Submitted photo ‘Seneca Trail: Native Travel Through the Appalachian Forest,’ a traveling exhibit, is currently on display at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center, located in the historic Darden Mill in Elkins.

ELKINS — A special traveling exhibit highlighting the Seneca Trail is currently on display at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center, located in the historic Darden Mill in Elkins.

The Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area Indigenous Appalachia program, partially funded by the National Park Foundation, has launched a traveling exhibit titled “Seneca Trail: Native Travel Through the Appalachian Forest.”

The exhibit’s panels are currently on temporary display at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center. The exhibit is available at no cost to AFNHA Partners for display.

The Appalachian Forest Discovery Center open on Fridays for viewing of the exhibit. The public is invited to stop by and check out the story panels, and also check out the exhibit’s lap dulcimer.

The AFNHA’s “pollinator program” has seen several interesting developments. Officials are looking to start a seed bank and will be recruiting local volunteers to help start the seeds, share pollinator observations, and harvest seeds, along with sponsorships to help with the startup costs.

Officials would like to start a weekly native plant and pollinator walk and record/map of what people find. Officials would love feedback and suggestions from local gardeners, which can be emailed to pollinator@afnha.org.

Interpreting our local area’s stories is integral to what staff does at the Darden Mill. Stories celebrating America’s 250th anniversary have been posted at https://www.appalachianforestnha.org/america250.

An AmeriCorps member at the Discovery Center has been traveling and researching people and sites in our region. If you have an untold story related to local history, officials would love to hear it. 

Please contact Maria Bray, Heritage Programs Manager at AFNHA, to reserve space, reserve the traveling exhibit, schedule a visit, or share a story. Her email address is maria@afnha.org, and the telephone number is 304-636-6182 ext. 6.