On Tuesday, July 17th, we had planned to go to the Cedar City Aquatic center but since it doesn't open til noon we had to try and find something to do that morning. Luckily, Bill and Susan are very experienced tourists and they found a museum to go to. (Tyson and I would have probably sat at the hotel and watched TV while we waited which wouldn't have been as cool, unless that Call of the Wildman was on where the guys with no teeth catch critters in the swamp!) At first I didn't think the Frontier Homestead Museum (sometimes called the Iron Mission Museum) sounded all that interesting. But since we needed something to do, we decided to give it a try. I was actually really impressed with this museum. We stayed there for two hours and I could have very easily spent even more time there. I kept thinking about books I've read like Hattie Big Sky and These is My Words where the main characters would have lived like this.
Bill turned out to be a pretty darn good tour guide. If he ever actually decides to REALLY retire, I think he could volunteer at the museum and people would come from miles around to benefit from his expertise. We followed him around as he described what each piece of antique farm equipment was for and how it worked. We learned a lot of interesting things and gained a new appreciation for all our modern conveniences!
The museum has a lot of different wagons and carriages. Most of them are just to look at, but visitors can sit in the Wells Fargo Stagecoach and get a feel for what traveling would have been like back in the olden days. Sure makes you appreciate your minivan!
It was fun to read about each of the different kinds of carriages. This is Bill and Susan and Shay.
The kids found the children's section where they could do a little hands on learning. The boys enjoyed playing with the Lincoln Logs and Lexi did some rubbings with crayons.
They also have a couple of cabins on display. I can't imagine what it would have been like to live in a one room cabin with your whole family.....and all the work involved just to have something as basic as butter. It really made me appreciate having a grocery store and a Bosch to make bread in!
The kids also enjoyed trying their hand at panning for gold. They spent quite awhile and even found a few "nuggets."
This was a really fascinating museum that I think everyone should go visit. We learned a lot about history and developed a new appreciation for how much easier life is now than it was back then. After we went through the museum we bought some old fashioned candy and toys at the gift shop. Uncle Shay bought the kids a packet of fossilized shrimp eggs that you're supposed to be able to hatch in a glass jar full of water. So far ours still just looks like dirt....hmmmmm......did we do it wrong? Maybe tomorrow something will hatch. I'm not holding my breath though!
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