COLUMN — As I was walking out of the Birthplace of Kermit The Frog Museum on Monday, I stopped and talked to a young couple from England.
They introduced themselves as Tommy and Kelly Foy and said they were excited to see what the small Leland museum held inside.
“We are doing a road trip through he South,” Tommy said. “We started in New Orleans and we are working our way up the deep South. We went to go to Grammy museum but we had to spend an extra day here because it was closed on Monday and we were looking for something to to do in the area and we found the Kermit the Frog museum.
"Also, the museums we been to have been really heavy because they have focused on the history of the deep South which has a lot of history, and this is something that is just fun."
Kelly added she was excited to check it out because the Muppets were massive all over England when she was younger. However, “I think I like Miss Piggy better. I am hoping that she will be in here.”
Kelly would get her wish. Right next to the door stood both a giant puppet of Miss Piggy, next to her boyfriend Kermit. The two puppets were donated by the King’s Daughters Hospital last year.
As I left the English couple and the museum and drove back to my home in Greenville, I started thinking about how cool it is that the great Jim Henson was born in Leland. It is inspiring to think that someone from around here became such a global success.
This was my first time visiting the museum even though I am a fan of both Kermit and the Muppets
The famed puppeteer and creator of The Muppets grew up in Leland and lived in the small Delta town until he was 12. The story goes that as a child Henson got his inspiration for Kermit by playing among the local flora and fauna around the swampland of Leland. Of course, these swamps have plenty of frogs!
My guide of the day at the museum was Anna Bell-Torrans who filled me in on what Henson’s life was like as a small child. She told me Henson’s father worked in Stoneville as a soybean researcher and that young Jim got his talent and creativity from his grandmother who was affectionately called ‘Dear’.
She explaied how the original Kermit, was born here in Leland from remnant fabric from his mother’s old winter coat, a ping pong ball cut in two
She added that meeting people like the Foys from England was not unusual as people from all over the world come in quite often. Over the last few weeks, she said, visitors have come from Germany and Netherlands plus just about every state in the Union.
I could go on and on about the interesting and cool things you can find at the Leland museum, which is overseen by curator Rhonda Looney, but I recommend you check it out yourself. The museum includes a nice picnic area on the porch in the back overlooking Deer Creek and a play room with books and videos for the children to discover.
The museum is free to the public but they do accept donations.
Like I say, if you haven’t been there yet the Birthplace of Kermit The Frog Museum is worth a visit. There is plenty to see where the great Kermit song is always playing:
Someday we will find it, the rainbow connection
The lovers the dreamers and me
David W. Healy is the sports editor of the Delta Democrat -Times. He can reached at dhealy@ddtonline.com
