Big South Fork NRRA Announces Interpretive Programs for Fourth of July Weekend

Oneida, TN (2011-06-27) The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will host a series of day and evening programs during the July 4th weekend. Park rangers will present a variety of programs in both Tennessee and Kentucky. The programs in Tennessee will be held at the Bandy Creek Visitor Center or nearby Leatherwood Ford. Programs in Kentucky will be at the Blue Heron Campground or the McCreary County Museum in Stearns. In addition to these programs, park rangers will present short talks at the Blue Heron Mining Camp during scheduled trips by the Big South Fork Scenic Railway. All programs are presented on Eastern Time.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

10:30 a.m. – My Trail Pack - Junior Ranger Program – Bandy Creek Visitor

Center back porch - Learn how you can be a junior ranger and what you should take with you when you are on a hike in the park. Come see what park rangers take in their day packs.

1:00 p.m. – Wet & Wild – Join Ranger Brenda Deaver to discover what creek critters tell us about the quality of water in our streams and rivers. We will take a close look at some of the benthic macro invertebrates found in the Big South Fork River. Meet in the gazebo at Leatherwood Ford off Highway 297. Wear creek shoes and plan on wading in the river if you would like to fully participate in this program. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

2:00 p.m. – Scrip – McCreary County Museum, Stearns, Kentucky - Did the coal miner really “owe his soul to the company store”? Come find out at this afternoon program with Park Ranger Lynn Thornton. Original pieces of scrip will be on display including Stearns Coal Company pieces. This program is being given in cooperation with the Stearns Museum.

4:00 p.m – It Started With The Gum Tree - McCreary County Museum, Stearns, Kentucky - Join Ranger Lynn Thornton as she tells the story of how the town of Stearns, Kentucky, developed when the Stearns company began. Original photographs will show the history of the town as it grew.

9:30 p.m. – Astronomy – Join Paul Lewis from the University of Tennessee Department of Physics and Astronomy along with National Park Service astronomy volunteers for an opportunity to view the wonders of the night sky. Telescopes will be set up in the parking lot just across from the Bandy Creek Visitor Center for night sky observation.

8:30 p.m. – Sounds of the Night – Blue Heron Campground - Can you identify what noises you hear in the dark? Come experience the sounds, smells and sights of the forest after dark with Park Rangers Debby Zimmerman and Shauna Milillo. You never know what you might hear, smell or discover.

Please wear closed toed shoes and bring a flashlight. You may wish to consider using insect repellent. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

10:30 a.m. – Old Timey Toys And Games From Long Ago – Join Park Ranger Jessica Moore to find out about toys your great grandparents played with when they were kids. Meet on the front porch of building just across from the Bandy Creek Visitor Center.

Monday, July 4, 2011

11:00 a.m. – The Stars And Stripes Forever – Bandy Creek Visitor Center Back Porch - Special Fourth of July – Independence Day Program. Ranger Bill Herman will share a brief history of the American flag.

For more information about these programs or the park, call the Bandy Creek Visitor Center in Tennessee at (423) 286-7275 or the Stearns Visitor Center in Kentucky at (606) 376-5073 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/biso.