There was a time, in Columbus' more distant past, when the cannon boom or shrill whistle of an approaching riverboat ignited an excited flurry of activity. Children -- some barefoot, streaked with sweat, laughing -- ran westward through the streets toward the Tombigbee River, dogs yipping in their wake. Youngsters scrambled on the banks and on the trestle to welcome these fascinating conveyances with their curious cargos. ?
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Mule- and horse-drawn wagons of all types would wait at the landings -- many near the area known now as the Riverwalk. Some were there with massive bales of cotton, loaded in rhythm to the work songs and chants of laborers. Others met passengers who brought news and views from near and far. Some waited for shipments of gourmet foods, fine china, fabrics, exquisite furniture, marble and materials from points north and south, or from far-flung European markets.?
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Columbus was -- and is -- a river town, a fact that has helped shape its culture, commerce and development.?
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"The river opened a window on the entire world, sort of like having an international airport today," said historian and author Rufus Ward of Columbus. "If you had a good river port, you had access to the world."?
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Still rollin' on the river?
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With its theme "River Town!", the 2012 Decorative Arts and Preservation Forum and Antiques Show and Sale on the Mississippi University for Women campus Nov. 1-3 celebrates the city's origins and connections to its waterways.?
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Presented by the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation and MUW, the weekend filled with design and garden symposiums, live music, distinguished scholars and elegant dining also marks the grand reopening of the university's historic Poindexter Hall, home to the school's music program.?
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MUW President Dr. Jim Borsig said, "We're always pleased to have community collaboration, but particularly with the grand reopening. We look forward to programming that will bring the community back onto our campus, and we think the partnership with the Decorative Arts Forum is a great way to kick it off."?
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Cultural Heritage Foundation CEO and executive director Nancy Carpenter added, "It is an honor and a privilege to work side by side with professionals from MUW on this project; the collaboration is one which should take place more often." ?
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Antiques galore?
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The annual antiques show and sale, well-known for its quality, opens the Decorative Arts Forum Thursday evening with a complimentary wine and cheese reception for the public from 7-9 p.m. in Cochran Hall on the university campus. ?
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"This will be a lovely occasion to get a first view and selection of all the wonderful antiques -- silver, jewelry, rugs, furniture, lamps, and 'smalls'," noted Carpenter.?
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The antiques show will also be open Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free throughout the weekend.?
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Ribbon cutting celebration?
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The public is invited to a ribbon cutting and reception for Poindexter Hall at 3 p.m. Friday. The grand reopening observance for the 1905 building once called the "Temple of Music" includes performances by MUW students, alumni and faculty, and tours of the building, until 4:30 p.m.?
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"This has been such a long time coming while Poindexter Hall has been under renovation," remarked Andrea Stevens, interim executive director of development and alumni at MUW. "We're so very excited; the building is absolutely stunning."?
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Designers, experts and ?
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scholars?
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The Forum's varied roster of speakers Friday and Saturday offers design and gardening experts, as well as authorities on the river's impact on everything from Columbus' early cuisine to its decorative arts and antebellum homes.?
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Friday morning features acclaimed designer Brandon Branch, who is creative director for Paula Deen Enterprises, and celebrated horticulturist and author Neil Odenwald. Both are Mississippi State alumni. ?
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Branch studied floral design under Jim DelPrince of Columbus. He co-wrote, with Deen, a 2010 interior design book titled "Paula Deen's Savannah Style." On Friday morning in Shattuck Hall, he'll demonstrate tablescapes for Thanksgiving and fall, transitioning into the Christmas season, said Carpenter. ?
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Odenwald will explore landscape gardening in the South.?
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Cost for this Garden Lectures package, including brunch by Table of Plenty, is $25. Reservations are needed by the end of Monday, Oct. 29; call 800-920-3533.?
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More speakers?
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Saturday begins with complimentary coffee and pastries in Poindexter Hall at 8:30 a.m., followed by speakers Rufus Ward, author of "Rolledores, Dead Heads and Side-Wheelers: The Tombigbee River Steamboats"; Dr. Mike Ballard, Mississippi State University archivist and coordinator of the Congressional Collection at Mitchell Memorial Library; and Dr. Graham Boettcher, of the Birmingham Museum of Art. All talks are free to the public.?
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Grand patron events?
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Grand patron tickets, at $150, include the garden and brunch event, as well as two special functions Friday and Saturday evenings.?
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"A Night Out in River Town" Friday features champagne and a candlelit dinner under an enclosed tent on the lawn in front of Poindexter and a concert in the recital hall by renowned bass-baritone James Martin. The Juliard-trained member of the Millsaps College faculty is heralded for his operatic, musical theater and concert performances.?
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"This will be my first performance in Columbus., but I lived in West Point my ninth-grade year while my family transitioned from Air Force to civilian life; I have fond memories of my time in the region and am excited about the concert," Martin said.?
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His river-inspired repertoire of classical art songs, spirituals and Broadway favorites will range from Aaron Copeland's "The Boatman's Dance" to Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's "Ol' Man River."?
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Martin, accompanied by David O'Steen of Jackson, will also perform a free public program Saturday at 3 p.m. in Poindexter Hall. His appearances are sponsored by the Leslie F. Threadgill Lecture and Artist Series.?
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On Saturday evening, grand patron ticket holders will enjoy a dinner at Rosedale, the antebellum home of Gene and Leigh Imes.?
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Tickets?
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Tickets for Friday's garden and brunch event, and Grand Patron tickets (which include the garden and brunch event, "A Night Out in River Town" and Saturdays's dinner at Rosedale) can be purchased at the MUW Office of Development in Welty Hall, or at the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau at 117 Third St. S.?
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Parking for the Forum is available on campus and at Central United Methodist Church. Shuttle service will be offered from several downtown parking lots, including the lot behind the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center at 300 Main St.?
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For more information, contact the Cultural Heritage Foundation at 800-920-3533, or the MUW Foundation at 877-462-8439, extention 7151. ?
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Decorative Arts and Preservation Forum schedule?
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Thursday, Nov. 1?
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Friday, Nov. 2?
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Saturday, Nov. 3?
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Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
Source: http://www.cdispatch.com/lifestyles/article.asp?aid=19869
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