?American Gothic? house open for free tours during American Gothic Days

ELDON ? The Eldon community will celebrate its annual American Gothic Days June 12-14 with several activities, including free tours of the little house made famous in Grant Wood?s ?American Gothic? painting.

The celebration will begin with supper in the park at 5 p.m. June 12, followed by a street dance with music by Jennifer Handling and the Revolution from 7-10 p.m.

The American Gothic Performing Arts Festival?s performance of ?Always ... Patsy Cline? will be at 7:30 p.m. in the McHaffey Opera House. Show times also are at 2 p.m. June 13 and 14.

June 13 will begin with breakfast served from 7-10 a.m. at the Eldon United Methodist Church for a free-will offering. The breakfast menu will include egg casseroles, baked french toast, fried potatoes, link sausages, fresh fruit, juice, milk and coffee.

The American Gothic House Center will host the annual American Gothic 5K Walk/Run. Registration begins at 6:45 a.m., and the race starts at 7:30 a.m. Registration is $20. Registration includes a T-shirt, a map of the route through Eldon, along the Des Moines River, taking the trail through the park, and traveling up one final hill to the famous American Gothic House.

All ages are welcome, although those 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Medals will be awarded to both men and women for first-, second- and third-place winners in each age category, and a trophy will be awarded for the overall winner for men and women.

A vendor and craft fair will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Rock Island Park.

Lineup for the parade also starts at 9 a.m., with the parade beginning at 10 a.m. Organizers say entries are welcome. Call Laura Carter at 641-799-4116 for information.

Free tours of the American Gothic House are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tours of the house will only feature the downstairs portion because the steep stairs, short ceilings and lack of handrails prohibit safe access to the upstairs.

Tours of the American Gothic House also will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 11, Aug. 8, Sept. 12 and Oct. 10.

The adjacent American Gothic House Center has a ?photo-op? area and many exhibits, including the new ?American Gothic in Stitches: Quilts inspired by the famous painting, which will be on view through Oct. 18. Entries in the American Gothic House Art Contest also will be on display. Submissions, with entry forms, are by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The American Gothic House Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 12; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 13; and 1-4 p.m. June 14.

The McHaffey Opera House will be open for free tours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 13 and 1-4 p.m. June 14.

The Rock Island Depot also will be open for tours and train rides from 1-4 p.m. both June 13 and 14.

The traditional American Gothic Days barbecued chicken dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 13 at the KD Center. The menu also will offer hamburgers, hot dogs and brauts.

The afternoon will be filled with kids? games starting at noon, and cardboard boat races getting underway at 3 p.m. at the Wapello County Fairgrounds. For information about the races, call Shelley White at 641-938-2643.

June 14 will begin with a breakfast at the Eldon Fire Station from 7-10 a.m.

The afternoon highlight will be a mud volleyball tournament at Playground Park. Registration is at 12:30 p.m., and the games start 30 minutes later. For information, call Taylar Brown at 641-455-8969.

For information about American Gothic Days, the American Gothic House and the American Gothic House Center, visit the websites at www.cityofeldon.org and www.americangothichouse.net.