Well, I told you that we were going to try to do this summer and the next school year up right. So we started it all out, by going to the Old Cowtown Museum a week ago this last Sunday and attending the Steampunk Festival they had.
David has actually been to Old Cowtown before and considering everything, it really isn't too bad getting him and his wheelchair around when we are there. Of course, there are buildings he can't go in because, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, nothing was wheelchair accessible, but all in all there is still plenty for him to see and be a part of.
For those of you wondering what the Old Cowtown Museum is, click here. It is a Museum in Wichita, KS that is set up as Wichita likely looked in the early days. Many of the buildings there are actual buildings from the time period that over the years have been moved there from their original locations. It is a fun place to go if you like history and I always have.
They are open most of the year but summer is when they do their biggest business. Every year girl scout troops dress up in outfits reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie and give tours through all the buildings and there are special events all through the season. This last weekend was, of course, the Steampunk Festival, and I talked David's brothers, Wesley's girlfriend Sarah, and the grandkids into joining David and me on our trip to the museum.
The weather was perfectly warm and overcast so as not to get too hot. Nothing out there except the Information Building and the Saloon are air-conditioned and David doesn't handle extreme heat or cold very well. Neither do I for that matter.
David seemed to enjoy seeing all the people in their steampunk outfits. I think what I like most about steampunk is how much imagination can go into some of the costumes. I especially love the hats. There were kids and adults dressed up and not all of them were the actors. Some were just people who showed up to the event dressed in their steampunk finest because they simply LOVE steampunk.
In many of the buildings, there were people dressed in a cross between steampunk and Laura Ingalls Wilder and they told us the history of the buildings or some interesting fact about the time period they were representing. This trip was especially fun because David's niece Willow and his nephew Kaiden were with us. While Kaiden is still a little young to really understand how cool an old printing press is, Willow is just at the right age to start appreciating its historical significance.
On the main street, they put on a steampunk version of an old Dime Novel shootout. The guns were real but full of blanks and once again, the costumes were sooooo good. David loved the guns going off and would first look surprised and then laugh his belly laugh until he snorted. Since it was a shootout, this happened more than once. David was pretty entertaining for all of those around us.
David's brother Zach, got to sword fight with a pool noodle wrapped in electrical tape, which seemed a little more on the steampunk side of things and a little less on the old west. It was fun to watch nonetheless and David also found this pretty entertaining too. Truth be told, I was fairly amused myself.
Wes, Zach, and Willow all also got to try their hand at hatchet throwing. We learned that all of them could hit the target but not actually make it stick. This is perhaps a skill we need to work on at home.....or not.
So at the end of the day, we got to see everything from kilts to corsets and feathered hats to goggles. There were high-wheeled vintage bikes and an old-time vintage motorbike with a sidecar. They had a live band dressed out in full steampunk garb playing everything from The Animals to the Drop Kick Murphy's. All in all, it was pretty awesome and everyone, especially David had a good time. He loves people and music and he seemed to really dig the clothes as much as I did. Imagine that!
I do wish that I had taken more pictures, but between finagling, the wheelchair over wooden planked sidewalks, and helping to keep up with a three-year-old, picture-taking moments were especially few, but the memories were made and that is all that matters.
By day's end, David was exhausted as were the rest of us. He thoroughly enjoyed the experience though and especially enjoyed the whole family being there. It was a great start to the summer. I hope that there are more adventures just like this one as the summer officially begins. Who knows, maybe we can find another Steampunk event along the way.
Until next time, here's hoping you stay cool, stay dry (especially if you are in Kansas), and that you find as many adventures as we hope to this summer.
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