Historical Society, American Readers Theatre present living history program

The subject of this year’s living history presentation collaboration is the explorer David Irwin. On February 28, 1935, The New York Times featured a front-page article announcing that Irwin had returned from the longest, most daring polar journey ever undertaken by one man. His trek across the top of the world, alone with his sled dogs, covered 3,600 miles in three years through unnamed mountain passes and across uninhabitable, barren lands. This story will be told by Tom Parks as he portrays Irwin in this living history program made possible by a grant from The Greater Pike Community Foundation.

The American Readers Theatre and the Pike County Historical Society have worked together in the past to bring these stories of Pike County people to life, and this year the performance will tell of the journey of Irwin and the years to follow, which included raising huskies, training dogs to jump out of planes, entertaining the masses at the 1939 World’s Fair, and becoming a spokesperson for many brands and companies along the way, including Ken-L-Ration and Gimbels.

He also wrote two books about his adventures in the Arctic — the forward to “Alone Across the Top of the World” was written by the famous journalist Lowell Thomas who stated, “If you like tales of adventure, here is one that is as strong as bear meat.” Find out just what Lowell Thomas was talking about on Saturday, March 22 at 4 p.m. in the Foundation Room of The Columns Museum. Admission is free, although donations are encouraged. Light refreshments will be served.