“Remembering Our Story†is what the Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park is all about! The first ever Kid’s Camp held at the park was well-attended last Wednesday morning by 18 children who did just that.  They were were able to reenact the long journey the Mennonites made from Russia to Nebraska in 1874.
Passports were filled out by each child as they started imagining what such a long trip may have been like. Each child brought a few personal items that they packed in a suitcase for their imaginary trip to America. They learned firsthand how the zwieback were toasted in an antique oil stove that was a long lasting bread eaten by the Mennonites on their trip.
Next they pretended to take the train to Hamburg, Germany, where they then boarded the ship that would take them over the ocean to New York City. After arriving, they had their passports stamped and proceeded to receive a health check before being admitted to America. But their journey was not near over. They boarded the train that eventually arrived in Lincoln, NE, and then after a short stay, on to Sutton.
After a bit of a walk like the immigrants who made the trek by foot and wagons, they arrived at the Immigrant House. The kids were treated to drinks, apples, and snacks while hearing stories from volunteer Marj Smith about what life was like for those early settlers.
Article and photos courtesy of Shannon Siebert
