The
process of archiving family photographs is underway and most have
already been uploaded to the reunion website. We will still be scanning
items during the reunion, and we plan to burn the archives onto disks
for families to take home with them. We will be recording oral
histories at the Historical Society’s studio inside the History Museum
starting at 10:00. Donna Dover will interview some of our older
attendees about their memories of Ben and Laura Whitson or their six
children.
The
Heritage Festival that we planned our morning session around has been
cancelled. Some of the reenactments and free admissions that we had
expected will not be happening. The positive side is that we won’t have
the crowds to compete with and we can now do more activities as a
group. We have chosen an area directly behind the gallows on the
National Historic Site as our first rendezvous point on Saturday
morning. Attendee packets will be handed outin this location starting
at 9:00. Our first activity starts at 9:15, so please arrive before
then.
At
9:15, Park Ranger Cody Faber will be giving our group a tour of the
courthouse and grounds. Cody knows about our connection to Cal Whitson
and will tailor the tour to emphasize the role of the early deputy
marshals in Fort Smith. He is also knowledgeable about Civil War
happenings in and around Fort Smith. We have allowed 45 minutes for
this activity, but we have the flexibility to extend that time. There
is a $4 fee for adults aged 16 and up. However, anyone over the age of
62 is eligible to purchase a Senior Pass (formerly Golden Age Passport)
for $10. This pass provides lifetime free admission for the cardholder
and 3 adults to all National Parks. They must be purchased in person
and are available at the admissions desk.
The
Fort Smith History Museum opens at 10:00. Attendees will not have to
pay admission, but will need to be checked-in at the admissions desk.
The recording studio and other rooms in the Fort Smith Historical
Society’s first floor office will be available during the morning
session for taking oral histories and scanning photos or documents.
At
approximately 10:45, we will board the trolley and ride it to the
National Cemetery. From there, it is about a 4-minute walk to Cal
Whitson’s grave. After a short period for taking pictures and
reflecting, we will walk back to the trolley stop and return to the
History Museum. Cost for the trolley is $2 for adults and $1 for
children, unless we are able to work out a deal with the Trolley Museum.
At
11:30, we would like to assemble next to the old commissary building,
where a web cam broadcasts an updated view of the courthouse every 30
seconds. Anyone with an internet connection will be able to watch us
online as we pose for pictures with the courthouse as a backdrop.
No
set activities are scheduled between 12:00 and 2:00. Attendees may use
this time to eat lunch and explore. The Ferris wheel and carousel at
the West End Park were supposed to be operating, but a delay in
obtaining the required yearly inspection had postponed the opening until
April 11th. The Boomerang Diner, located inside an old railroad dining
car in the park, will be open for lunch. Numerous other downtown
restaurants provide a variety of cuisines to select from. Miss Laura’s
Social Club, a restored brothel owned by Belle Starr’s daughter, Pearl,
now houses the Fort Smith Visitor’s Center. It is located a short
distance from the West End Park and no admission is charged. You can
see the site for the future U.S. Marshal’s Museum from Miss Laura’s.
In
case attendees want to visit Ben and Laura’s gravesite, we will provide
maps and also plan to mark the location in some fashion. Lucy Belle
Whitson’s grave is located in Oak Cemetery, just across the road from
Creekmore Park. Attendees may want to stop there on their way to our
afternoon activities. We also plan to mark her grave and provide maps.
Starting at 2:00, the family will begin to gather in the Rose Room in
the Community Center at Creekmore Park. A map will be provided with
directions to the center. We will continue to copy and archive
documents at this location while attendees visit and we set up for the
evening program. The first planned activity of this session is a photo
shoot with a professional photographer at 4:45.
At
5:00, a catered meal will be provided for the attendees. On the menu
will be barbeque and side dishes from Ralph’s Pink Flamingo BBQ. We
will try to provide a food alternative for those who don’t care for
barbecue.Wina Whitson, Laura Whitson, and Ulene Dyer comprise our food
committee and will be providing iced tea to drink and homemade cobbler
for dessert. Cost of the meal will be $10, a portion of which will be
applied to the room rental.
At
6:00 we will begin a prepared program lasting approximately 90 minutes.
The exact program agenda is still evolving, but the general plan is to
discuss what is known about Cal Whitson and his ancestors, then talk
about Ben and Laura, and proceed in turn to each of their sons and
daughters.
Fae
Dyer has made some ceramic items for the reunion. Other family members
also plan to donate handmade items. At some point in the program, these
items will be awarded as door prizes. Marilynn Horner has donated an
impressive Cal Whitson History scrapbook that she compiled. We plan
toauction the scrapbook off to raise “seed money” for the next reunion.
We
must vacate the Rose room by 8:00. We need to use the last half-hour
for room clean-up and to dismantle our equipment. This will mark the
end of the planned activities for the reunion.
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