Elkhart County Historical Museum

Bus Trip to Allen County Public Library

2008-07-23T14:33:00.003-04:00

Photos from Flintlock and Tomahawk, 2007

2008-07-22T09:24:00.010-04:00

Flintlock and Tomahawk

2008-07-18T12:12:00.001-04:00

Experience Indiana’s Early History at Flintlock and Tomahawk

Museum visitors can experience the lives of Indiana’s 18th and early 19th Century European pioneers and Native Americans during the 2nd Annual Flintlock and Tomahawk reenactment on August 2-3. On Saturday the program will last from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Flintlock and Tomahawk will occur in Cummins Park, located directly behind the museum.

Flintlock and Tomahawk will include costumed living historians and folk music concerts, with ongoing demonstrations of historic crafts throughout the weekend. Nearly 50 reenactors and 20 musicians are expected to participate in the event. The event is not only thrilling for adults, but also for children who have or will study pioneer and American Indian life in Indiana.

Living History Encampment

Over 40 reenactors will encamp behind the museum along the banks of the St. Joseph River and provide demonstrations of daily life during this time period. The event will include a craft demonstration area, American Indian village, and a military encampment, offering a broad glimpse into the lives of people who settled throughout Indiana.

Historical craft participants will include a blacksmith and coppersmith, who will provide live demonstrations during public hours of the event. Have you ever wondered how your clothing is colored? Natural dye demonstrations will be another addition to this year’s program. Their display will highlight the use of plants and insects to dye a variety of textiles in the entire color spectrum.

The American Indian village will highlight the experiences of indigenous people in the Western Great Lakes. Visitors will see items commonly associated with American Indian culture. For instance, a variety of clothing resulting from trade networks will be worn, like beadwork and trade silver. Reenactors will also do some myth busting of commonly held assumptions about American Indians. For instance, many people still connect teepees with most Native American groups, but wigwams were actually used locally by the Pottawatomie. The village will include wigwams and other examples of common furnishings that were found in a Pottawatomie camp.

Trade networks between Europeans and American Indians will also be shown at the encampment. French voyageurs will be displayed along the river, complete with bundles of goods and canoes to transport their wares.

This year’s military encampment is sure to have a “big bang” with visitors. In addition to living historians showing the uniforms and equipment of the French and Indian War (1755-1763) and the American Revolution, 17th Century and War of 1812 soldiers will expand the timeline. Both days a weapon demonstration will include a matchlock gun and War of 1812 cannon, in addition to flintlock muskets and rifles.

Finally, numerous people showing the lives of early pioneers and common folk will participate in the program. Visitors can stroll through their encampments, witness cooking demonstrations, examine reproduction tin lanterns or furniture, and get a broad sense of pioneer lifestyles during this period.

Folk Music

Folk musicians from the Northeast Indiana Folk Music and Instrument Gathering, Inc., Promissory Notes, and the Shipshewana Dulcimer Society, will have six concerts during the weekend. Each concert will be about one hour in length, and include a variety of music popular before the American Civil War. Instruments will range in dulcimers to harps. Throughout the reenactment, the folk musicians will provide wandering music and interpret their instruments to the public.

On Saturday children can make and take home folk instruments at 1:00p.m. This program is sponsored by the folk musicians, and will require only a small donation to participate. Each instrument will be made from a coconut shell and other craft materials, and can play simple folk tunes with a little practice.

Amenities

Food and drink will be available to reenactment visitors. New this year, Moldova Missions will provide vendor services throughout the weekend. Food costs will go towards mission projects through their organization.

Admission Fees

Entrance into the event is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children under 12 years of age. All children under 6 years of age will receive free admission. The entrance fee covers the cost of the program and the remaining fees will donated for educational programs to the Elkhart County Parks and Elkhart County Historical Society.

The program will occur rain or shine. Reenactment participants are subject to change.

For additional information on the Elkhart County Historical Museum, contact (574) 848-5703 or visit the museum blog at http://elkhartcountyhistoricalmuseum.blogspot.com/.

