A Blank Canvas: Creating Museum Exhibits

People often ask us where we get the objects we have on display during special exhibits like our current exhibit The Evolution of Recorded Sound. It is always an adventure when we use mainly loaned objects instead of items we have in our collection for an exhibit. It is like starting with a blank canvas and searching out the perfect colors and texture to create the masterpiece you have in your head. 

Most of the time, we simply put an article in the papers, advertise on our website and Facebook page, and use word of mouth to search out objects.  We rely on the kindness of strangers to make our vision come alive.  It is never as simple as getting a phone call and picking up an item for loan though.  It is a process of hearing the story behind the object, learning about its life and where it has been and how it came to be with its current owner.

We also meet some interesting people along the way. One gentleman was still in his pajamas, drinking his morning coffee, when we showed up at our designated time of 11:00 am. We have been offered all kinds of beverages, food, and garden produce. We have been taken on tours of basements, attics and outbuildings.  But without fail, we have been welcomed into every home with enthusiasm and made to feel like family. It is our great responsibility to take care of the treasures that are put in our custody, and it is a privilege to share the story of these objects.

So Long, Farewell, auf Wiedersehen, Adieu!

For the past four years I have acted as the Outreach Coordinator for the Gaston County Museum of Art and History. At the start of the New Year I will be embarking on a new adventure with another regional institution. In light of this, I thought it would be apropos to take a moment and reflect on my time here.

If there was one thing that made this experience truly stand out it has been the wonderful people who worked along side of me at the Gaston Museum. The staff here is relatively small and unfortunately the vast majority are part-time.  This by no means indicates that they don’t work hard, but rather that they find ways to cram a lot of work into a very small period of time. It’s always incredible to see a finished product, after watching incredibly talented individuals invest so much of themselves into the project. The curatorial staff has produced amazing installations out of seemingly nothing and the administrative staff has worn the burden of keeping this wonderful resource open, often without subjecting the rest of us to rumors of doomsday! Because I’ve worked beside of them so very closely throughout the previous years, the education staff at the museum will always mean so very much to me. Not having some of these individuals around on a constant basis is going to be almost as big a change as the new job!

Today’s museums often have to rely upon local volunteers to round out the staff and hopefully assist with tasks that are beyond their means. This museum has been no different. We have been blessed with many wonderful individuals that have assisted in ways too numerous to count. Because my principle function was the development and implementation of school-aged programming, I had to often rely on a bevy of talented people who were willing to give their time simply to make the experiences better. 

I’m proud to say that through my four years, I’ve not only made very good acquaintances, I’ve made friends, both at the museum and in the community.

Thank you all,

Robert Bemis

You've Got Mail!

Alas, this shall be my final blog post. My year as an intern at the Gaston County Museum is over, and it’s time to pass the torch to another emerging museum professional. Internships are invaluable in gaining experience for jobs. This internship has been with a superb group of people, and I would recommend it to anyone.

My final project as an intern has been cataloging a collection of letters from the 1950s from a large family that lived in Gaston County. Letters are exciting to museum professionals and historians because they are honest writings about day to day activities. They can have beautiful quotes and provide opinions about the events of the times. This collection is mainly letters to one brother from his brothers and sisters in the area.

The letters also remind us that human life is often mundane. The content is often writing of the weather (it used to snow here a LOT – feet and feet of snow in Mount Holly), updates on the health and deaths of various family and friends (nearly one death per letter), making plans for visiting (how could you plan a trip by letter? If someone writes that they will be at the train station in two days you had better be sure you show up), and sharing various other information. Every once in a while the different writers will reference larger world events such as communism or various political persons like Kennedy.

What is interesting to ponder is who will read the communications we send? All of our written communication is in electronic devices. Many emails are kept on the internet but only available as long as there is access to the email account. They won’t get passed along from generation to generation. No one else will be able to read them except for those who print their emails. This digital age is going to be difficult to archive because our text messages die with our phone batteries. Our ability to communicate has tripled with email and text but the likelihood of preserving it has dropped tremendously. I recommend taking the time to send a hand written note or letter to your friends that you usually message. Maybe that letter will become precious and stay with that person for a life time, and a museum can read it one day and truly know what life was like in the 2000s.

Volunteers! We want YOU! 

During this holiday season many people in the community look for a way to give back. Many want to meet new people, try something new, or enrich the place you live. Here at the Gaston County Museum we try to build community within our walls and beyond. We have volunteer opportunities for every aspect of the museum from the gift shop, to education, to the museum collection. Without our volunteer force we'd be unable to reach the wide audience we currently see- and we are constantly looking to extend that reach! If you are looking for something to do for an hour, or 2, or 4 a week (or month!) consider volunteering at our museum. Not only does our site need you, the volunteers, but we also ask what the museum can do for you. Volunteering opens up incredible avenues of communication and opportunity not to mention the unique behind-the-scenes look at how a museum runs.

