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Communique Online
October 9, 2009
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Table of Contents:

Training Opportunities and Conferences
Allen County Public Library's Military Symposium 2009: Military Lineage Societies
Call for Presentations for the 2010 EIU Historical Administration Program Association
     Annual Symposium
LYRASIS Courses in November
AASLH Planning for Your Digitization Project Webinar
AASLH/OMA Annual Meeting Call for Proposals
RC-WR Art Handing Workshop

Programs
National Park Service Hosts Annual Architecture Open House at Indiana Dunes
     National Lakeshore
Feast of the Hunters’ Moon at Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park
Harvest Desserts Event at the President Benjamin Harrison Home
Looking for Lincoln Lecture at the South Bend Center for History
Programs at the Indiana State Library
U.S. Air Force Band of Flight at the National Military History Center
Haunted Woods Trail at Fulton County Historical Society
Ghost Tales of Indiana at the President Benjamin Harrison Home
Owl-oween at the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site
Genealogy and Local History Fair at the Indiana State Library
8th Annual Fall Into Art Events at the Howard Steamboat Museum
STOMP at the Honeywell Center
Festival of Gingerbread at The History Center in Fort Wayne

Funding Opportunities
Museums for America Grants
Alderson Internship Grant

Resources
Orphan Works: Statement of Best Practices

IHS News
IHS Stewarding Historic Structures Workshop - Only three spots left!

Help
Seeking Strawberry Train Barrels

Exhibits
8th Annual Fall Into Art Exhibit: Rule of Thum at the Howard Steamboat Museum

Traveling Exhibits
One Shot: The World War II Photography of John A. Bushemi at the Lawrence County
     Museum in Bedford

Organizations in the News
North Indianapolis Area Genealogy is now the Hamilton County Genealogy Society

Job Opportunities
National
Curator, Santa Fe Trail Center Library and Museum, Larned, Kan.
Museum Director, College Park Aviation Museum, College Park, Md.

Off the Press
People, Parks, and Perceptions: A History and Appreciation of Indiana State Parks by Glory-June Greiff

On the Internet
NARA and Footnote.com Announce New Digital Holocaust Collection

Orphans Corner
Directories Available

Training Opportunities and Conferences

Allen County Public Library's Military Symposium 2009: Military Lineage Societies
October 9 and 10
$35 for pre- registration, $40 at the door

Register now for the Allen County Public Library's Military Symposium 2009: Military Lineage Societies. The symposium will feature lectures about the organizations formed by American soldiers and their descendants, highlighting the usefulness of their records and publications to both genealogists and historians.

Friday, Oct. 9

  • 3 to 4 p.m. – Delia Bourne lectures on American Hereditary Military Societies: An Overview
    American soldiers and patriots who served their country have been honored in various
  • 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. – Ron Darrah lectures on Keep Your Powder Dry: The Revolutionary War and Genealogy
     

Saturday Oct. 10

  • 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Delia Bourne lectures on After Johnny and Billy Came Marching Home: Post-Service and Hereditary Societies of the American Civil War
  • 11:00 a.m. to noon – Ron Darrah lectures on A Splendid Little War: Family History and the Spanish-American War
  • 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. – Ron Darrah lectures on The War To End All Wars: World War One Genealogy
  • 3 to 4 p.m. – Curt Witcher lectures on Marching On: The 'Our Military Heritage' Web site and Other Online Military Sites

For more information and a registration form, visit http://www.ACPL.Info/genealogy/programs.html.


Call for Presentations for the 2010 EIU Historical Administration Program Association Annual Symposium
Bridging the Gap: Cultural Institutions and their Communities in the 21st Century
April 10, 2010
Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois

Presentation submissions are due Oct. 15.

Video games, the internet, amusement parks and other forms of technology and entertainment are making it increasingly important for museums, archives and historic sites to adapt and understand the needs of their visitors. How can these institutions remain relevant and adhere to their missions while serving the needs of a technologically advanced society? These are questions we hope to answer at the 2010 Eastern Illinois University Historical Administration Program Association Symposium. 

