2004 Year in Review

Heritage Canyon needs volunteers

The weather is starting to look promising and in only a little over a month Heritage Canyon, 515 North 4th Street in Fulton will be open for self guided tours.

It takes many hours of work to get the village ready for visitors and as always; volunteers are invited to come help out with the multiple tasks. The list of things to do is too long to publish here but it includes buildings that need painting, windows that need washing, boards to be mended, office and clerical work and trees and bushes to be trimmed. Please consider giving a small amount of your time to help out at the Canyon.

Area groups and individuals are invited to participate in an “Adopt a Garden Bed” program that the Canyon is instituting this year. Areas, small and large, in and around the Village will be designated as garden beds and individuals and groups will take on the responsibility of preparing, planting, cultivating, watering, weeding and otherwise tending to its well being throughout the season. These will be bare, hard to mow areas that are in need of beautification. Some are ready to plant; some will need to be ringed with rocks or timbers and filled with soil, as the soil in the Canyon is very thin. Some areas lend themselves well to herbs, others to flowers or decorative plants. This would be an excellent opportunity for the avid gardener, especially one who has no garden, to put their hands into the dirt and create a spot of beauty. Last year Frank, Leanne and Sarah Swan, from Fulton, took on the perennial and herb beds near the front of the house and have done an excellent job with them. It is the staffs hope that the rest of the Canyon can be equally tended this year. If you are interested in doing some gardening at the Canyon or if you would like to volunteer some time for other projects, please contact the office at 815-589-2838 and the staff will work with you to set you up with an area that is a size suited to your needs or a task that fits your skills.

In addition, work has started on the new kitchenette that will be adding its appeal to the Lower Parlor for use for meetings or small receptions. This is in the beginning stages and won’t be an accomplished fact for a while but it’s a beginning.

Work has been started on the new apothecary in the upper level of the Main Street Building and the goal is to have it finished by the Grand Excursion event, June 27th. This area will be remodeled to resemble an old time pharmacy and will be complete with bottles and jars of herbs and tinctures, scales, mortar and pestles, and other items used in the Mid-1800’s to formulate medicines.

The board of Heritage Canyon Foundation would like to take this opportunity to thank all those individuals and businesses that have shown their support by becoming members of the foundation at one level or another. Thank you one and all. It is very heartwarming to know that the people of the area are behind us in our endeavors to keep Heritage Canyon well and alive. Letters offering membership were sent out in January and they encourage all who received them to consider joining. If you did not receive a letter and wish to become a member of the foundation, please don’t hesitate to call the Canyon office and ask for a form.

Don’t forget that the Irish Tea will be held this Sunday, at 1:30 pm. in the Lower Parlor of the Wierenga House at the Canyon. This will be an excellent family style tea, perfect for men, women and children to attend. The program will be presented by Members of the Early American Crafters and will tell about the Irish, crafts, customs, foods, trivia and more. The cost is a $10 donation ($5 for children under 12) payable at the door. It includes the program, lots of wonderful Irish style foods, hot drinks and all the fun and laughter. Seating is limited though so be sure to call ahead to 815-589-2838 and reserve a place. See you there!

by  Editor, theCity1.com
March 9, 2004