Media Day

Because our reenactors have busy schedules outside their hobbies, we are hosting a photograph and film opportunity on one day for local media. This will occur on Monday, July 28 at 1:00pm at the Elkhart County Historical Museum at 304 W. Vistula Street, Bristol, IN, 46507.

Learn to make Heritage Books

2008-07-17T11:47:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday, July 23 at 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., Marcia Brenneman will present a program titled “Making Heritage Books” at the Elkhart County Historical Museum.

Heritage books are similar to scrapbooks, but generally focus on older heirloom photographs, documents and historical topics. These books offer a great method to showcase genealogy research and preserve family photographs, as well as present creative display methods commonly used in scrapbooking.

Marcia has made numerous volumes of heritage books about her Uncle Walter Brenneman who served in the Second World War. Her program will outline the research, display techniques, materials and other insight you can use to create a similar book.

Preservation of family documents will be a central theme to Marcia’s presentation. Heritage books are also used to preserve old documents, which may require special display techniques using acid-free paper or archival tape. Using standard photo albums or craft materials may harm the artifacts, and can quickly discolor your important family documents.

In addition to the program, the Elkhart County Historical Museum will display several scrapbooks made from 1900s to 1980s held in its collection.

Individuals interested in scrapbooks and genealogy will find this program particularly interesting. To register, please contact the museum at 574-848-4322.

2008 Crystal Ball Fundraiser

2008-07-14T10:41:00.006-04:00

In July it is hard to think of December and snow, but here at the Elkhart County Historical Museum it is on our minds. We are planning for our 5th Annual Crystal Ball. This event is a fundraiser for the Elkhart County Historical Society. The dates for this years event are December 5 & 6.

In 2008 funds are being raised for our educational programs at the Museum. Exciting things are taking place in the area of education, including engaging exhibits and a new emphasis to support county schools.

A Curator of Education job has been created and filled. The purpose of this new position is to bring education to the forefront at the Elkhart County Historical Museum. This fall we will be introducing a new program to Elkhart County educators. Discovery boxes will be available for teachers and home school parents to borrow. These boxes will cover state standards such as Pioneer Life, and will have reproduction artifacts and lessons designed around each topic. Partnering with the Elkhart County Parks, the museum opened a new temporary exhibit gallery to create rotating educational displays about local history. “Stitches of Devotion” is our first exhibit and features local quilts and coverlets made from 1850 to 1930.

In 2008 we also have added programs to our event schedule to help adults’ research local history. Wednesday Night at the Museum covers a variety of topics from genealogy to preserving historical collections.

Each year we ask local businesses to partner with us as sponsors and donors for our Crystal Ball Dinner and Dance. This is an opportunity for your business or you as an individual to take part in educating the youth of Elkhart County. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Nick or Erin at 848-4322.

We also encourage you to join us for the Friday night event where we are planning an extraordinary evening for museum patrons and friends

Storage Annex Progress

2008-07-14T09:21:00.006-04:00

Work continues on the storage annex here at the museum. Last week, exterior doors were installed to secure the ground floor. An overhead door was included that will allow large artifacts, that are currently stored offsite, to be brought into the museum once construction is completed.

Museum will be open this Saturday!

2008-07-11T08:36:00.006-04:00

The Museum will be open for special hours from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday before the Bristol Homecoming parade begins. Come visit the museum and then sit in the front lawn during the parade, which passes by the museum on Vistula Street.

Amusement rides, contests, concerts, and many more activities are located in Bristol's Congdon Park. Saturday night's festivities will include a fireworks show. Visit the Bristol Homecoming website at http://www.bristolhomecoming.org/

Flintlock and Tomahawk, Aug. 2-3

2008-07-08T17:41:00.002-04:00

More Information:
http://www.elkhartcountyparks.org/flintlockandtomahawk.htm

What is Folk Art?

2008-07-07T15:23:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, July 13, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., the Elkhart County Historical Museum will host “What is Folk Art?,” a program to try to distinguish the terms folk art, craft, fine art, outsider art, and primitive art.