We are seeking presentation proposals that will illustrate how your institution is bridging this gap. Suggested presentation themes include, but are not limited to:

  • Educational Programs
  • Web 2.0
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Collections Plans
  • Marketing
  • Development and Membership

If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please contact Stephanie Gaub at Stephanie.gaub@ocfl.net to obtain a Presentation Submission Form.  Please complete the Presentation Submission Form and return it to Stephanie by mail or e-mail no later than Oct. 15, 2009. Submitters will be notified by Oct. 31, 2009 if their presentation has been accepted.


LYRASIS Courses in November

  • Developing a Disaster Plan (Live Online)
    Nov. 2, 9 and 16, 10 a.m. to noon EST
    $220

    Disaster planning requires the support and commitment of staff from many departments, including Facilities and Accounting Services. Plan preparation is more successful and effective when undertaken by a committee with staff representatives from across the institution. This web-based class is designed to support the work of an institution's disaster planning committee. Homework assignments will require input and support from a variety of staff members. Taught in three two-hour sessions over the course of six weeks, it guides participants through the development of a written disaster plan.
  • Introduction to Archon (Live Online)
    Nov. 4, 2 to 4 p.m. EST
    $120 for members and $170 for nonmembers

    This 2 hour online session will include an overview of Archon, the archival information system. The session will include a live demonstration of Archon and components within the administration and public interface. We will explore the functionality of the accession, collection, creator, digital library, research and subject manager modules. The remainder of time is reserved for questions.

For more information or to register, please visit http://www.lyrasis.org/. Keyword: Classes and Events. Please contact LYRASIS at 1-800-999-8558 if you have any questions. Thanks!


AASLH Planning for Your Digitization Project Webinar
Nov. 3 through 5
$85 for AASLH members and $150 for nonmembers

AASLH, in partnership with the Collaborative Digitization Program at the Bibliographic Center for Research in Colorado, will debut a new live Webinar on Planning for Your Digitization Project this November. Leigh Grinstead, faculty for the AASLH onsite Digitization workshops will lead this exciting new class.

This webinar presents issues surrounding the planning for digitization projects including issues of staffing, copyright, deciding what to digitize, digital capture and metadata. The course consists of one 75-minute session each day.

To register or for more information, visit www.aaslh.org/workshop or contact Bethany Hawkins, Program Associate, at hawkins@aaslh.org or (615) 320-3203.


AASLH/OMA Annual Meeting Call for Proposals
The American Association for State and Local History and Oklahoma Museums Association will present their joint 2010 annual meeting in Oklahoma City, Okla., Sept. 22 through 25. The 2010 theme is The Winds of Opportunity. You are invited to be a part of this meeting by submitting a proposal for a session, workshop or hands-on lab.

Proposals must be received by Nov. 16, 2009. Session proposals must be submitted on a Call for Proposals form. You may submit the form via email, fax or mail. Download a PDF copy of the Call for Proposals form at www.aaslh.org/anmeeting and click on the 2010 Annual Meeting link. To obtain a copy of the form in Microsoft Word to complete and submit via email, send a message to membership@aaslh.org.

For more information, visit http://www.aaslh.org/, or contact Bethany Hawkins at hawkins@aaslh.org or (615) 320-3203.


RC-WR Art Handing Workshop
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
$35

The Registrars Committee Western Region is pleased to offer an all-day workshop focusing on the safe handling of artworks and artifacts. Co-organized with PACIN, this workshop will focus on the basics of safe handling in installations, packing and storage, handling requirements of objects on loan with emphasis on technical and material requirements of each topical area, job descriptions, and educational opportunities. You'll also learn how to build or expand staff in any collections-based program.

Register by November 13.

For more information, visit http://www.rcwr.org/.

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Programs

Please confim events specifics with sponsoring organization, especially if traveling any distance.

National Park Service Hosts Annual Architecture Open House at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Oct. 10 to 11
$15 per person

The National Park Service and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana host the Annual Architecture Open House of homes from the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. The Fair’s model homes featured revolutionary materials, innovative building methods, modern home appliances, and new construction techniques. The homes are now part of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and owned by the National Park Service.

