The Historic Guyandotte Tour will take you on a journey back in time over the past two hundred years. You will learn the early history of Guyandotte and about many of its early settlers as well as events that have shaped this area into what it is today.

If you dare, you can experience this historic town after the sun goes down and hear creepy tales of long dead residents who still call Guyandotte home. The Haunted Guyandotte Tour brings history and legend together as stories of ghostly encounters will send chills up your spine.

Our walking tours will cover approximately one mile in length and last about one hour. All tours are free and open to the public. Tours meet at the Guyandotte Library located at 203 Richmond Street in Guyandotte.

Please visit our website for more information and dates for our upcoming tours:

www.GuyandotteGhosts.com

For those not from the Huntington area; Guyandotte is a small community just on the eastern edge of Huntington.

The ArtGawk is the brain child of Carter Seaton who, after seeing a similar display at Charleston’s FestivALL, felt we needed something similar here.  Thanks to her hard work, and the efforts of the many who aided her, there are over 60 works on display so you can almost guarantee that there will be something that catches your eye or makes you think.  All of the art you see is actually on sale which benefits not only the artists but the owners of the buildings displaying the work as they will receive a 5% commission.  Hopefully this commission will encourage other building owners to become involved in future ArtGawks.

If you would like to participate in a future ArtGawk – or get involved in ,or start, any other projects – you should stop by a weekly chat-n-chew; Thursday nights starting at 5:3opm at the Frederick Building lobby.

While their listing isn’t complete it’s a great place to start and, I’m sure, they will become more comprehensive over time. If you know of a trail that isn’t listed I’m sure they would appreciate any information you can provide.

Poetry Contest

Submissions must be a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 3 pages (double spaced with a minimum font size of 12pt) and no more than 3 pieces of poetry can be entered.

Essay

Submissions must be a minimum of 2 pages and a maximum of 10 double spaced pages with a font size between 10 and 12. Your essay must be about the challenges you see facing your home, community, and nation. Writers are encouraged to include the effect their community leaders are having in their life and community.

Additional Info

Deadline for submission will be September 1, 2009. All snail mail submissions must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelop if you would like your work returned. You can also submit via email.

Award Info

The winners will be announced at the V.O.I.C.E. writers conference on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at the Pullman Plaza Hotel.

Marshall University Professor Dr. Bonita Lawrence poses with the differential analyzer before the model was unveiled during a public demonstration Saturday night at Marshall.

It is not a computer or a calculator in the modern sense, but a mathematical machine known as the differential analyzer (DA) does help students understand and solve certain types of mathematical equations known as differential equations.

Marshall University’s differential analyzer model was unveiled during a public demonstration Saturday, May 2 at the Francis-Booth Experimental Theatre on the Huntington campus.

Marshall’s model, nicknamed Art, is one of only a handful of DAs in the country and is the only one available for public inspection, according to Dr. Bonita Lawrence, a professor with Marshall’s Department of Math.

“When I saw the static display of the Manchester Differential Analyzer at the London Science Museum, I stood and looked through the glass and wondered where I could see one of these machines in action and what an exciting experience it would be for our students to study this early technology,” Lawrence said. “When I discovered that the only working machine in the U.S. was in a private home I thought, ‘perhaps we should build our own!’ ”

Research on using mechanical machines to figure differential equations started as early as the mid 1800’s, but the first practical differential analyzer was built in the United States in the 1930’s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  A few other machines have been constructed over the years at military bases and universities.

The development of high-tech calculators and digital computers has nearly rendered the DA obsolete, although Lawrence says there is still an advantage to using it for instruction.

“There is a wonderful quote from Dr. Vannevar Bush (the first to build such a machine at M.I.T.), ‘Experience is necessary, of course, in order to use the device effectively. This is actually one of the most attractive aspects of the machine; one acquires an entirely new appreciation of the innate nature of a differential equation as that experience is gained,’ ” Lawrence said.   “Although his purpose for building the machine was to find solutions for physical models of interest  to him at the time, Dr. Bush also could see the educational value  of the  wonderful visual interpretation of a differential equation (an equation involving rates of change) that the machine offers.”

Work on the four-integrator differential analyzer began in 2007 for Lawrence and her team of students after they had successfully built a smaller two-integrator machine.   Team members include Richard Merritt, Anthony Justice, Aaron Bevins, George Chappel, William Morrison, Stacy Scudder, Saeed Keshavarzian, Rebecca Klug, Tom Cuchta, John Fishman, Lin Yuan, Tue Ly, Michael Lake, Devon Tivener and Kelsey Herholdt.

Marshall University’s differential analyzer is constructed of Meccano, which is material used for working models and mechanical devices.

For more information contact Lawrence at 304-696-3040 or via e-mail at lawrence@marshall.edu.

The Harveytown park, much like the neighborhood around it, has a rural theme – in this case the park is designed to look like a small barnyard. There is a great set of monkeybars and slides that, on the whole, looks like a wireframe barn. Across the small park is a large sandbox that has the appearance of a pig-pen including 4 or 5 small pig statues. I took my two daughters, aged 7 and 5, to the park and they loved the small animal statues that also included some lambs hidden here and there in the grassy areas.

Like most parks there are also swings, both normal and infant seat swings. However, there was one large four person swing that really stood out. It was a huge wheel like device that could easily hold far more than 4 children. My 7 year old was able to lay on the swing as I pushed it higher and higher into the air. She had a blast flying like superman!

Along with the normal fun attractions of the park there is a nice pavillion with picnic tables and barbeque facilities. The park is controlled and managed by the Greater Huntington Parks and Recreation department so if you want to reserve the park for a party you just need to contact them.

The new playground, currently being renovated by the local chapter of the Junior League, was jam packed with kids playing the drums, climbing the rock elephant, and swinging. Meanwhile almost every picnic table was full of groups enjoying fresh barbeque and picnic lunches. Two tables were loaded with young Japanese students that were cooking up a great meal. All around us in the grassy fields there were groups playing soccer, football, and ultimate frisbee. Plus, the walking paths were crowded with walkers and their dogs enjoying the wonderful spring weather that is a hallmark of the region.

Without spending a penny hundreds of people were out finding the joy that is available everyday in Huntington; you just have to setp outside and join the community.

I initially found the photo that I am linking to on Flickr. It was taken by Rick Childers.

The map on the linked web page is a flash based interactive map so you can hover over each point on the map to get more details. The PDF is a nice four page printout that you can take and read as you go. I haven’t had a chance to listen to the MP3 yet so I’m not familiar with it’s pacing or how it actually works. If you have taken the tour or take it please let us know in the comments what you thought of it!

As my confidence on the bike has progressed, even if my skill hasn’t, we have been able to attempt a few more difficult trails such as those at Beech Fork State Park (just south of Huntington) and the Kanawah Trace trail (also in Barboursville) plus some of the intermediate single track runs at the aforementioned Barboursville Park. Plus, once I become both skillful and confident there are plenty of those “black diamond” trails for me to attack as well.

If Mountain Biking isn’t your thing don’t fear – all of these trails are also widely used by both hikers and backpackers looking for some backcountry adventure. I’m sure there are even more trails in the area that I’m unaware of but, as I discover them, I’ll share them with you and, who knows, maybe you’ll pass me by as I climb back into the saddle after another tricky descent. If you do feel free to say hi!