The program will be led by Professor Emeritus Ervin Beck, who taught English and Folklore at Goshen College. Beck’s numerous publications on folk art and folklore include Joe Wright: Goshen Folk Hero, MennoFolk: Mennonite and Amish Folk Traditions, and Mennofolk2: A Sampler of Mennonite and Amish Folklore. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Elkhart County Historical Society.

Generally a folk artist is someone who has not received formal training, but practices a form of art passed through generations. Folk art can be anything from duck decoys to needlework, or even objects with distinctive cultural elements.

Included in the program will be a “show and tell” element to highlight local examples of folk art. Beck will show examples from his personal collection. The museum will also show elements of its collection of locally made folk art. Participants are also encouraged to bring and share their own examples of folk art, especially family heirlooms. Beck and the museum staff will also be able to help identify “unknown pieces” in a personal collection.

Join us on Facebook

2008-07-01T09:30:00.002-04:00

Calling all facebookers. If you have a facebook account search for us under Elkhart County Historical Museum and join our group. Here you'll find frequent event updates and other information pertaining to the museum as well as have a chance to meet others interested in local history and our county museum.

www.facebook.com

Photos from the Volunteer Appreciation Picnic

2008-06-27T12:11:00.007-04:00

Here are some photographs from last night's 1st Annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic.

Welcome Rebecca!

2008-06-25T08:55:00.005-04:00

The Elkhart County Parks announces the hiring of Rebecca Oestreich for the position of Curator of Education at the Elkhart County Historical Museum.

Oestreich comes to Elkhart County from Burnsville, Minnesota after the completion of coursework towards a masters’ degree in Anthropology and a Certificate in Museum Studies at UW-Milwaukee.

During Oestreich’s graduate studies, she focused on museum education, cultural studies, and sustainable development. Her training includes courses at the Milwaukee Public Museum and internships at the Mount Hood Cultural Center and Museum, Waukesha County Historical Museum, and the Minnesota Historical Society.

“We are delighted to have Rebecca join our staff,” says Museum Director Nick Hoffman. “Hiring a professionally trained museum educator solidifies our desire to better support county educators and provide improved learning services to our residents.”

Expanding programming, updating tours, and increasing public outreach by fostering relationships with county schools and organizations are central to Oestreich’s goals. She also hopes to revamp and strengthen the volunteer program.

“The Elkhart County Historical Museum is publically funded and therefore really belongs to the community. I hope to get more people involved with the museum both as visitors and volunteers,” Oestreich says.

Oestreich sees education as the key component to any museum. She believes in the importance of lifelong learning and hopes to reach out to people of all ages and all backgrounds. She recognizes that people go to museums for a variety of reasons and understands that there are different learning styles for each visitor. Providing an assortment of educational opportunities and incorporating interactive exhibit elements are some of the ways Oestreich hopes to improve the museum’s appeal.

“I strongly believe in making museums interesting and relevant to everyone,” says Oestreich, “I want to raise awareness of this amazing resource people have right in their own backyard where they can not only learn about the past but also have fun in the process.”

Are you interested in volunteering?

2008-06-25T08:48:00.002-04:00

We are thankful for your interest in helping to advance the Elkhart County Historical Society and Museum. Your service provides support to complete projects that make a difference in our operations. As we make changes to our volunteer organization, we hope to better identify opportunities that meet your areas of interest. Our changes will create more meaningful and rewarding experiences for volunteers, as well as offer social occurrences to show our thanks to you, our biggest supporters!

The museum has a variety of volunteer opportunities. Please contact Curator of Education Rebecca Oestreich at 574-848-4322 if you are interested in becoming a friend of the museum.

Museum Operations

Docent: Presents group tours, assists with travel groups, and operate hands-on activity booths (2010).

Newsletter: Publishes quarterly newsletter, submits local history articles, and/or helps with editing.

Collections: Enters accessioned artifacts into electronic database, aids curator and/or archivist.

Library/Genealogical Society: Helps visitors with local history or genealogy research.

Adult Education: Assists with educational programs like workshops or adult group tours.

