Field Trip: Statues on Little Sugar Creek Parkway
2023-10-04 10:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | NC
SOLD OUT! Get on the waiting list.
Wednesday October 4th and will be a walking tour of the Statues on Little Sugar Creek Parkway.
We will meet at 10:30 am (location provided upon signing up), and the tour will last 90 minutes.
The cost is $10 per person payable when they register. Group is limited to 20 people.
RSVP above or at a Friday meeting.

Field Trip: Catawba Cultural Center
2024-02-20 11:00 - 13:00 | NC
DATE: February 20, 2024; 11 am – 12 pm tour and demonstration.
COST: $10 payable in cash or check payable to Senior Scholars.
WHERE: Catawba Cultural Center, indoors, elevator available, standing for half hour during tour of museum.
ADDRESS: 1536 Tom Steven Rd, Rock Hill, SC (30 miles from PUMC).
CARPOOLING: From Queens University Sports Complex, 2229 Tyvola Rd, meet up at 10:00 am.
The Catawba have lived along the Catawba River for more than 6000 years. Demonstrating an uncanny knack for making beneficial alliances during the colonial and Revolutionary eras, and for navigating the shifting sands of US domestic Indian policies, the Catawba have managed to maintain their identity as a people, and to carry their heritage forward into the 21st century. Today, the Catawba remain a vibrant, modern, and rapidly growing tribe.
Please join us on February 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Catawba Cultural Center. The staff will provide a guided museum tour of exhibits including archeology finds, games, basketry, pottery, lifestyle, and dwellings. Staff will also present a pottery demonstration covering a brief history of Catawba pottery, different tools used, significance to Catawba culture, and show basic hand-building techniques.
Afterwards, visitors are welcome to picnic, explore the walking trails, and visit the Trading Post, which is the world’s largest buyer and seller of Catawba pottery, art and other objects.
Catawba Culture

Field Trip: Historic Elmwood Pinewood Cemetery
2024-05-01 10:30 - 12:00 | Elmwood Pinewood Cemetery, 700 West 6th Street, Charlotte, NC, 28202, United States
DATE: Wednesday, May 1, 2024; 10:30 am – 12 pm
COST: $10 payable in cash or check payable to Senior Scholars
ADDRESS: 700 West 6th Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 (parking available in cemetery)
Join fellow Senior Scholars for a walking tour of Historic Elmwood Pinewood Cemetery located in Fourth Ward of Uptown. This tour will be conducted by Bill Bibby, Director of City Cemeteries for Charlotte. Bill will cover the history of Elmwood and Pinewood Cemetery and brief biographies of well known, unknown, and interesting decedents in the cemetery.
The cost of $10/person will be presented as a donation from Senior Scholars to Historic Elmwood Pinewood Inc. (HEPI), a nonprofit working to restore and promote the historic city owned cemeteries in Charlotte.
The walking tour will cover approximately 1- to 1-1/2 miles within the cemetery.
Historic Elmwood Pinewood Cemetery

Field Trip: Sullenberger Aviation Museum
2024-10-22 10:00 - 13:00 | NC
DATE: October 22, 2024; Time: 10 am – 1 pm
COST: $17 Buy Tickets Here
ADDRESS: 4108 Minuteman Way, Charlotte, NC 28208
CARPOOLING: Carpooling will be available in the parking lot of the Queens Sports Complex on Tyvola Road. Please park near the lion statue.
At Sullenberger Aviation Museum, we strive to leverage the wonder of flight to inspire, educate, and elevate future generations to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace. Our vision is to positively impact economic mobility, provide compelling experiences for all visitors, strengthen Charlotte as a destination, promote community participation, and drive economic development near our home on Charlotte’s West Side.
SAM aspires to make aviation come alive, so visitors of all ages can experience the wonder of flight. Leveraging an extensive collection of aviation artifacts and stories, visitors deepen their understanding of the diverse people, innovations, and opportunities in aviation. Our programs offer immersive, interactive learning experiences that will have you inspired by the world of aviation and aerospace.
Sullenberger Aviation Museum

