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A Division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs

 

April-May 2008

In This Issue

·    Celebrate Community History May 19

·    REAP/HRDP Applications Due May 15

·    Baseball in Iowa

·    “Hollywood in the Heartland” Project Receives Financial Boost

·    Historical Foundation Names Executive Director

·    Thread by Thread: Battle Flags Meticulously Prepared for Display

·    Iowa History Reader is Back

·    SHSI Events

·    Historical Society Board Tours ISU

·    A Great Women’s Suffrage Resource

·    Care of Collections Workshop May 29-30

·    Helpful Internet Resources

·    South Dakota State Historical Society Annual History Conference

·    Inspire Today’s Youth to Become Tomorrow’s Preservationists

·    Save America’s Treasures Solicits Applications  

 

Other Links of Interest

 

Contact Us

State Historical Society of Iowa

Museum, Library, Archives, Museum Store, Café Baratta’s

 

600 E. Locust

Des Moines, IA  50319

(515) 281-5111

www.iowahistory.org

 

 

State Historical Society of IowaIowa City

402 Iowa Avenue

Iowa City, IA  52240

(319) 335-3916

 

 

Historic Sites

American Gothic House, Eldon

 

Blood Run, Lyon County

 

Edel Blacksmith Shop, Haverhill

 

Gardner Cabin, Arnolds Park

 

Plum Grove, Iowa City

 

Montauk, Clermont

 

Toolesboro Mounds, Toolesboro

 

Western Historic Trails Center, Council Bluffs

 

Celebrate Community History May 19

 

A symposium of historic preservation topics and award presentations will highlight May as National Historic Preservation Month.

Celebrate Community History Day will be Monday, May 19 from  8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust Street in Des Moines. Created in 1995, this annual event recognizes Iowa’s varied and important historic properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 and a variety of awards presentations and workshops.

Registration is $18 per person by May 9; or $30 after May 9 and at the door. Each registration includes lunch and one workshop. The event is sponsored by the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance. Call (515) 281-5111 to register.

At the event, registration and a continental breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m. with the Recognition and Awards Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. in the auditorium. A buffet lunch and individual awards will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the atrium. Workshops will follow in the afternoon from 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Awards will be presented in the following categories: 2007 National Register of Historic Places, Outstanding Preservation Practices, Certified Local Government, Cultural and Entertainment Districts announcement, Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance’s Best of Preservation, National History Day Kids Count!, Benjamin F. Shambaugh, Mills-Noun and Loren Horton Community History Awards.

 

This year’s workshops are:

·         Care & Feeding of Your Historic Property: If you own a historic property and want to know more about how to maintain it, restore it or find out more about the National Register of Historic Places, this workshop provides an overview of sources available across the state.

·         Funding Possibilities Roundtable: Looking for financial help fixing up your historic property or are you a nonprofit in need of grant resources? This workshop will be a “show-and-tell” discussion about finding – and getting – money for projects.

·         Lincoln in Iowa” with Grant Veeder: A member of the Iowa Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, Veeder details Lincoln’s ties to the Hawkeye state, including visits he made to Iowa before being elected.

 

 

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REAP/HRDP Applications Due May 15

The State Historical Society of Iowa is now accepting applications for the FY09 REAP/HRDP grant cycle.

Between the regular round last year and the special round for documentary collections early this year, the State Historical Society of Iowa awarded $626,194 in REAP/HRDP grants to 44 organizations across the state for historic preservation, museum and documentary collections projects.

The Historical Resource Development Program (HRDP) is funded by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP), passed by the Iowa General Assembly in 1989.

Through REAP, local government units, various organizations and private individuals can receive funding for eligible projects. REAP/HRDP provides grants to preserve, conserve, interpret and educate the public about historical resources. REAP/HRDP grants require organizations to supply matching funds.

Projects funded in this grant cycle will begin July 1 and must be completed by Oct. 31, 2010. Projects are evaluated based on the significance of the historical resource; the proposed scope of work; the project’s impact on the local community; and the degree to which the budget is reasonable, appropriate to the project, complete and mathematically correct.

Visit www.iowahistory.org for new grant guidelines and application procedure or contact grants manager Kristen Vander Molen at (515) 281-4228.

 

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Baseball in Iowa

A new exhibit of Archives holdings in the Reading Room at the State Historical Building takes a page from Iowa’s sports history. In the years following the Civil War, pro and semi-pro teams were found in almost every town and city in Iowa. Drawing materials from the State Archives, Special Collections and Museum, the State Archives & Records Program takes a brief look at America’s favorite pastime.

Among the materials on display is a copy of Bob Feller’s birth certificate, official baseball card and autographed glove. The Hall of Fame pitcher was born and raised in Van Meter and played for the Cleveland Indians from 1936-1956.

