Indulge in the fun this summer at North Bingham County Historical Park

SHELLEY — With the coming of spring, new life emerges, the weather warms, and different outdoor activities take our attention. There are activities galore at the North Bingham County Historical Park as summer activities kick off after a year of COVID-19 restrictions. Two of the various venues inside the park will host activities each Thursday evening (5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) throughout mid-July.

The general store has been upgraded and transformed and now features a gift shop, offering items from a few local vendors for sale. Ice cream and cold soda pop can also be purchased.

The community is invited on the first night, May 27, from 5 to 8 p.m. to see the beautiful new landscaping that has been done since people last visited. The activities being highlighted that night will include panning for gold at the miners’ cabin and making handkerchief dolls at the pioneer cabin.

Each Thursday evening, two activities will be open to the public. Here is the 2021 schedule:

June 3: Carding wool at the sheep camp and learning about animals at the historic one-room schoolhouse.

June 10: Digging for items at the dino-dig site and doing fiber at the sheep camp.

June 17: Doing laundry at the Kirkpatrick cabin, which once literally served as a stop for the Pony Express and another activity at the pioneer cabin

June 24: Scratch at the chicken coop and making sachets at the pioneer cabin.

July 1: Panning for gold at the miners’ cabin and making dolls at the pioneer cabin.

July 8: Carding wool at the sheep camp and doing animals at the schoolhouse.

July 15: Dino dig and a special activity to complete the schedule.

“We hope to increase the foot traffic at the park and welcome the public to come see the great resource we have there for families and individuals. With two activities each Thursday night, there’s something for everybody,†said Joan Winston, one of the directors of the non-profit organization, which oversees the park. “All of the proceeds will go back into the park for maintenance and improvements. We hope people join us often.â€

Many volunteers give of their time and talents to make the park valuable as a special place for family-friendly activities and to learn more about the history of the area. The park is located west of Shelley near the Snake River on the south side of the road. (587 E 1250 N)