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Please join us—the public is invited to attend all our upcoming events as scheduled below. 

It’s the middle of August 2021 already and we’re hard at work preparing for our booth at the Scotland County Antique Fair, on the Memphis Courthouse Square, August 26–28. We’ll be setting up on the 26th and taking down on the 29th if you’d like to lend a hand. This year’s theme is “Old Stuff is Great.” Of course, most of the Museum’s holdings are of the antique “Old” variety, so it’s not too hard to collect related things together. We expect to have three main topics to share: Veterans, Education, and Organizations. Look for the bright yellow tent top on the west side of the square near the Courthouse steps. Hopefully you won’t miss it. During those days the Museum building will be closed, so if you want to show any visiting friends or family, you’ll need to see us in Memphis or call ahead for a special visit inside the Museum. Reach Judy at 660-342-1454.

Our next scheduled event, we’ve recently announced, is the Veterans Room Dedication Ceremony of the remodeled and enlarged area in the Museum. This program will be Sunday, September 5, 2021, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. It will be held just outside the main door of the Depot Museum, at the Appreciation Days Park on Bondurant. Bring your chairs, and since we’ll be outside you might want to check the weather for heat or rain. Rain will move us into the Appreciation Days building across the driveway. Veterans and their families are especially encouraged to attend. We wish to honor service men and women and recognize people in the community who helped support our country during times of need. We hope to have many veterans and their families present in the crowd.

The Dedication will begin with members of the VFW Posting the Colors while we say the Pledge of Allegiance and listen or sing the National Anthem. With an opening prayer, Jamie Parker singing, and light refreshments available, the main program will start with an introduction about the renovated Veterans Room then lead into an open conversation with all those present. We invite everyone to speak, to share memories about times of military service related to the Downing community. It could be your service, a friend, or a member of your family. You are welcome to bring a meaningful letter or news article. Tell about an experience or job you had during a family member’s service. You might speak about rationing, waiting for the mail, or listening to radio or TV updates. Share your family’s military-related moves; tell of feelings of loss and hope for loved ones missing in action. Or you might share challenges you dealt with when returning home after military service. We’d like to hear stories from anyone. We welcome your willingness to share memories.

Afterward, we hope you’ll visit with friends and neighbors while browsing the Veterans Room—uniforms, scrapbooks, picture books, military mementos, and pictures covering the walls. Find many stories within these walls. And there’s the rest of the Museum to browse through as well.

The week following the Dedication program will be the Downing Appreciation Days, September 9–11, Thursday through Saturday. The Museum will be open and welcoming visitors from far and near. Like a Homecoming event, past residents gather in Downing for the parade, baby competitions, bingo, and all sorts of things to see, do, or eat. While you’re at it, be sure to visit the Museum, because not only do we have the revised Veterans Room but have accepted several donations in the past year. Plus, you may learn some new information that’s been around here all along.

Museum collections from the past and present continue to increase. We connect with one another’s lives in ways we are often surprised to hear. The Museum is here to collect, record, maintain, and exhibit objects of local history, things about Downing residents, and the surrounding community. Let us share your past and memories with others. There’s always a way to keep items in your family while also sharing them with the Museum, such as pictures and papers; it is easier than you believe. Talk with us and we can work something out.

The Downing Depot Museum’s open schedule:

August

THURS, FRI, SAT, 26–27–28 (10 a.m.–5+/- p.m.): booth at Scotland County Antique Fair; Depot building closed; look for the yellow tent near the west courthouse steps.

September

SUNDAY, 5th (2–4 p.m.) SPECIAL DEDICATION of VETERANS ROOM; Community Invited; VFW color guard, songs, sharing of memories, light refreshments

THURS, FRI, SAT, 9–10–11 (10 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m., during Downing Appreciation Days)

If you’d like to visit the Museum when it’s not open, donate items, or volunteer your time or talent(s), give a call to: 

Jerry or Margaret Scurlock, 660-379-2467; 

Carol or Don Scurlock, 641-929-3915; 

Judy Sharp, 660-342-1454. 

Then, we’ll see you at the Depot.