Other items include Secretary of State Corporation Correspondence, photographs, a pair of 19th century rule books and an 1882 score book. This exhibit provides not only a brief glimpse at America’s favorite pastime, but also a glimpse at the variety of records contained in the State Archives and Special Collections holdings. Both genealogical and corporate records are found on display as well as photographs and manuscripts.

The State Historical Library Reading Room is located in the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Call (515) 281-6200 for information.

 

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Hollywood in the Heartland” Project Receives Financial Boost

The State Historic Preservation Office has received a $45,300 Preserve America grant to support a project documenting Iowa’s historical connections to Hollywood and the movie industry.

The competitive matching grants fund Preserve America Communities, State Historic Preservation Offices and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices to support their preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education and historic preservation planning.

The SHPO project, “Hollywood in the Heartland,” is a multi-year, multi-phase project focusing primarily on properties built for or associated with the movies before 1970. The project is being conducted in partnership with the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance (IHPA), Main Street Iowa and the Iowa Tourism Office.

People with information about Iowans, movie houses and properties associated with the film industry are encouraged to visit www.iowahistory.org and click on “Historic Preservation” to fill out a survey form. Results will be available next year on IHPA’s Web site at www.iowapreservation.org. Contact SHPO’s Paula Mohr at paula.mohr@iowa.gov or 515-281-6826 for more information.

 

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Historical Foundation Names Executive Director

 

The Iowa Historical Foundation has named Barbara Filer as executive director.

A Sioux City native, Filer comes to IHF after spending the last five years in special projects, fund development and consulting, including her work with the State Historical Museum’s “Caucus Iowa” exhibit and a National Arts Forum Series hosted by the Iowa Arts Council and sponsored by MetLife Foundation in 2007.

She was manager of the Pella Opera House (2002-2003), shareholder administrator for the chairman,

chairman emeritus and CEO of Pella Corporation (1999-2002), and administrator for the Terrace Hill Commission (1988-1998), where she reorganized and restructured the Terrace Hill Foundation in the early 1990’s.

Filer’s first priorities are to work with foundation board members to develop new strategies for fund development and to organize a Gala slated for October 24, 2008 at the State Historical Society Building in Des Moines. In addition to her duties with the foundation, Filer is the Project Director for the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs’ Cultural Trust program which will assist arts, cultural and historical organizations with strategic planning and sustainability.

Filer and her husband, Tom, live in Johnston and have three adult children, Michael, Cody and Emily.

 

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Thread by Thread: Battle Flags Meticulously Prepared for Display

By Sheila Hanke, Conservator and Collections Manager

Iowa Battle Flag Project

 

Great care and consideration is given to selecting a flag for display. The flag rotation schedule is made one year in advance to ensure treatment can be completed and the event be precisely planned.

Prior to exhibition either at the State Historical Museum or at the State Capitol, the flag is brought to the conservation lab for physical and photographic documentation. This process provides the baseline condition of the flag. Physical documentation includes looking at the fragility of fibers, fading of dyes, areas of loss, previous conservation treatments, battle damage and inherent vices. Adding to this information is the development of the environmental history of the flag, which helps to explain current condition factors such as distortion due to prolonged display. All this information is detailed in an Examination Report and stored permanently.

The Battle Flag Project staff then meets to evaluate the findings and make a recommendation to exhibit or not. If it is approved for exhibition, a treatment proposal is made and the flag is added to the rotation schedule. 

Previous attempts to conserve a flag oftentimes disrupt its overall aesthetics or hide some condition problems.

The Battle Flag Project staff then meets to evaluate the findings and make a recommendation to exhibit or not. If it is approved for exhibition, a treatment

In 1894 and 1904 gauze was sewn into each side of the flags. Over time it deteriorated and became soiled. This has to be cut and carefully removed a stitch at a time.

proposal is made and the flag is added to the rotation schedule. 

Previous attempts to conserve a flag oftentimes disrupt its overall aesthetics or hide some condition problems. Only the careful, painstaking removal of these previous treatments can reveal the true flag in its detail. At this point the flag is re-evaluated and a treatment plan is developed.

The treatment plan may call for surface cleaning, easing folds and creases, consolidating paint fragments, aligning fragments and detangling fringe. This phase usually lasts 3 months. Due to the fragile nature of the flag collection, staff uses great caution to avoid further stress on the fibers. Fragments and unstable areas of loss are secured with hand stitching. This phase usually lasts 3 to 6 months.

If the area of loss is significant on a flag, it may require a digital print simulation to visually fill in the area without altering the flag itself. All treatments must be reversible. The flag is then placed on a padded mount, which is placed on an aluminum grid platform, and covered with an ultra-violet filter plexiglass cover.