The open house is limited in size and will be by reservation only. Open House times will be assigned when making the reservations. Parking information and tickets will be mailed after the reservations are received. Reservations can be made at http://www.historiclandmarks.org/tours/pages/calendardetails.aspx?EventID.

For more information contact Jennifer Gregar at (574) 232-4534.


Feast of the Hunters’ Moon at Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park
Oct. 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Oct. 11, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fort Ouiatenon Historic Park, 3129 S. River Rd., West Lafayette
Advance tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 4 to 16 or $25 family pass
Gate tickets: $12 for adults, $6 for children and $30 for a family pass

The 42nd Feast of the Hunters’ Moon will bring thousands of re-enactors to the banks of the Wabash for a spectacular weekend of music, marching, military maneuvers, dancing, craft demonstrations and feasting. The Feast of the Hunters’ Moon is presented annually by the Tippecanoe County Historical Association in cooperation with the Tippecanoe County Parks and Recreation Department.

Advance tickets and more information are available at http://tippecanoehistory.org/.


Harvest Desserts Event at the President Benjamin Harrison Home
Sunday, Oct. 11, 1 to 3 p.m.
President Benjamin Harrison Home, 1230 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis
$10 for adults and $5 for children ages 13 and under

President Benjamin Harrison will host a new event at the Presidential mansion this fall: a dessert-sampling which will feature fruits and nuts harvested in autumn, the culinary talents of Catered by Chef Mike of the Indianapollis Propylaeum Club and a tour of the first floor of the mansion. President Harrison will greet the guests.

The special event will highlight the following desserts for sampling:

  • Cranberry bread pudding
  • Pumpkin squares
  • Persimmon bread
  • Apple cupcake with cream cheese icing
  • Mini pecan pies
  • Lemon tarts
  • Chocolate éclairs

Reservations are required for the dessert-sampling event and can be made by calling (317) 631-1888. For more information, please visit http://www.pbhh.org/.


Looking for Lincoln Lecture at the South Bend Center for History
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2 p.m.
Center for History, 808 W. Washington St., South Bend
Free program with the purchase of museum admission

Looking for Lincoln: Things Learned Along the Way will be presented by Bryon Andreasen, Ph.D. It is one of a series of lectures, theatrical events and films related to the exhibit, Lincoln: The Man You Didn’t Know, for which Dr. Andreasen served as guest curator. As part of the program, attendees may tour the exhibit before and after the lecture. Doors open at noon.

In Looking for Lincoln, Dr. Andreasen, takes the audience on a journey of cultural discovery where the unexpected becomes the expected. Using research based on his work for the Looking for Lincoln heritage project, he discusses several instances in Abraham Lincoln’s 19th-century experience to suggest that when it comes to American political culture, the more things change the more they stay the same.

The cost for museum admission is $8 for adults, $6.50 for seniors, $5 for youth ages six to 17 and free for members.

For more information, please call (574) 235-9664 or visit http://www.centerforhistory.org/.


Programs at the Indiana State Library
These programs are free to the public and will be offered at the Indiana State Library, 140 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis.

  • Researching Manuscript Collections
    Tuesday, Oct.13, 11 a.m. to noon
    Indiana Author’s Room

    Learn how to research manuscript and/or photograph collections using various tools available at the Indiana State Library.

  • History/Reference Room: What’s in it for you?
    Wednesday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to noon
    History Reference Room

    Learn about the collection of materials contained in the History/Reference Room. Learn the reason for the collection, how it got started and useful sources for historians and genealogists.

  • Dating Photographs
    Thursday, Oct.15, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
    History Reference Room

    This program takes us on a journey through the history of photography emphasizing photographic processes such as daguerreotypes, tintypes, salt wash, and albumin prints and identifying clues that would indicate the age of any particular photographic image.

  • The Porter-Griffin Papers
    Friday, Oct.16, 9 to 10 a.m.
    Indiana Author’s Room

    The Porter-Griffin papers hold keys to studying American political and social history.  This collection includes business records, political correspondence, legal and personal papers of the Porter family daughters and their descendants from 1845 to 1940.