If you're interested in volunteering at the museum, please call Elaine Jackson and (704)922-7681, x100, or email elaine.jackson@gastongov.com. We have needs for greeting, gift shop, education department, and curatorial department.

     -Thank you!-

Keeping History Relevant: Museum Programming

Here at the Gaston County Museum we offer over 15 different on and off-site programs for people of all ages. One of the greatest challenges our education staff faces is how to keep the programs relevant for the different age groups we see while still keeping the material new and interesting. Not only do we see school groups but we do off-site programs at adult day-cares, lectures, family reunions, and basically anywhere we’re asked to go.

Homeschool Living History Day

As the education intern at the Gaston County Museum one of the greatest lessons I’m continuing to learn is how to develop programs and talk to these different age groups. With pre-schoolers I’ve learned to create a structured program with me sitting on the ground and talking to them from their perspective and doing an activity that stimulates their senses and motor skills. At an adult daycare outreach, on the other hand, the audience has no problem sitting and listening to you talk but the program is much better if the lecture is based on something familiar to them so afterwards we can open up for discussion- or even just a walk down memory lane.

4th Grade Program

But what about all those ages in between? Our museum sees 1st through 12th graders as well, all of which have different state standards to follow, are at different points in their curriculum, and have varying interest levels in history period.  Luckily, I’ve observed that one of the things this museum staff does best is adapt their program to their audience.  One instance of this occurred during my second week at the museum during a “From Citizen to Soldier” on-site program for 10^th graders. This program is usually advertised for 3^rd, 4^th, and 8^th graders but can be changed to fit other grade-levels. On this particular day instead of sticking specifically to the program outline, the staff, after learning about what the class was studying at the time, adapted their program to focus on that and cut back on other, less relevant, parts of the program. This taught me not only the importance of reading your audience but being knowledgeable enough about the subject that you CAN change the program when necessary!

This issue of relevancy is not unique to our museum or even museums in general. What does make the museum unique is the staff’s ability to take the history at the site and create a program that is going to be meaningful to whatever audience we see.

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."- Henry James

As most of you know, the Gaston County Museum resides in the historic Hoffman Hotel. Built by Daniel Hoffman in 1852, the hotel served people throughout Gaston County who were traveling to the Dallas Square for the county court. The hotel was a place for travelers to rest, businessmen to meet and elegant ladies to be seen.

In our programming we try to illustrate some of the refinement that would have been a part of one’s experience at the hotel. We try to better understand the division between the social classes during the 1800's and what expectations individuals had for one another. Social etiquette was used as a barometer to separate the elite social classes from the general public. Anyone that wanted to be seen as part of the elite class needed to know the proper protocol (as well as have the right appearance and wealth) to be included among their ranks. The Hoffman Hotel would have been a place for people to showcase their elegance and style as they worked to impress their neighbors and their social betters.

One activity we do at the museum to examine some high society fair is the Victorian Christmas Tea. On December the 7^th at 1:00pm participants will partake in a tea party complete with fresh brewed tea or hot cocoa, pastries, and other savory offerings. The museum will be decorated for Christmas and our staff will share a brief history on Christmas decorating and celebration practices that would have been popular in Victorian Era, when the Hoffman Hotel would have been the center of social activities in the area.

Admission is $15 per adult and $10 per child. RSVP required by December 2^nd. Please contact Jason Luker at 704-922-7681 x105 or Jason.luker@gastongov.com. 

Museum Holiday Raffle!

Just to let everyone know, we are having a special holiday raffle to support the museum!  For only $2 per ticket you can enter for a chance to check someone off your holiday list!  You have the chance to win either a mountain bike or a 16 GB iPod Nano.  We will be drawing for these items at the conclusion of the Annual Holiday Open House Program on Friday, December 13 at 7:00 PM.  Please stop by the gift shop sometime between now and then for a great opportunity to not only support the museum but to possibly win some great prizes!  We hope to see you here soon!  THANKS!     

Best wishes,

Jeff Pruett – Director –

Wanted: Fathomable Job Title

“Yeah, but what do you really want to do?”

“People do that?”

“Oooo, so you get to play with dinosaur bones?”

All three of these comments were taken from a dinner party I attended last week, where upon asking what I did for a living, the answer produced three of the four most common responses. (The fourth is a simple “Oh, cool.” and nothing else, because quite simply, the speaker has no clue what a registrar is and are pretty sure it would be something rather boring that they’d rather you not expound upon.)

