Sit a Spell // History // Museum and Historic Places
Conecuh CountySouthwest Alabama
About
The Learning Center will be at the home of Dr. Hillary James Hawkins (Brown Hawkins). The Hawkins home was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. The Learning Center is designed for all ages, and especially for school age children that are interested in understanding what it was like to live in Rural America years ago. Upon visiting the center, group presentations will be presented. Groups will go from station to station learning rural history at first hand. They will learn about Well water, Wash day, the Milking cow, Raising little chicks and Traveling on the dirt road. Children will walk the Baptism trail to the Baptism pool. Children books will be available to represent each station. Children will enjoy learning about games children played years ago. Games such as seesaw, marbles, tree swing, hop scotch, hide and seek and others. The center will be set-up as a typical rural 1800 and 1900 homestead. Children will see many things that were used at that time, such as: black pots that were used to boil clothes, tin tubs, scrub boards, plows and old tools. Also, straw brooms, smokehouse, barn, wagon and others. Rural people years ago depended upon natural resources to survive. Students will hear survival stories on how people fished and hunted for wildlife such as rabbits, squirrels, opossums and deer. Lessons will also be given on planting and how different crops were grown on the farm. Children will learn that rural life is much different from urban life. In the rural at first sight, the beauty of the open air is noticed. Exhibits on farming tools, household items and others will be available for viewing.
