DUBOIS – The DuBois Area Historical Society will hold its 35th annual dinner Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, Sunflower Drive, DuBois. The program is “An Evening with Melville Post.”
The dinner buffet will include: stuffed chicken breast, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans almondine, cabbage and noodles, salad, dessert, coffee and punch.
The cost for the evening is $20 and checks may be made payable to DuBois Area Historical Society. Reservations are due by Sept. 11. A reservation form may be printed at http:www.duboishs.com. Call 814-226-9006 for information and reservations.
Melville Davisson Post (1869-1930) was a famous mystery writer. He was married to Ann Bloomfield Gamble, who was the sister of Willie Gamble DuBois, wife of John E. DuBois.
Because of the relationship with the DuBois family, Post spent a great deal of time visiting in the DuBois Mansion. During those visits to DuBois, he wrote many of the stories for which he would become famous.
Many of Post’s stories focused on the character of Uncle Abner, a lawman in the hills of ante-bellum western Virginia (modern day West Virginia).
DuBois Area Historical Society historian Todd Thompson will present a brief program about Post. Then his most famous story “The Doomdorf Mystery,” first published in 1914, will be read and performed. In this story, Uncle Abner, solves a locked room crime.
Performing the four person story in old style radio format will be Darius Clement, Beecher Klingensmith, Carolyn Rhoades and Tom Schott, with Robin Powers doing the narration.
The evening’s activities will also include election of officers and board members and a special presentation.