  • Keeping History: Preservation Basics
    Saturday, Oct.17, 10 to 11 a.m.
    History Reference Room

    This presentation is designed for the family historian who wants to learn to care for the family artifacts in their care. Learn how to safely store, use, handle and display the materials including documents, books, photographs and films. Also learn how to plan for the preservation of digital files. 

These programs require no registration. For more details, call (317) 232-3675 or visit http://www.in.gov/library/3632.htm.


U.S. Air Force Band of Flight at the National Military History Center
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.
National Military History Center, off Interstate 69 at exit 126, Auburn
Free admission

The National Military History Center welcomes the return of the United States Air Force Band of Flight. Under the direction of Major R. Michael Mench, the performance will include original band compositions, orchestral transcriptions, popular Broadway and show tunes, marches and patriotic selections. The concert is free, but those who plan to attend must have a ticket. Doors will open at 5 p.m. Space is limited, so tickets must be reserved by calling (260) 927-9144.  Museum admission is $5 from 5 to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit http://www.militaryhistorycenter.org/.


Haunted Woods Trail at Fulton County Historical Society
Oct. 16 to 17 and Oct. 23 to 24, 7 to 10 p.m.
Fulton County Historical Society grounds, 37 E. County Road 375 N., Rochester
$5 adults, $2 child ages six to 11, free for age five and under

Ride a tractor-pulled tram from the museum to the woods on the Tippecanoe River, then walk through the haunted woods and experience the scary scenes.  Children must be accompanied by an adult. Food will be available at the museum. The Fulton County Historical Society grounds are 4 miles north of  Rochester on US 31.

For more information, call (574) 223-4436.


Ghost Tales of Indiana at the President Benjamin Harrison Home
October 16, 17, 23, 24 and 25
President Benjamin Harrison Home, 1230 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis
$10 for adults and $6 for students ages six to 17

A progressive presentation for which the audience rotates through the mansion, Ghost Tales of Indiana calls upon the audience to join Ghost Trackers Interdimensional to determine the reason for the presence of ghosts from around the state in the Presidential mansion. 

Ghost Tales of Indiana performances begin every half-hour starting at 6 p.m. with the last at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and starting at 3:30 p.m. with the final performance at 6 p.m. on Sunday. 

Reservations are required and may be made by calling (317) 631-1888.  For more information, visit http://www.pbhh.org/.


Owl-oween at the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site
Oct. 16 and 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site, 1205 Pleasant Point, Rome City
$3 per person

Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site invites children of all ages to attend the 2009 Owl-oween on each evening. This event looks past the myths and scary stories to discover the truth about bats, owls, moths and other “creatures of the night.”

Participants will walk a guided tour route throughout the property, stopping along the way to learn more about animals not normally seen during the day. Each stop offers a treat as well. Children are encouraged to attend in costume and bring a flashlight.

Children will also be able to participate in an Owl Pellet dissection activity, make pine cone owls, learn about the Victorian tradition of creating hair art, chat with Charles Dorwin Porter (portrayed by Dr. Orion C. Toepfer), meet Gene’s pet Blue Jay, Hezekiah, and other fun surprises.

For directions or more information, please call (260) 854-3790 or visit http://www.indianamuseum.org/ and click on the Historic Sites link.


Genealogy and Local History Fair at the Indiana State Library
Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Indiana State Library, 315 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis
Free admission

  • A Grave Matter in Indiana presented by Jeannie R. Regan-Dinius
    9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the History Reference Room

  • Women in Nineteenth-Century Indiana presented by Nicole Etcheson
    11 a.m. to noon  in the History Reference Room

  • Indiana Historical Bureau Book Signing
    Noon to 1:30 p.m. in the IHB Book Shop

  • Pioneer Migration into Indiana presented by James H. Madison
    1:30 to 2:30 p.m.  in the History Reference Room

Visit the tables in the “midway” to collect information from genealogical and local history organizations and Indiana libraries and shop the commercial vendors.

