WURTLAND —
When Bud Matheny realized there are people in Wurtland who don’t know where the McConnell House is, he decided to do something about it.
“We’ve got a PR problem,” said Matheny, president of the Heritage, Arts, Science, and Tourism Center, based at the historic structure near U.S. 23 in Greenup County.
To introduce or re-introduce the McConnell House to the public, HASTC wil be offering free tours during an open house on Aug. 19 from 2 to 5 p.m. The tours will highlight how attorney John McConnell built the classic, central hall, two-story home more than 175 years ago. Tours of the home, which was completed in 1834, will include a guided walk through the home’s interior rooms, grounds and outbuildings.
“We’ve got a lot of good things going on,” Matheny said, adding the HASTC board is actively seeking people to serve on various committees as they gear up programs designed to bring the historic home into a more active role in the community. “If they’re good at something, we’ve got a position for them.”
For many years, the McConnell House has been available to rent as a meeting, wedding, and party venue. The board of directors for HASTC, which is a 501-C-3 non-profit organization, is already working to expand the use of the house and grounds as an educational site.
“We will work closely with area school systems and home school associations to offer students educational opportunities in history, the arts, and science that fit with the schools’ curriculums,” Matheny said, explaining they hope to develop arts and science programs reflecting the trends and technology of the era when the house was built.
“Heritage is pretty much covered by the house, but I’ve been thinking about arts and sciences,” Matheny said, adding his appreciation of a suggestion to teach today’s students about the agri-science of the 1850s.
HASTC is largely a self-supporting agency, relying on a few grants and an annual croquet tournament for funding. This year’s croquet tournament will be the 23rd annual competition, and is scheduled for Sept. 15. Opportunities are offered for team sponsorships, placing ads in the event program, or for tent or field sponsors.
“This is a fun event,” says Matheny. “With all the flat land surrounding the house, it’s not hard to imagine croquet being played at this location a hundred years ago.”
The mission of HASTC is the preservation of regional culture and history through educational exhibits and programs in the arts and sciences. The Center also acts as a resource for economic tourism and cultural development within the region. Matheny said future projects may include the purchase and restoration of a cattle-scale house near the home, and an old-fashioned community barn raising.
The McConnell House is located at 100 McConnell Drive in Wurtland, just off U.S. 23 at the intersection with the Industrial Parkway. Information about the croquet tournament and volunteering with the Heritage, Arts, Science, and Tourism Center will be available at the open house. Or, contact Matheny at (606) 585-1585.
TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.
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