Lincoln in the House

Museum curators have been incredibly busy lately, now that Lincoln is “in the house.” Hundreds of artifacts that make up “our” portion of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection* are being unpacked, cataloged, inspected, researched and generally readied for exhibition. The excitement is building, as media are becoming aware of the collection’s treasures.
Here’s one piece that I was [...]

Curators in Stitches

Two Indiana State Museum staffers spent the day at the Indiana State Fair judging in the Antique Quilts and Coverlets Division. Pictured is a great example of a blue and white quilt from 1915, signed and dated on the back.
How are quilts judged? Kathleen McLary, Indiana State Museum Exec. VP for Historic Sites (and quilt expert and author) noted that this [...]

Call me Plume Poppy

My name is Macleaya cordata, Bocconia cordata, or Bocconia japonica —
but you can call me Plume Poppy.
The most-asked garden question recently has been, “What’s that tall plant over there?” Usually when visitors ask for flower identification,  I need to look at the plant to be certain, since descriptions can be vague or ambiguous. Not so [...]

Celebrate Abe Camp Diary

Celebrate Abe Summer Camp took place at the Vincennes State Historic Site July 13 through 17.
Day One: The first day of camp is always an exciting day. The campers arrive full of wonder and, of course, energy. We have planned the week’s activities and they are anticipating them. Some of the campers know each other, some [...]

Week’s Wash

So far this year, Brown County, Indiana , has been more like Oregon weather-wise — or so I imagine, as I’ve never been there. It has been wet, many days in a row, and I sympathize with farmers and gardeners (I still don’t have all my seeds planted). My immediate meteorological concern though has to do [...]

Indiana Square Dancers Share Marriage Secret

Twirling skirts and flying crinoline filled the O’Bannon Great Hall on Saturday as the Indiana Dancer’s Association held their annual dance. As always, these events make working weekends a lot of fun. And it got even better when a bride who was getting photos and making her wedding video decided to be part of the [...]

A Blinking Black-eyed Susan

I’m a big sports fan, but only in the biological sense. In biology, a ‘sport’ is a mutation. Red Delicious apples may be the most famous sport — they all originated from one tree with a tasty (and profitable) mutation.
A lone Black-eyed Susan planted itself amidst a row of Peonies at T.C. Steele State Historic [...]

TV Coverage at Indiana State Museum

We love it when the press comes to call, and especially when the rain stays away on those days!  The annual Canal Family Fest on July 4th got fairly waterlogged and was forced inside, but the press was generous in their advance coverage of the event.  Julie Patterson of WISH-TV8 highlighted the event in her “Hot Pick [...]

There was a little chigger …

There was a little chigger, that wasn’t any bigger…*
So begins this summertime song, sung by children scratching along in time to the melody. Sad to say, chigger season has returned — and the timing wasn’t so great for our first Sunday afternoon ‘Get-together in Selma’s Garden.’
Our new series of garden programs is a thinly-disguised attempt [...]

When is a dollar not a dollar?

When the year is 1838 and anyone can open a bank and issue their own currency!
Students from the South Knox summer program M2+ visited the Old State Bank at Vincennes State Historic Sites and learned the complications and pitfalls of Indiana’s early banking system. Students discovered the value of a national currency we can all count on!
Earlier this year, [...]