Smithsonian Prairie Exhibit

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Traveling Smithsonian Institution prairie exhibit puts down roots in Allen, Texas
 
 "Listening to the Prairie: Farming in Nature’s Image," a traveling exhibit organized by the Smithsonian’s Natural Museum of Natural History, Forces of Change Program, will be displayed at the Allen Public Library from Saturday, March 9 through Sunday, April 14, 2002. To accompany this exhibit, the Allen
Public Library will present a series of distinguished lectures. Arrangements for the hearing impaired can made by calling Tom Keener at the Allen Public Library at 972-727-0122
 

The tour is coordinated by the American Library Association, Public Programs Office. The exhibit and tour were made possible with support from the by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the U. S. Department of Agriculture
 
Twenty cities across the United States were selected as hosts for "Listening to the Prairie." Allen is the only city from Texas chosen to participate in the exhibit.
 
Display viewing hours for this free exhibit will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Allen Public Library is located at 301 Century Parkway in Allen.
 
The diverse ecosystem of the North American prairies and the progressive farming methods used to preserve this environment are the focus of this exhibit. Through an exciting panorama of murals and photographs, visitors take a journey through the life, landscape and natural world of the "bread basket to the world." A replica of a windmill and an interactive touch screen—shopping cart filled with common household products that originated from this area are included in the exhibit. In addition, four American families tell their stories about how they are adopting new farming
practices to preserve their lifestyle.
 

The "Listening to the Prairie" Distinguished Lecture Series is designed to supplement the exhibit at the library. The variety of programs related to both the history and future of the prairie are designed to appeal to a multitude of interests. All talks are free and open to the public.
 

7:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, "Preserving the Future by Saving the Past" and "Colorful Texas Natives for Your Landscape". Jim Eidson of The Nature Conservancy and Lynda Strain of the Collin County Native Plant Society of Texas
 
7:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, "A Sea of Grass: The Blackland Prairie Across Time." Dr. George Diggs, professor of biology at Austin College and co-author of Shinners and Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas.
 
7:30-8:30 p.m. Monday, March 25, "Plants of the Prairie and Their Use in Agriculture" and "The Past, Present and Future of Prairie Soils". Dr. James Read, professor, and Dr. John Sloan, assistant professor, with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
 
7:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, "Prairie Tales: Folktales and Lore from the American Prairie" Twice Upon a Time Storytellers 
 
7:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 "Listening to the Prairie…Over the Roar of Encroaching Urbanization." Ed Bagg, Collin County extension agent with the Texas Cooperative Extension Service, and David Behm, executive director of Connemara Conservancy.
 
*For additional information on "Listening to the Prairie," and the related
distinguished lecture series, call Tom Keener, City of Allen development
coordinator, 972-727-0194. 

 
For additional information, contact:
 
Tom Keener, development coordinator, 972-727-0194
 
Barbara Buehler, library director, 972-727-0191
 
CD-ROM that contains images is available