During transport, great care is taken to ensure that all thresholds are non-jarring and that the pathway is clutter free. A guide person is assigned to oversee the move and the museum gallery is temporarily closed to the public during the installation phase.

Once installed, the mount enables visitors to examine it closely while protecting the flag.  The flag itself is then monitored for light, temperature and humidity.

If transported to the State Capitol, the flag is wrapped in bubble wrap and secured with a box constructed of acid-free corrugated board, which creates a microclimate. It also provides for safe handling of the edges so the mount and flag are not disturbed. A team of five experienced staff are needed to oversee the movement, and Capitol Police provide security during installation.

The flag is installed in the northeast Capitol flag case, which has been retrofitted with the appropriate environmental equipment and lighting to provide ideal exhibition conditions.

The whole process typically takes six months of dedicated work by staff, along with the additional assistance of installations and exhibits. The planning, examination, treatment proposals, documentation, stabilization and/or conservation treatment, and research are all important components promoting the long-term preservation and interpretation of the State Historical Society of Iowa’s Battle Flag collection.

 

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Iowa History Reader is Back

The University of Iowa Press is pleased to announce that Marvin Bergman’s Iowa History Reader is back in print!

The book contains essays by 17 of Iowa’s most accomplished historians. The essays focus on key elements of Iowa’s history, including Native American, agricultural, political, ethnic, cultural, and industrial themes.

By addressing topics in Iowa history that embrace broader historiographical issues in American history, such as the nature of Progressivism and Populism, the debate over whether women’s expanded roles in wartime carried over to postwar periods, and the place of quantification in history, the essayists contribute substantially to debates at the national level at the same time that they interpret Iowa’s distinctive culture.

This collection of well-written and accessible essays will engage any reader with a serious interest in Iowa history, and it is especially valuable for use in college or high school Iowa history courses.

Iowa History Reader is available for sale at bookstores or directly from the University of Iowa Press by phone at (800) 621-2736 on online at www.uiowapress.org.

 

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SHSI Events

 

The Big Read: “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London

Various statewide events, April 18-May 28

Visit www.Iowahistory.org for complete schedule and details.

 

Living History Saturdays

April 19, 12-3 p.m., State Historical Building 600 E. Locust, Des Moines

Civil War re-enactors tell what life was like on the front.

 

National History Day – Junior Division

April 28, State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines

Students in grades 6-8 compete in an exciting academic enrichment program that helps them learn about historical issues, ideas, people and events around the theme “Conflict and Compromise in History.”

 

Movies at the Museum: “In the Mirror of Maya Deren”

May 1 at 7 p.m. & May 3 at 2 p.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines

Stunning portrait of Maya Deren, the most important and innovative avant-garde filmmaker in the history of American cinema. Tickets are $5 at www.iowatix.com or at the door. Bring a nonperishable food item for the Food Bank of Iowa and receive $1 off.

 

National History Day – Senior Division

May 5, State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines

Students in grades 9-12 compete in an exciting academic enrichment program that helps them learn about historical issues, ideas, people and events around the theme “Conflict and Compromise in History.”

 

National Register Workshop

May 9, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Decorah

Understand what it means to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, how to research a historic property, and the procedures for nominating a property to the National Register. Workshop will be at the Vesterheim’s Amdal-Odland Heritage Center, 523 W. Water Street in Decorah. Registration: $35, plus $6.50 for lunch. Register at www.iowahistory.org.

 

Cultural Express Presents: Vietnamese Tet

May 10, 1-3 p.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines

You’re invited to a celebration of the Vietnamese New Year, or “Tet.” For Vietnamese, TET marks the beginning of spring, a time for renewing friendships and visiting family members. Event includes food samplings, dragon dance, traditional cultural performances, fashion show and Q&A.

 

Youth Activity Day: Nature Hike

May 10, 2-3 p.m., Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave., Council Bluffs

Check out natural history at the Western Historic Trails Center. Youth please wear long sleeves and long pants and bring sunscreen and bug spray.

For ages 8 and up. Call (71) 366-4900.

 

May Day History

May 11, 2-3 p.m., Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave., Council Bluffs

WHTC staff will present the traditions and history of May Day, including the “how” and “why” it is celebrated today. For ages 10 and up. Call (712) 366-4900.

 

HRDP/REAP Grant Deadline

May 15

Visit www.iowahistory.org for new grant guidelines and application procedure or contact grants manager Kristen Vander Molen at (515) 281-4228.

 

National History Day in Iowa Gala

May 16, 5-9 p.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines

National History Day students selected to represent Iowa at the national events in Washington, D.C., will showcase their work. Tickets are $18 per person and includes a light meal, beverages and dessert. RSVP by contacting Millie Frese at (515) 281-6860 or Millie.Frese@iowa.gov.

 

Celebrate Community History

May 19, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust

See related article.

