Heritage celebrated amid rain in Courtland
Published 10:00 am Tuesday, September 26, 2023
David Bland, a master woodcarver, demonstrates his skill during the 29th annual Heritage Day at Southampton Heritage Village. (Photo submitted by Anne W. Bryant)
Running the petting zoo at the 29th annual Heritage Day on Saturday, Sept. 9, are Lynda T. Updike, left, and Susan Gray. They are accompanied in this photo by Pig the goat, left, and Butterscotch the sheep. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Helping pack up near the end of the 29th annual Heritage Day are, from left, John Nemier, of Como, North Carolina, and Emily Cuthbertson. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Jenna Cuthbertson smiles for a photo with Pig the goat at the 29th annual Heritage Day in Courtland on Saturday, Sept. 9. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
George Vaughan, seated, shows his small engines to Heritage Day visitors. (Photo submitted by Anne W. Bryant)
Michael Drake makes one of several hayride trips to the library and back that he led during the 29th annual Heritage Day. It was an activity thoroughly enjoyed by both children and adults. (Photo submitted by Anne W. Bryant)
Renita Snyder, right, chats with visitors while Kim Everett churns butter during Heritage Day on Saturday, Sept. 9, in Courtland. Visitors were able to sample the sweet taste. (Photo submitted by Anne W. Bryant)
Marissa Davis kneels for a photo with her girls, Maisy June Davis, left, and Lillian Davis, both of whom had shelled the corn and were enthralled with the cobs at the 29th annual Heritage Day. (Photo submitted by Anne W. Bryant)
Sharon Thomason paints the face of one of the Franklin/Southampton County Fair queens, Caroline Drake, at Heritage Day on Saturday, Sept. 9. (Photo submitted by Anne W. Bryant)
Kay Acurio, museum volunteer, stirs the hog lard into hot, crispy cracklins — a crowd favorite at the 29th annual Heritage Day. They sold out. (Photo submitted by Anne W. Bryant)
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The 29th annual Heritage Day lived up to its billing Saturday, Sept. 9, as an event that offered something for all ages to enjoy, though its offerings were intermittently accompanied by rain in the afternoon that ultimately cut the day short.
The event was sponsored by the Southampton County Historical Society and the Southampton Heritage Village/Agriculture & Forestry Museum. Heritage Day was hosted at the village.
Lynda T. Updike, who helped organize the event, said that another representative of the village and museum, Anne Byrant, commented that “we no longer can say we never got rained out.”
The event was set to run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Updike said it had rained the night before and that the rain arrived Saturday around 1 p.m. Volunteers and workers were packing up and closing things down around 3 p.m. as the rain continued.
“Considering the threat of weather, I think we did well,” Updike said. “We had people from around, not just local people. Somebody from Currituck, North Carolina, and several from Conway that I recognized, Pendleton.”
The preview for the event noted that the saw mill, planer mill, steam engine and grist mill would run intermittently during the day. Crafts people would demonstrate old crafts, with craft items for sale. Lunch would be for sale on the grounds and would include Steve Ivey’s famous barbecue, Brunswick stew, hot dogs, snacks, apple and sweet potato jacks, water and soft drinks.
“I don’t know if they sold all the barbecue, but they sold most of it, sold all of the cracklins, and the crafters seemed to have a good day, so that’s always good,” Updike said.
She noted that Heritage Day drew 751 paying visitors this year, plus about 150 volunteers, Ag Museum committee workers, vendors, Boy Scouts and preschoolers, the latter of whom received free admission.
