Our 2024 Pioneer Days Historical Society booth was well attended with many people enjoying this year’s book with one of the stories being about the Pickett family. We were glad to provide answers to many questions about the history of our area to visitors stopping by.
We displayed Demonstrations of Pioneer Life again this year with one of our hit and miss engines operating a grinder that ground dried corn. An old corn shelling machine also was tried by people at the exhibit, as well as an old fashioned hand water pump.
A flax separating tool doing a process called scutching as one of the steps to make linen fabric was demonstrated with flax grown locally. Also being demonstrated by a local young spinner was a spinning wheel and a drop spindle. These were much enjoyed by the many visitors!
The Historical Society in years past had a Pioneer Days Queen’s Court, organized and coordinated by our member, Marilyn Chandler, for many years. Ladies from the South Douglas communities were chosen and honored for their life of 50 years or more in South Douglas County. They were introduced at Pioneer Days and rode in the annual parade with an attendant, a grandchild or child.
This year we wanted to bring back that part of Pioneer Days starting in a small way. We started this time with honoring a Queen Mother and chose Norma Benson, a Days Creek resident for all of her almost 95 years. She was the Post Master in Days Creek for 28 ½ years from 1961 to 1989. She rode in the parade on the Tribe’s Trolley with the 2024 Parade Grand Marshall, Dave and Delores Hill. Her good friend, Linda Breach, who was her escort reported that Norma “had a blast”.
