published July 13, 2018
The Southern Museum, in partnership with Kennesaw State University School of Art and Design, will host an iron pour as part of the museum’s annual summer Railroad Rendezvous event. This popular, family-friendly event celebrates the joy of trains with a particular focus this year on the science, art, and creation of railroads and engines. Sparks will fly on the front yard as visitors watch a fully functioning furnace in action. There will be something for everyone to enjoy. The event is on Saturday, July 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., visitors will have a chance to carve a personalized design on a scratch mold and then, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., watch it become a piece of iron artwork as KSU staff and students demonstrate the iron pour and casting process. Each sand block mold is $10 (this includes museum members) and all iron pour revenue benefits KSU School of Art and Design scholarships. Participants will take home their own unique piece of art. Staff may delay or cancel the iron pour may in the case of inclement weather, but the Railroad Rendezvous will still be held. Please visit SouthernMuseum.org for current information.
Richard Banz, Museum Executive Director, states, “We are thrilled that staff and students from KSU’s School of Art and Design will demonstrate an iron pour. Visitors, while creating a piece of art, will also gain a broader understanding of the casting process of making train engines by witnessing a fascinating visual demonstration.” Page Burch of the School of Art and Design’s Master Craftsmen Program says, “We are really excited to bring the iron pour to Railroad Rendezvous. It’s a great way to see a scaled-down version of the process used to make cast iron, which is heavily used in trains and railroads.”
There will be a range of indoor activities as well, including train layouts, railroad-themed activities, and a train-themed craft for our youngest visitors. Museum staff will facilitate hands-on activities inside the Glover Machine Works exhibit to explain further the process and history of making trains. The Atlantic Coast S-Gaugers will display an impressive layout in the Cobb Energy Gallery. The North Georgia Tinplate Trackers will return with their popular O-gauge layout in the Jolley Education Center.
Attendees will also have the rare opportunity to climb aboard the General locomotive, made famous during the Great Locomotive Chase, to take a closer look around the cab and a special photo opportunity! The ‘Board the General’ experience is $5 per person (including museum members) and all revenue supports Kennesaw Museum Foundation initiatives.
Museum event admission is $7.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors ages 60+, and $5.50 for children ages 4-12. Museum members receive free event admission. Unadvertised coupons and discounts are not accepted for special events. The Southern Museum is located at 2829 Cherokee Street in downtown Kennesaw (exit 273 on Interstate 75). Please visit SouthernMuseum.org for further information.