The speakers will be on hand for book signings after each program.  Additional Indiana authors will also be present at the special group signing at noon.  Fair attendees will receive a 20% discount on purchases from the Indiana Historical Bureau book shop.

  • Teresa Baer, Finding Indiana Ancestors: a Guide to Historical Research
  • Brian Hasler, Author, and Angela Gouge, Illustrator, Casper and Catherine Move to America: an Immigrant Family’s Adventure, 1849-1850
  • Lucy Jane King, Madame President: 1901-1905 Nellie Fairbanks, Path Finder to Politics for American Women
  • Connie Rendfeld, Peopling Indiana: the Ethnic Experience
  • Ashley Ransburg, Evie Finds Her Family Tree

For more information, visit http://www.in.gov/library/3505.htm.


8th Annual Fall Into Art Events at the Howard Steamboat Museum
Howard Steamboat Museum library, 1101 E. Market St., Jeffersonville

  • Opening Reception
    Sunday, Nov. 1, 2:30 p.m.

    Estill Curtis Pennington, author of Kentucky: The Master Painters and art historian with a special expertise in Southern artists, will speak.

  • The Olmstead Parks and Why Artists Were Drawn to Them
    Saturday, Nov. 7, 2:30 p.m.

    Presented by Tom Owen, premier scholar of the history of Louisville.

  • Retrieving Patty Thum
    Sunday, Nov. 8, 2:30 p.m.

    Presented by Lynn Renau, researcher, genealogist and former curator at the Filson Historical Society and the Kentucky Derby Museum.

  • Landscape as Icon
    Sunday, Nov. 15, 2:30 p.m.

    Presented by Madeline Covi, art enthusiast, retired English teacher from the Collegiate School in Louisville. Presentation followed by “Show and Tell” session. Attendees are invited to bring their Thum paintings.

For more information, visit http://www.steamboatmuseum.org/, or contact Yvonne Knight, Museum Administrator, at (812) 283-3728 or HSMSTEAM@aol.com.


STOMP at the Honeywell Center
Wed., Nov. 4, 7 p.m. 
Honeywell Center, 275 W. Market St., Wabash
$20, $35, and $45 

STOMP creates a rhythmic extravaganza using everyday objects – garbage cans, brooms, Zippo lighters, matchboxes, and wooden tea chests, to name a few. The personality of each of the Stompers comes through in the course of the show, bringing a unique and humorous aspect to each performance.

Since opening in New York in 1994, the show has toured extensively for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Unlike other touring acts, the STOMP changes and updates on a regular basis.  

Tickets are and are available at the box office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, by calling (260) 563-1102, by visiting http://www.honeywellcenter.org/ or by dialing *tix from your Centennial Wireless phone. Tickets go on sale Tues., Oct. 13.

For more information, please call Becky VanPatten at (260) 563-1102 x 561 or bvanpatten@honeywellcenter.org.


Festival of Gingerbread at The History Center in Fort Wayne
Nov. 27 through Dec. 13
The History Center, 302 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne
$5 adults, $3 seniors and students, and free to members and children age five and under

More than 10,000 visitors come through the History Center every year to enjoy the fanciful gingerbread creations on display during the Festival of Gingerbread. Enjoy the wonders of over 100 gingerbread entries created by bakers of all ages at this 24th annual event!

Special holiday exhibits during the Festival include: A Wolf and Dessauer display featuring the original Phil Steigerwald Santa-suit, The Night Before Christmas watercolors that once adorned the Patterson Fletcher Department Store and a display of holiday photos from years past. Weekend Festival activities include visits by Santa and Mrs. Claus, cookie sales and musical entertainment.

Hours during the Festival of Gingerbread are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p,m.

For more information or to receive a Festival of Gingerbread entry form, visit http://www.fwhistorycenter.com/ or call (260) 426-2882.

Related Events

  • Preview Party
    Tuesday, Nov. 24, 5:30 p.m.
    The History Center, 302 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne
    $20 per person

    Join us for hors d'oeuvres, wine and entertainment, and get the first look at Festival of Gingerbread entries. Call Julie Miller at (260) 426-2882, x 308 to RSVP.

