Mary Draper Ingles Weekend 2016: Unveiling & Dedication of Statue & Reception
Venue: Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery, Radford
Date: Friday, October 21, 2016
Time: 12:00 - 4:30 PM
Event Types: Miscellaneous, Speaking Engagements
Cost: Free
Description:
The City of Radford presents the Unveiling and Dedication of the Mary Draper Ingles Statue and Reception as part of the Mary Draper Ingles Weekend 2016 on Friday, October 21, 2016 at Glencoe Museum and Gallery Grounds.

Friday Schedule:
• 12:00-2:00 pm - Open House at Glencoe Museum for Mary Draper Ingles
• 2:00 pm - Unveiling & Dedication of Statue
• 3:00 pm - Reception at City Administration Building adjacent to Glencoe Grounds
• 3:30 pm - Meet & Greet with Mary Draper Ingles inspired authors at City Administration Building

An 8-foot-tall bronze statue of Mary Draper Ingles, created by artist Matt Langford, will be unveiled and dedicated. The 1700s colonial heroine will soon have a sculpture erected in her honor on a point just above one of the rivers that played a major role in her grueling journey back home to Virginia’s New River Valley.

The Open House at Glencoe Museum will feature an exhibit with paintings of Mary and a display about her life.

The Meet and Greet will feature authors who have been inspired by Mary’s story including James Alexander Thom, author of the bestseller "Follow the River". Other writers include Sharyn McCrumb, a bestselling Southern writer known for her Appalachian ballad novels, Eleanor Lahr, who wrote "Angels Along the River", Dr. Mary Ferrari, who wrote a chapter in "Virginia Women: Their Lives and Times" and Patricia Hons, author of the children’s book, "Mary Draper Ingles: A True Story of Courage and Family".

In 1732 Mary was born and eventually her family became part of the great westward migration of European immigrants searching for affordable land and better future. On the way her father is killed and Mary with her mother and brother join an expedition of families who establish the settlement of Draper’s Meadows on land that is now part of Virginia Tech's campus. There she marries Englishman William Ingles in 1750.

While other parts of the frontier are battling the French and Indian War, the Draper’s Meadows residents didn’t have reason to fear the Indians who passed by periodically. However, in July 1755 circumstances changed, and a party of Shawnees attack the settlement killing four residents and abducting Mary, her two children and sister-in-law. Forced on a month-long march over hundreds of miles through the Ohio and Kentucky regions until Mary decides to escape.

“She’s a woman who showed undeniable determination and remarkable skill and physicality to escape and trek her way back home, and the story continues to capture interest more than 260 years later,” says Deborah Cooney, director of tourism for the City of Radford.

Together the city’s Tourism Commission and the Radford Heritage Foundation raised $75,000 to place the statue on land donated by Norfolk Southern Corp.

For more information on the event, visit: http://visitradford.com/Mary_Draper_Ingles_Weekend_2016.aspx or https://www.facebook.com/radford.visitorscenter/.