 

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Historical Society Board Tours ISU

 

The State Historical Society Board of Trustees took the opportunity at their March meeting to tour Iowa State University during its Sesquicentennial year.

 

Day one included a presentation by Richard Reynolds about the historical approach to Memorial Union renovations currently underway. Following, the group took a walking tour on campus to the Farm House

Museum, Morrill Hall, Carrie Chapman Catt Hall and other significant historical markers. In the evening, board members attended a lecture presentation by the Ames Historical Society on the 100th anniversary of the Great New York to Paris Auto Race which went through Ames.

 

The Board convened their regular meeting on day two at the Frederiksen Court Community Center.

 

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A Great Women’s Suffrage Resource

If you’re looking for a detailed look at women’s suffrage in 19th-century Iowa, check out the “Iowa” chapter in volume 3 of The History of Woman Suffrage (1886), edited by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Matilda Joslyn Gage.

The 26-page chapter offers a very detailed look at the movement in Iowa, with specific names, places, dates and actions taken. For example, the footnotes name the legislators who voted for or against various suffrage resolutions. Notably, Stanton, Anthony, and Gage gave the first names of women, even when they were married. Both Iowa City and Des Moines Historical libraries have the set of volumes.

Call (515) 281-6200 or (319) 335-3916 for more information.

 

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Care of Collections Workshop May 29-30

The Iowa Museum Association presents “Collections Care on Exhibit” May 29-30 at the Hearst Center for the Arts in Cedar Falls.

The two-day workshop answer questions like “what are best practices in mounting artifacts for exhibition?” and “what are good ways to build archival storage boxes, clothing forms and hangers for care of historic garments?” Participants will have a chance to put what they learn to practice with hands-on activities.

Historical Society Conservator Pete Sixbey and State Curator Jerome Thompson are among the workshop presenters.

Cost for the workshop is $75 for IMA members, $95 for non-members. Attendance is limited so only two people from a single organization will be accepted. Early registration is encouraged.

To register or for more information, visit www.iowamuseums.org and click on “Event Listings.” Additional workshops will be held at the Family Museum in Bettendorf Aug. 25-26, at the Danish Immigrant Museum and the Lake Art Center in 2009.

 

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Helpful Internet Resources

Archives, libraries, museums and historic preservation organizations across America will set aside May 1 to participate in MayDay, a national effort to protect collections from disasters. The Heritage Emergency National Task Force provides a wealth of information and resources for historical organizations.

 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is now accepting applications for its “Connecting to Collections Bookshelf,” a core set of books, DVDs, online resources and an annotated bibliography that are essential to the care of collections. Two thousand copies will be distributed. Priority is given to small institutions. No matching requirements. Visit the American Association for State and Local History Web site for application and more information. 

 

 

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South Dakota State Historical Society Annual History Conference

The 2008 South Dakota State Historical Society Annual History Conference will be held May 2-3 in Rapid City at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center.

The Society’s Archaeological Research Center (ARC) in Rapid City has planned and is hosting the conference. This year’s theme is “Empires on the Plains: The Fur Trade.”

The keynote address will be given by Dr. Brad Tennant, an assistant professor of history at Presentation College in Aberdeen. He has published numerous journal articles on Great Plains history, many specifically focused on the fur trade and the Lewis and Clark expedition. In 2007, Dr. Tennant was appointed by Gov. Mike Rounds to the South Dakota State Historical Society Board of Trustees.

Online registration is available. For further information, visit the SDSHS Web site at www.sdhistory.org and click on “History Conference, 2008,” or call the Archaeological Research Center at (605) 394-1936.

 

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Inspire Today’s Youth to Become Tomorrow’s Preservationists

The American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) is proud to partner, once again, with The History Channel on the Save Our History Grant Program, an initiative that focuses on preserving local history.

The History Channel will again award grants of up to $10,000 to fund partnerships between history organizations and schools or youth groups on projects that teach students about their local history and actively engage them in its preservation.

 

Applications are due June 6. Visit The History Channel Web site for complete guidelines, requirements and applications.

 

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Save America’s Treasures Solicits Applications

 

The National Park Service in partnership with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services is seeking applicants for its Save America’s Treasures 2008 grant program. Save America’s Treasures makes critical investments in the preservation of our nation’s most significant cultural treasures.

 

Grants are awarded for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant

Intellectual and cultural artifacts and nationally significant historic structures and sites. Grant amounts range from $25,000 to $700,000 to conserve collections and from $125,000 to $700,000 for historic property and sites projects. All the awards must be matched 1:1.

 

The deadline for applications is Tuesday, May 20. Complete guidelines, applications and information, as well as a database of previous Save America Treasure’s awardees, can be found on the National Park Service Web site. For general information contact Kimber Craine at the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities or call (202) 682-5661.

 

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