  • Lighting Night – Kickoff of HolidayFest
    Downtown Fort Wayne
    Wednesday, Nov. 25, 5 to 9 p.m.
    Free

  • Science of Sugary Structures
    Saturday, Dec. 12, noon to 4 p.m.
    Science Central, 1950 N Clinton St., Fort Wayne
    $3 per person plus the regular admission fee

    Explore sturdy (and not so sturdy) structures and make your own creation using graham crackers, candies, toothpicks and icing.

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Funding Opportunities

Museums for America Grants
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is accepting applications for its largest museum grant program, Museums for America, for fiscal year 2010. Museums for America grants provide up to $150,000 in funding and support projects that strengthen a museum’s capacity to serve its community.

Museums for America grants are awarded in the following areas:

  • Engaging Communities (Education, Exhibition, and Interpretation)
  • Building Institutional Capacity (Management, Policy, and Training)
  • Collections Stewardship (Management of Collections)

Through these broad categories, IMLS supports the full range of museum activities including digitization of collections, staff training, research, exhibitions, educational programs, community partnerships, collections management, and other similar activities.

Museums for America grants are available to museums of all types and sizes located in the United States or its territories. Applicants are required to demonstrate that proposed grant activities are clearly linked to the institution’s strategic plan and enhance the museum’s ties and value to its community.

For application guidelines and instructions, visit http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/forAmerica.shtm. Please direct any questions about the MFA program to Sandra Narva, Senior Program Officer, at snarva@imls.gov or (202) 653-4634 or Steve Shwartzman, Senior Program Officer, at sshwartzman@imls.gov or (202) 653-4641.


Alderson Internship Grant
AASLH is offering its smaller institutional members the opportunity to apply for the Alderson Internship Grant Program. This award is named after former AASLH director William T. Alderson. Recognizing the demand for students to gain "real world" experience and for our members to get qualified interns into their institutions, AASLH offers grants of up to $1,000 each to fund summer internships for three institutions.

The host institution must provide information on what they expect their intern to do and match funds at a 1:4 level (that is $1 for every $4 AASLH provides). To be eligible, organizations must be institutional members of AASLH with an annual budget under $250,000.

Application deadline is Dec. 9 for an internship beginning in summer 2010. For an application form or for more information, visit http://www.aaslh.org/alderson.htm or contact Bethany Hawkins, Program Associate, hawkins@aaslh.org or (615) 320-3203.

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Resources
Orphan Works: Statement of Best Practices
The Society of American Archivists has issued Orphan Works: Statement of Best Practices, which is available at http://www.archivists.org/standards/OWBP-V4.pdf.

The statement outlines the reasonable efforts a researcher, archivist, curator or other user of cultural property might undertake to identify and locate rights holders.

More on the background of the statement can be found on the History News Network Web site at http://hnn.us/roundup/14.html#117392.

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IHS News

IHS Stewarding Historic Structures Workshop - Only three spots left!
Monday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
General Lew Wallace Study and Museum and other sites, Crawfordsville
$20 per person, $18 for IHS or HLFI members and $16 for Local History Partners
Instructed by Tommy Kleckner, HLFI
Register by Oct. 13

What should you do if your historic building’s roof starts to leak, or you notice sawdust piles in your basement? Find the answers in this workshop led by Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana experts and by exploring the host site and other sites in the area with typical challenges. Participants will learn to identify these problems and where to go for solutions. 

The workshop will also cover:

  • Restoration vs. preservation
  • Historic building materials and their basic care
  • Working with contractors
  • Prioritizing and planning for preservation projects
  • Major areas of concern, including windows, floors and HVAC systems

Co-sponsored by Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.

For more information or to download the registration form, please visit http://www.indianahistory.org/lhs/workshops.html. If you have questions, contact Local History Services at (317) 233-3110.

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Help
Seeking Strawberry Train Barrels
An historian on Bainbridge Island , Wa. seeks barrels from the strawberry trains in the early part of the early 20th century for historic and interpretive purposes.

