The Good Girls have been known to run around
like wild turkeys, chasing down a flight or a story. But, the National WildTurkey Federation's (NWTF) Museum, officially the Winchester Museum,
is a place worth tracking down. We consider it one of those hidden gems, a
small interactive museum with world class exhibits. The center is located in
the NWTF's national headquarters, in Edgefield, South Carolina.
The Good Girls visit the Winchester Museum |
The Winchester Museum is the only museum in
the world dedicated to wild turkey restoration, management and hunting. It
tells the amazing comeback story of the wild turkey. In the 1930s the
population of wild turkeys was down to 20,000-30,000. By the early 1940s they were almost extinct.
Then, work began to restore them using the capture and relocate method. By 1973 the
population was back to nearly a million. Since then, the population has risen
to full capacity at 7 million; however, wildlife management is still important
or the turkey population could dwindle again.
A museum tour begins with 3-D dioramas of the five wild turkey subspecies. It is interesting to note the colorful feathers of a male versus a female. Then, we came upon a Disney quality animated Cherokee Indian who shares legends about wild turkeys. I swear the movement of his hands is absolutely real. Around the corner, another incredibly life-like character sits in a rocking chair and tells more stories about the history of turkey hunting, conservation and the NWTF.
It's a lot easier to hit a wild turkey on the fly with a laser than in the wild. |
Here's a sample (Sadly, my video failed to record sound!)
I climbed into a retired USDA Forest Service helicopter and watched as movie, much like an IMAX film, had me "flying," looking down on rangers tracking a controlled burn in a forest.
Turkey moms look after their young. |
Statue outside the Museum in Edgefield |
The NWTF recently
acquired hundreds of acres surrounding their center. They are already
developing them for various outdoor uses: camping, scouting, nature trails,
skeet shooting and an amphitheater for presentations. In the future many more
people will be drawn to the area. That's a good thing because this museum
should not be missed.
****
We couldn't leave Edgefield without visiting a pottery. After all, this is the locale of Old Edgefield Pottery and the style made famous by Dave the Slave Potter. His huge pots and poetic markings are even more desirable now than they were in the early 1800s. That style with its alkaline glaze is carried on today by Old Edgefield Pottery, but it was closed the day we arrived.
Lucky for us we found potter Jane Bess opening up her lovely store. She showed us samples of her nature-inspired work but it was her most recent volunteer project that drew me in.
Jane works with active military soldiers who have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury. She is involved with a program that helps them overcome neurological, physical and emotional challenges. She makes pottery slabs containing an inspiration word like "Trust" and the soldiers break the slab. They then turn those sharp-edged, broken pieces into a resilient mosaic stepping stone. The soldiers put the pieces and their lives back together.
Jane Bess in front of her store. |
Jane Bess Pottery Shop |
Jane works with active military soldiers who have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury. She is involved with a program that helps them overcome neurological, physical and emotional challenges. She makes pottery slabs containing an inspiration word like "Trust" and the soldiers break the slab. They then turn those sharp-edged, broken pieces into a resilient mosaic stepping stone. The soldiers put the pieces and their lives back together.
No comments:
Post a Comment