Youth Education: Primarily helps with school tours, day camps (2009) and children activity days.

Fundraising: Works with Board of Directors to increase annual gifts.

Board of Directors: Establishes policies and helps raise funds for the Historical Society and Museum.

Landscaping: Helps improve and upkeep the Museum’s grounds, for example lawn care and gardening.

Marketing: Distributes event and Museum brochures, works to increase Museum’s visibility. Advertises our resources at local events, for instance the 4-H Fair and Bonneyville Mill Celebration.

Workshops and Events

Local History Workshops: Helps organize and market workshops, or propose a local history program.

Concert Series: Assists museum staff in development of a concert series to highlight local music (2009).

Annual Fundraiser: Helps with decorations, cold calling, and amenities during the event.

Event Volunteer: Develops amenities, assists with marketing, and volunteers the day of an event.

Volunteers Make a Difference!

2008-06-25T08:28:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow night marks the Elkhart County Historical Society's First Annual Volunteer Appreciation picnic. The program will start at 6:00 p.m. with a classic outdoor grilled meal of brats and hamburgers.

After the meal, Museum Director Nick Hoffman will briefly outline progress on the building addition. Hoffman will then introduce Rebecca Oestreich, the new Curator of Education, who will talk about her vision for the volunteer and education programs. The evening will conclude with comments by Historical Society President Dean Hupp. The museum staff looks forward to providing their most faithful supporters with a pleasant evening and much deserved appreciation!

Volunteers provide the museum with a variety of talents and give our visitors an unforgettable experience. We, the museum staff, thank you!

Heirloom Quilt Show and Tell

2008-06-16T13:21:00.003-04:00

Sunday, June 22, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Bring your family's heirloom quilt to display for an afternoon in the museum's auditorium. The museum will also show several examples of its quilt collection held behind-the-scenes, most coming from the pre-1900s. Individuals who want to show their quilts must pre-register with the museum by calling 574-848-4322.

(Natural) History for Kids: Bugs in my Backyard Cancelled

2008-06-16T12:44:00.004-04:00

Bugs in my Backyard that was scheduled for tomorrow June 17 at 10:30 a.m. has been cancelled. The museum is revising its program offerings to focus specifically on cultural and historic topics. If you are interested in naturalist topic programs, please contact the Elkhart County Parks Naturalists Department at 574-535-6458. You can visit their website here:

http://www.elkhartcountyparks.org

Our next scheduled Children's program, Pioneer Life in the Indiana Territory is scheduled for Tuesday, October 14, at 10:30 a.m. Call the museum at 574-848-4322 to register for this engaging program where students will experience the hardships, dangers and joys of a typical pioneer family.

Wakarusa History to be Presented on June 18

2008-06-11T10:07:00.001-04:00

Join Marcia Brenneman, author of Walter: An Airman’s Life, at the County Museum as she shares her research about her uncle, Walter K. Brenneman, who served as an airman in World War II.

Through meticulous research, Marcia was able to reconstruct Walter’s life. Learn Marcia’s research methods, find out how she published her work, and most importantly, discover Walter’s typical, yet special life story.

Walter, who lived in Wakarusa, entered the Army Air Force during World War II and flew missions in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Walter passed away during a bombing mission while flying over northern New Guinea. Marcia’s program will discuss his life in the military during World War II, and provide a summary of the experiences bomber pilots faced while on campaign.

Marcia will also discuss Walter’s life growing up in Wakarusa, including typical stories about class plays and sports at the High School. Walter played basketball for the Wakarusa Indians, and her talk will feature sporting highlights from his games played in Elkhart County. Walter also played basketball for Indiana Central College at Indianapolis.

Walter: An Airman’s Life, which was published in 1988, was funded through a grant from the Eli Lily Foundation. Marcia recently presented her research and Walter’s story to the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis.

Individuals interested in genealogy, local history and military history will find this program particularly interesting. To register, please contact the museum at 574-848-4322.

Construction Continues on Annex

2008-06-09T08:39:00.006-04:00

Last week the foundations were completed and J.A. Wagner Construction began masonry work on the lower level walls. Here are a few images of their progress.

