Have EP, will travel

Recently, the Emancipation Proclamation (EP) from the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection had to travel from its home at the Indiana State Museum to the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) for an important event. The EP, along with one of the last completed portraits of Lincoln, were featured artifacts for the Lincoln Collection opening event at ACPL. Visitors invited to the ACPL opening event were able to get an up close and personal viewing of this rare document and painting along with numerous other artifacts from the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the State of Indiana.

Collections assistant Meredith McGovern and Lieutenant Dean Jenkins with the Emancipation Proclamation.

The importance and rarity of this one-of-a-kind document require that it have special handling for its travel to Ft. Wayne and then back to Indianapolis. So, with a quick call to the Department of Natural Resources Conservation office department, the problem was solved. DNR Conservation officers traveled with Indiana State Museum staff members who were couriering the important artifacts to and from Ft.Wayne. These conservation officers provided necessary security for the document and painting during their travels. Lieutenant Dean Jenkins provided security for Meredith McGovern, museum collection manager, during the return trip from ACPL. There are no plans in the immediate future for the Emancipation Proclamation to travel again because it will soon be on exhibit at the Indiana State Museum in With Charity for All, opening Feb. 12, 2010.

More information about the EP and portrait of Lincoln, along with the other artifacts in the Lincoln Financial Foundation collection, can be found in the Indiana State Museum online collection database.

The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection was given to the State of Indiana in December 2008 by the Lincoln Financial Foundation. The Indiana State Museum is home to the historic objects and art while most of the books, documents and photographs reside at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne.

When I Say, “Arbor” You Say, “Day”…

Marcus Harshaw, museum program specialist and Arbor Day facilitation extraordinaire, shares his thoughts on the 2009 Arbor Day Celebration.

Children enjoying the "Trees, Who Needs 'Em" program.

Did you ever say, “I want to be an arborist when I grow up?” Me neither, but after another successful Arbor Day Celebration, it has me considering a career change! (Part-time of course) The day was filled with so many activities and so much to learn about trees that one could not leave the museum without a new respect for trees.

Greeted at the front door by Indiana 811’s Holey Moley, over 1,700 visitors from schools across the great state of Indiana were on hand to participate in the festivities. DNR Forestry distributed free redbud trees to everyone to plant in their own backyards and ran out of trees by noon! Tim Womick returned to play his classic role as Johnny Appleseed, and a towering 15-foot tall Smokey Bear was on hand reminding us that only we could prevent forest fires.

Tim’s visit was joined by Treesearch Scientist Professor Arbor E. Tum, and Indiana’s favorite survivor Rupert Boneham of Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: All Stars. They all joined forces to teach everyone about proper tree care, stewardship. We were all reminded of the wonderful things trees give us including oxygen, and food. Trees create a treecosystyem and provide plants and animals with shelter and food. Trees even help the treeconomy by providing jobs! One job in particular is one held by Chad Brey. As an arborist he climbs trees to take care of them, and demonstrated how to climb trees by climbing up and down the side of the café building in the Governor O’Bannon Great Hall! My favorite part is when Tim asked the audience if it was ever okay to cut down a tree, and we all answered no as if we were hypnotized! Of course the answer is yes it is okay to cut down trees as Tim reminded us with a roll of toilet paper.

After the t-shirts were distributed and the Frisbees were tossed into the crowd, it was time to plant a tree! Dozens of students migrated to the redbud garden on the east side of the museum to help Tim plant this year’s redbud tree, and as quickly as the event began it was over. Learn, teach, give away free stuff, and have fun? All in a day’s work at your Indiana State Museum.

Until next year,

When I say Arbor, you say Day, ARBOR …