TRENTON — The motto for the Jones County Heritage Festival is simple: “Unearthing our past, cultivating the future.” As the fourth annual festival took place on Saturday, those in attendance had the opportunity to witness practices from decades and centuries ago.
The festival first started in 2009 after several years of planning by Jones County administrators. Each year more people have come to the Jones County Civic Center to enjoy the festivities, with the exception of 2011 when Hurricane Irene cancelled the event due to roof damage.
Even though rain was in the area on Saturday, thousands of people came out to enjoy the dozens of outdoor activities and vendors, along with the ones inside the Civic Center.
Jacob Morgan, who works as a field crop agent for the Jones County Cooperative Extension, said the purpose of the festival was to show people how things were done in the past and learning about their heritage while having fun in the process.
“We’re just showing the way the life used to be,” Morgan said. “It’s not the focal point of the festival, but it’s an integral part. Back then, corn had to be shelled and ice cream was made by hand.”
Tobacco was the backbone of North Carolina, he said.
“Tobacco built the state as a whole,” Morgan said. “That’s the reason why the area by N.C. State, UNC and Duke is called Tobacco Road. Soybeans and corn were grown to feed animals, but tobacco paid the bills for many farmers.”
Several local acts performed inside the Civic Center, including members of the Pink Slipper Dance Academy in Trenton. Melanie Lassiter, 24, started the academy in 2008, which was the first dance studio built in the county.
Lassiter, who grew up in Trenton, wanted to provide something to her hometown she didn’t have as a child.
“I had to go out of the county to participate in dance growing up, so I wanted to have this academy here to give back to the community,” Lassiter said. “It’s a good family environment and builds the confidence of the children. It’s a great blessing to have the opportunity.”
Jennifer Wisener is a member of the Tar Heel Living History, a group who demonstrate how people did things from the mid-1800s. Wisener was in front of a sewing machine at a booth, showing how the machine operated, along with providing history.
“The patent for the first sewing machines came out around 1845, 1846,” Wisener said. “In the 1850s, the public could buy them.”
“We raise the sheep, shear them, wash the wool and sell it,” Beasley said. “Then, the wool is processed into yarn for us. We used to have to send yarn out of state, but now we can send it to Echoview Farm in Weaverville so we can have a complete North Carolina product. That’s what we’re looking for.”
Curtis Waters, 59, from Comfort, said what many residents of the county showed with their attendance.
“I’m from Jones County and I want to support what’s happening in my county,” Waters said.
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.