Field Trip: Duke Mansion Tour
2025-04-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Duke Mansion, 400 Hermitage Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28207
DATE: April 7, 2025
TIME: 10 am
COST: $10 donation, optional
ADDRESS: 400 Hermitage Road, Charlotte, NC 28207
CARPOOLING: Because parking is limited, carpooling is encouraged. Meet in the lower lot of Providence United Methodist Church at 9:40. Please let us know if you will be carpooling.
Tour the inside of the mansion & hear the history. The gardener will also give a tour of the gardens.
Wear good walking shoes.
The tour is free but a suggested $10 donation to the Duke Mansion would be much appreciated. Bring your donation with you that morning.
Sign up deadline is April 1. Please let us know you’re coming, click the RSVP button and fill out the form.
Duke Mansion

Field Trip: Carolina Raptor Center
2025-04-15 10:00 - 12:00 | Carolina Raptor Center, 6000 Sample Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28078, United States
DATE: April 15, 2025
TIME: 10 am
COST: $14/person
ADDRESS: 6000 Sample Rd., Huntersville, NC 28078
CARPOOLING: Because parking is limited, carpooling is encouraged. Meet in the lower lot of Providence United Methodist Church at 9:40. Please let us know if you will be carpooling in the registration form.
The ¾ mile Raptor Zoo Trail is a self-guided tour highlighting raptors. There are 30 different types of birds located along the trail with educational placards and docents available to answer questions. There is also a new Quest Nature Center and picnic area located on the grounds. Take advantage of the of the spring weather and the opportunity to visit with fellow Senior Scholars, so bring a lunch and enjoy the day!
The $14 per person fee must be paid to Senior Scholars by end of business April 10.
Contact Pam Nemecek with questions.
Use the RSVP button to access a form to sign up and purchase your ticket.

Field Trip: Earl Scruggs Center
2025-11-05 10:00 - 15:30 | Earl Scruggs Center, 103 S Lafayette St, Shelby, 28150, United States
SOLD OUT!
The waiting list is closed. You have the option of driving up independently and paying the normal Earl Scruggs Center entry fee.
Cancel Purchased Tickets: Send a message to info@seniorscholars.net. No refunds after Wednesday October 29, 2025
DATE: November 5, 2025
TIME: 10 am – 3:15 pm
COST: $30/person (includes bus and Music Center entrance fee)
ADDRESS: 103 S Lafayette St, Shelby, NC 28150
TRANSPORTATION: SSQ is renting a 50-seat passenger van to shuttle members to the Earl Scruggs Center. The registration cost includes the bus cost plus the entrance fee to the Center. Meet in the lower lot of Providence United Methodist Church at 9:40. Lunch will not be provided and is not included in the fee, there will be opportunities to explore nearby restaurants after the tour.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: October 31, 2025
This field trip is only available to current paid up members of Senior Scholars.
The Earl Scruggs Center honors legendary banjo master Earl Scruggs, blending his story with the region’s rich history. Through engaging exhibits and events, the Center celebrates his groundbreaking “Scruggs Style” and lasting musical legacy.
Tom Hanchett will join the Magical Mystery Tour leaving PUMC. He’s on the Board of the Center and appears on the video that starts the tour. Joe Kendrick, who spoke to us (at a Friday meeting in January and at Wildacres) about music, will meet with us at the Center. Joe is also a relative of Earl Scruggs, has a weekly radio program about music and a podcast and has a relationship with the Center.
Earl Scruggs Center

Field Trip: Charlotte Museum of History
2026-05-12 11:00 - 12:30 | Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC, 28215
DATE: May 12, 2026
TIME: 11:00 am (Tour start time)
COST: $15
ADDRESS: 3500 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28215
TRANSPORTATION: Self drive and meet at location or carpool from PUMC.
Enjoy America 250 with this immersive exhibit at the Charlotte Museum of History.
The tour is limited to 25 participants. Reserve your spot by April 29 with a $15 payment to Senior Scholars. For an additional $5, you will have your own histopad. You may share one if you would like.
This tour uses the histopads inside the museum. Afterwards, the tour continues at the Rock House which is a 10 minute walk from the museum.
If you have never been to the museum, this is a wonderful way to see it.
Charlotte Museum of History
