taken.  The arm bands were given to my three little boys.  They say, "military kid and proud of it."

 The two year old really liked the rabbit furs they had out for them to touch.

:)

The details on this bronze were so well done - very delicate and detailed.

Downstairs the museum has a kid's discovery area built in under the stairwell.

I LOVE these little stools!

See the sign on the wall that says "Fort Nonsense"?  It's a little cabin-like playroom under the stairs.

They've paneled it with log siding so it looks like a real cabin.

There are a lot of neat things for the kids to see.

My favorite things were the clothing displays.

I love how stylish women dressed (no going to Walmart in your pajamas!) but I'm glad we don't have to wear such heavy, hot, fitted, uncomfortable clothes - especially in the summer heat!

And everything looked so tiny - like everyone was a size 0 and only 5 feet tall.

This one was my favorite - so much detail.

 Very interesting bodice. Tons of ruffles, everything covered in lace.  I've been spoiled by today's softer fabrics though.  This looked pretty scratchy and uncomfortable.

 These were infant and toddler clothes.  They had a plaque explaining why boys wore dresses (easier for potty training than undoing and redoing all those buttons) and why the clothes were usually white (easy to bleach with bleaching lime, white was cheaper, children outgrew clothing fast so cheapest material was used).

I think it looked dreamy and angelic.  But I can't even begin to imagine dressing my boys in white.  That bleaching lime must have really worked well.

 When we got home the kids were pretty wound up (thanks to juice bags and cookies).

The two year old was pretending the lampshade was a hat.