Funding helps Bell County produce historical coloring book
Published 2:11 pm Monday, September 19, 2022
- Photo submitted
JORDAN BROOKS
jordan.brooks@middlesboronews.com
The Bell County Historical Society received a Local History Trust Fund Grant from the Kentucky Historical Society in 2018, allowing it to work with local schools to create a project that gets young students engaged with local history.
This funding helped the Bell Historical Society create a coloring and activity book loaded with information about our local history right here in Bell County.
“We created this project for all area fourth graders, as this is when Kentucky history is usually taught. We live in a unique county with a very rich history that many are not aware of,” said Jes’Anne Givens, the museum’s director. “Our hope with this project is to help students learn their heritage and take pride in Bell County.
“The artwork in the book came from local Bell county high schools, from Pineville High school and, Middlesboro Independent, Yellow Creek and other Bell schools. We still send these out to the schools, and the kids seem to enjoy them.”
Bell County has a fascinating history and unique heritage. The Bell County Historical Society believes it is important that children appreciate the importance of their county’s past and it’s place in our country’s history, Givens said.
The activity book touches on some of the most important facts about the history of Bell County. The drawings and activities were primarily done by students from Middlesboro Independent School, Pineville City School and Southeast Community and Technical College. For a few subjects there were no suitable student submissions. In that case, the art director for the project, Johnanna Baker, provided the illustrations or sufficiently edited the original artwork so it could be used for historical correctness.
They are available for purchase at the price of $5.30 per book with tax added at the Bell County Historical Society Museum which is located at 207 N. 20th St., two doors up from the post office. Currently, the Bell County Historical Society is open Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. All purchases go directly to the Bell County Historical Society.
