Museum Corner Novemer 2019

Can the ephemeral be captured?

By Becky Buher, Guest Columnist—Museum Corner article published in Times Mail newspaper Nov. 8, 2019

In Lawrence County, the rains come and flowers and beautiful fall colors cascade to the ground along with the rain. They nourish the earth, and leave us looking to next year for earth’s garden to spring back to life. Robert Frost wrote “Her early leaf’s a flower, but only so an hour,” and Rudyard Kipling wrote, “And the glory of the garden it shall never pass away!”

Some of the museum’s artifacts exemplify how men and women have longed to capture the fleeting life of flowers and gardens. The artifacts have been enjoyed by their owners — and as part of the museum’s permanent collection will not pass away.

First, let’s go to the second floor McReynolds Community Gallery where recent examples can be found in the current 4-H exhibit. Photographer Sarah Boaz won a blue ribbon at the Indiana State Fair for her photo of flowering Queen Anne’s lace peeking from the back pocket of an unidentified person’s blue jeans. Madeline Baldwin received a red ribbon at the State Fair for her experiences in color photography and her eye for nature’s beauty. Molly Lambrecht recycled metal pieces to create a lasting golden sunflower. Emma Crane captured coneflower, tithonia, blanket flower and daisies in her photography. If you haven’t seen this temporary exhibit, you won’t want to miss the prize-winning creations of talented 4-H club members.

This virtual tour now goes to the museum’s first floor gallery.

Mary Malinda Rosenbaum Lawyer and her daughter, Emily Lawyer (Gould) pieced and quilted a flower patterned appliqued quilt in 1850. This early quilt is a wonderful example of lasting beauty. The stitches are vital and the colors are intense 169 years after it was made. It is currently on display on the north wall of the gallery.

Temporarily displayed is Antoinette Voris’ 1860s white eyelet dress with cut-work flowers. It is thought to be part of her wedding trousseau when she married Col. Archibald Voris.

Clarissa Burton Herbert carried a Native American beaded bag in floral design when she crossed the Great Plains in a Concord wagon in the 1860s. Lorena McKinley donated the bag to the museum, and it is currently displayed with the Native American artifacts.

“It was the Calm and Silent Night,” Mrs. Osie Tumey’s 1883 Christmas hymnal, is decorated with flowers and a ribbon,

Many years ago, Mrs. Thornton Zollman donated a lightweight black ladies mantle (cloak). The threads were formed to create flowers and leaves. If it was mourning wear, perhaps its wearer found some comfort in the flowers.

Near the cloak, is a carved ivory comb headpiece that May Donnley once wore and Louise McKnight donated it to the museum.

In the Holland family case, T. A. Holland’s Fort Ritner general merchandise store advertisement is an example of flowers printed on an early 20th century calendar.

Of a more recent vintage, about 60 years ago, someone drew a yellow daisy on an artistically decorated Bedford High School senior (cords) skirt.

Let’s turn to what was used by the masculine gender. Robert Pierce’s 1866 Grand Army of the Republic pin is a shaped laurel leaf wreath.

One of the more unique pieces is a large glass bulb with dried flowers in it. It commemorates Lawrence County native, Charles A. King, who was in Co. B, 22nd Indiana Infantry and survived imprisonment in Andersonville prison from 1864-65.

Fannie Malott donated R. B. Malott’s shaving mug decorated with hand-painted blue flowers.

A silver golf trophy from the Bedford Country Club is decorated at the top with leaves and flowers. The clubhouse was in the Pine Hall Red Brick, and the course was only nine holes. The club champions were: Miles Standish Jr. in 1927, Kent Bass 1928, Fred Wampler 1929 and A. E. Newland 1930. Fred Wampler won it again in 1931 and 1932.

Wampler must have inspired his son, also named Fred, because he grew up and became a professional golfer playing on the PGA and Senior PGA tours.

Lastly in this ephemeral review is a 1995 framed picture using sculpted limestone dogwood flowers. Creston East carved the limestone pieces and his wife, Kathleen, created the arrangement.

If you want to make this virtual tour a reality, go to the museum, see if you can find all the lasting items mentioned above.