In the days before World War II, Bainbridge Island had a waterfront cannery on a pier over the water that daily filled 500 55-gallon wooden barrels with strawberries in the peak season. They were filled with berries and sugar, 2:1, and frozen solid at 0 degrees, maintained at 15 degrees and when they had enough to ship across America, "The Strawberry Train" expresses of exclusive 50-foot long refrigerator cars zoomed east. They are made of Douglas fir wood, tight grained. They were not made of oak. They may have had the name "R. D. Bodle Company" or "National Fruit Canning Co." or "Armour" stenciled on the lid or perhaps barrel sides.

Please send images of potential strawberry train barrels along with contact information to:
Gerald Elfendahl, Historian
Friends of Cannery Cove
7823 Westerly Lane NE
Bainbridge Island, WA  98110
(206) 842-4164
gelfenda@earthlink.net

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Exhibits
8th Annual Fall Into Art Exhibit: Rule of Thum at the Howard Steamboat Museum
Nov. 1 through 22
Howard Steamboat Museum, 1101 E. Market St., Jeffersonville
Free admission

The Howard Steamboat Museum announces that this November’s Fall Into Art Exhibit will feature works by Patty Thum (1853-1926), the turn-of-the-century Louisville painter and illustrator known internationally for her flower paintings.  The exhibition, the first devoted to this artist in decades, will include landscapes and still lifes in oil and watercolor, as well as drawings and period prints. 

Louisville born and a descendant of a distinguished Virginia family (as well as being the daughter of a Confederate surgeon), Miss Thum was an independent thinker who graduated from Vassar College in 1874, set up an art studio, exhibited in regional expositions and sold her paintings for commercial purposes.  From the Victorian period through the 1920s she had a national audience thanks to popular lithographic reproductions of her flower paintings.  She also helped determine the city’s artistic agenda through her writings about art, primarily as a critic for the Louisville Herald.  She studied art at Vassar and then with William Merritt Chase and later with Thomas Eakins.

A full-color catalog of her art and essays on her life and impact on the Aesthetic Movement will be available.

For more information, visit visit http://www.steamboatmuseum.org/, or contact Museum Administrator Yvonne Knight at (812) 283-3728 or HSMSTEAM@aol.com.

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Traveling Exhibits

One Shot: The World War II Photography of John A. Bushemi at the Lawrence County Museum in Bedford
John A. Bushemi, was a good-natured, talented photographer from Gary, Indiana who covered several of the island invasions during World War II in the Pacific.  This traveling exhibit features reproductions of Bushemi’s photographs “from a rifle’s length vantage point,” according to his colleague and fellow war correspondent Merle Miller. Among the magazine covers and personal photographs from Bushemi’s assignment to YANK, the weekly magazine written by and for enlisted men, are images of soldiers training at Fort Braggs, soldiers on the beach of Entiwok Island in the Marshalls awaiting the order to attack, and close-up portraits of soldiers who were featured in a YANK article about the battle for New Georgia.

Bushemi died February 19, 1944, when shrapnel from Japanese knee-mortar shells hit and mortally wounded the photographer.  As navy surgeons frantically attempted to save Bushemi’s life, the photographer gave his epitaph, telling Miller “Be sure to get those pictures back to the office.”  Images of both his battleship funeral service and his funeral service back home in Gary are included in the exhibit.

This traveling exhibit is on loan from the Indiana Historical Society. For more information about the IHS traveling exhibit program, go to www.indianahistory.org/LHS and click on "Traveling Exhibition."

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Organizations in the News
North Indianapolis Area Genealogy is now the Hamilton County Genealogy Society
The new Hamilton County Genealogy Society, previously known as North Indianapolis Area Genealogy or NIAG meets on the first Wednesday of the month, October through May at 7 p.m. at the Hensel Government Bldg. 10701 N. College. Each month the group hosts Round Robin discussions or a program. Everyone is welcome and there is no cost to attend.