(Above) The lower level east walls were completed on Friday. This space will include storage rack systems for oversized objects and artifacts made of wood and metal. (Below) This week mason work will begin on the west wall. The three windows on the left side of the lower level will be replaced with a public viewing space into storage.

Quilt Garden and Mural Tour

2008-05-27T13:03:00.003-04:00

On Friday, May 27, US Signcrafters installed a 15ft x 15ft quilt mural near the museum's front entry. The mural is part of the Elkahrt County Convention and Vistor's Bureau Quilt Garden and Mural Tour. Visitors are encouraged to view the mural during daylight hours and tour the museum's quilt exhibit. Also, from 9:30 p.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m., the mural is illuminated and projects an incredible view for passing traffic.

Be sure to visit every site in the 2008 Quilt Garden and Mural Tour! More information can be found on the Visitor's Bureau website at http://www.amishcountry.org/QuiltGardens.

Entry Improvements Completed!

2008-05-22T12:29:00.003-04:00

Thanks to a generous donation by the Bristol High School Alumni, the Elkhart County Historical Museum has a beautiful new entry. Improvements include a handrailing, new cement sidewalk, and a brick walkway in memorary of BHS alumni. Be sure to visit the museum to locate the names of your friends and family engraved on the bricks!

Researching a Locality or Community

2008-05-19T13:07:00.002-04:00

On Wednesday, May 21, the Elkhart County Historical Museum will offer a workshop about researching localities and communities. Museum Director Nick Hoffman will lead the course in the museum’s library from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The program will teach methods to research frontier towns to urban immigrant neighborhoods, as well as social communities that extended beyond a border. Participants will learn techniques in using the census, city directories, maps, and other traditional research sources. Each of these sources will be explained to show methods to amass data as well as dissect a community’s social structure.

Uncommon sources like immigrant newspapers or labor union proceedings, which often hold the best details, will also be discussed. Union Halls, ethnic clubs, fraternal meetings, or political organizations can provide a social context to a neighborhood or city ward, if sources that include these details can be located.

Participants are encouraged to pre-register by contacting the museum at 574-848-4322.

B.H.S. Alumni Brick Dedication

2008-05-19T13:00:00.004-04:00

Starting in Spring 2007, the Bristol High School Alumni raised funding for a memorial brick pad near the museum's entry. The project included engraved bricks with the names of Bristol Alumni, teachers, and commemorations for alumni who attended other township schools. The B.H.S. alumni also raised funding to replace the cement walkway from the museum's parking lot to the front entry.

On Friday, Linton's Gardening Center began construction on the brick memorial. The project will be completed on Tuesday, May 2o.

Construction Update

2008-05-19T12:51:00.005-04:00

Construction continued last week on pouring concrete for the structural foundations of the museum's building addition. Here are some photographs of J.A. Wagner's continued progress.

2008-05-16T13:08:00.002-04:00

The Elkhart County Historical Museum is offering a special behinds-the-scene program for groups of 10 or more people to view the 40 quilts and coverlets that could not be displayed in "Stitches of Devotion." The program will occur in the auditorium in a private session and will take about 1 hour to view the entire collection. Any participant who wishes to closely examine the quilt's details must wear special gloves provided by the museum.

Most quilts included in this program are from the 19th Century. The highlight of the program is an 1893 quilt made from silk cigar labels!

To register your group for this uniqe opportunity, please contact the museum at 574-848-4322.

"Quilters" to show at Goshen College

2008-05-13T18:10:00.004-04:00

The cast, crew, and faculty who are performing "Quilters: A Musical" at Goshen College visited the museum today to tour Stitches of Devotion. Students from the Museum and Theater Departments welcome your attendance to their performances. The production opens this weekend, so hurry and order your tickets today!

Location: Goshen College Umble Center

Tickets: $12.00 General, $8.00 students and seniors

Box Office: 574-535-7395

For more information visit:

http://www.goshen.edu/news/pressarchive/05-13-08-quilters.html