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Job Opportunities

National
Curator, Santa Fe Trail Center Library and Museum, Larned, Kan.
The Fort Larned Historical Society, owner and operator of the Santa Fe Trail Center Museum/Library is seeking a self-motivated, organized and energetic individual as Curator to process, catalogue and care for items in the museum’s three-dimensional collections, archives and research library. This position also oversees and is responsible for a newly implemented program to digitize archival materials.

This position is responsible for all matters related to the collections including acquisitions, loans, documentation and preservation. The Curator is also responsible for reviewing and making recommendations for all exhibition and collections managements policies and procedures.

For a full job description, visit http://www.museumprofessionals.org/forum/curator-jobs/5122-curator-larned-ks.html.

Applicants should send a letter of interest, resume, and names and contact information for three references via U.S. mail to:
Ruth Olson Peters
1349 K-156 Highway
Larned, KS  67550


Museum Director, College Park Aviation Museum, College Park, Md.
The Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation, of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is seeking a Museum Director for the College Park Aviation Museum.

The Museum Director manages and directs the daily operations of the facility, including staff supervision, program administration, facility maintenance, budget coordination, implementation and approval of all financial paperwork and implementation of the museum's mission to the general public. The museum director maintains the overall integrity of the museum, its collections, programs and implementation in order to serve the general public and educate its visitors. The incumbent works with the various partners to expand the museum's mission, leads fundraising activities, facilitates programs and exhibits to bring in repeat visitation and serves as the spokesperson on the history of the airport. 

This century-old airfield was founded by the Wright Brothers in 1909 and was the site of their training with the first military aeroplane. The museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate, and therefore of the highest quality and purpose.

For a full job description or to fill out an online application, visit http://www.mncppc.org/jobs.

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Off the Press
People, Parks, and Perceptions: A History and Appreciation of Indiana State Parks by Glory-June Greiff
Public historian Glory-June Greiff has completed this highly readable and useful general history of Indiana’s state parks, which explores changes over time in the landscape and built environment.  Richard Lieber, the Father of Indiana State Parks, asserted that the “primary purpose” for these lands was “preserving for posterity typical primitive landscapes of scenic grandeur and rugged beauty.”  The author has walked these woods and fields all her life.  The well illustrated book features a narrative history of the development of Indiana's "crown jewels" and short individual chapters on each of the 24 state parks. 

For more information and details on ordering, contact the author at glory@indy.net.

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On the Internet
NARA and Footnote.com Announce New Digital Holocaust Collection
The National Archives and Records Administration and Footnote.com announce the release of a new Interactive Holocaust Collection. Over one million Holocaust-related records – including millions of names and 26,000 photos from the National Archives – will be available online.
The collection can be viewed at: http://www.footnote.com/holocaust.

Access to the collection will be available for free on Footnote.com through the month of October. Footnote.com is a subscription Web site that features searchable original documents.

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Orphans Corner

Directories Available
The Indiana Historical Society has the following items available:

  • American Library Directory, 59th ed. (2 volumes), 2006-2007
  • American Library Directory, 61st ed. (2 volumes), 2008-2009
  • The Official Museum Directory, 27th ed. (vol. 2 only, with advertising), 1997
  • MAC Midwest Archives Conference Membership Directory, 2000

Items are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Jeff Harris at (317) 232-4591 or jharris@indianahistory.org.

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Note from the Editor:

Do you know someone who might want to receive Communique Online? Anyone may join the mailing list by e-mailing col@indianahistory.org.

If your historical organizations, genealogical society or museum has changed its address or phone number in the past six months, please send the updated information to Coordinator, Local History Services, at the above e-mail, or Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Communique Online is provided for the benefit of local historical societies and museums throughout Indiana. It is e-mailed to a subscriber list maintained by the Local History Services department of the Indiana Historical Society.

Anyone may subscribe. This is a free publication.

To be added or removed from the mailing list, simply e-mail col@indianahistory.org or call toll free (800) IHS-1830.

News releases from local societies are welcomed and may be faxed to (317) 234-0427, e-mailed to the above address or mailed to Local History Services, Indiana Historical Society, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Please visit the IHS Local History Services Web site at www.indianahistory.org/LHS.