Curious if this was a trend amongst museum professionals, I posed the questions to both my co-workers and to a museum list-serve. Of all the responses given, these three (or some variation thereof) were among the front runners. T.H. Gray, a fellow museum colleague, had this to say:

“Museums are experienced in interpreting history, art, and science to non-professionals. Unfortunately, we are not so adept at interpreting ourselves. We throw around unfamiliar terms like interpretation, deaccession, and ethics to describe what we do.

This jargon extends to our job titles. The standard term is museum professional. It’s kind of like “medical practitioner” – it could mean a medical doctor or a witch doctor, you don’t truly know. There are the old standards of educator, curator, registrar, collections manager, and director, but these ignore the influx of non-traditional employees such as the marketing department. Curator came close to being an encompassing professional term. Once there were curators of collections, curators of exhibitions, and curators of education. Then the idea of curators became synonymous with wicked stepmothers, the ones who locked treasures (be they stepdaughters or not) away. So, like the stepmother, the term was cast aside in favor of director (as in director of exhibitions). Just as well. Could you take the curator of development seriously?

Of course, there was a perceived need to establish our authority. This gave us the pseudo-scientific “museologist.” It also inspired other fun and meaningless titles including museum technician (white lab coats, anyone?), interpretive specialist (what language do you speak?), and museum specialist (an ingenious combination of the previous two).

You may not think our current titles are a problem, but have you ever tried to explain what you do to a stranger at a bar? You usually wind up saying something like you work with artifacts, prompting them to make an Indiana Jones reference (they get points for quoting the “mommy” lines from Temple of Doom). This is further proof that no one really understands museums because we can’t explain it ourselves.

So in an effort to live up to our ever changing role as cultural steward and/or inspiration and honor the etymology of the field, I humbly suggest we reclaim the title Muse. As in, “What do you do?” “I am a Muse.” It would certainly make casual bar hook-ups more interesting. Until you have to explain what a muse is.

PS For those of you not content with being a muse you can always be an oracle.”

Problem solved. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to see Elaine about getting my business cards changed to read “Muse.”

Christmas is in the air!

How is it possible? It is already that time of year again, Christmas shopping! Many people are not aware but we have a Museum Gift Shop here at the Gaston County Museum of Art and History!

Not only will you find period games like Jacob’s ladder, rolling hoops, and graces, but you will also find unique gifts dealing with the Civil War. Outfit your favorite little soldier in a haversack and Civil War kepi!  

Find interesting 19^th century gifts like glass ink wells with quills, journals, music boxes and Christmas hurdy gurdies. We invite you to come and browse through our books selves to find the perfect regional and local history book. Come and check out our pottery, jewelry, and art from local artists.

No matter who you are shopping for, we have you covered here at the Gaston County Museum of Art and History Gift Shop! So bring a shopping buddy and come check us out for all your unique Christmas  shopping needs! 

We already have the gift wrap ready…

History Using Material Culture

A day hardly goes by that we do not see the warm welcome of one of our United States service men or women returning home to their loving family.  War is war regardless of what era you grew up in, and coming home a changed person is a fact of war.  No one but another service person knows the times of extreme discomfort you have faced, the moments of fear you endured and pushed through, or the feelings that go with being that far from your loved one for extended periods of time when you cannot just “change your mind” and go home.  However, the stories our service people bring home from war help those of us at home understand how they stay so committed to keeping us safe. 

During WWII Sergeant Oda A. Smathers from Ashville, NC served our country as a Radio Operator, and he took his job seriously.  Much of his tour of duty was spent on the Teggie Ann.  A flying fortress with great range and load capability, the Teggie Ann was in high demand.  Sgt. Smathers went where she went until one fateful mission when he was wounded by a burst of flak that exploded beside the plane. 

Before

Decorated for many valiant contributions to WWII while serving on the Teggie Ann, not all his adventures overseas were combat driven.  One such adventure involved a 3-day break, a month’s pay, and a date for the evening that turned into the young man staying behind while Teggie Ann when out on mission and left him saying, “The way I feel about that just ain’t printable”.  This is just one story Sgt. Smathers and his bomber jacket have to tell.  This amazing piece of history has recently been conserved by East Carolina University. The jacket had some mold damage, corrosion, and the decals were starting to flake off. The wonderful conservators at the University were able to fix the damage and bring new life to the jacket that has seen so much.

After

Fourth Grade Programming Time!

The education staff kicked off our 2013-2014 school year on October 16^th. Sherwood elementary visited the school and enjoyed our 4^th grade program, “America in the 19^th century.”  This program, like many of our school programs, is a station based, third person program that utilizes the wonderful facilities of the Gaston County Museum to illustrate a wide range of historic interests to the students.

The program is viewed through the eyes of a common visitor to the museum. As the children pass through the stations, they see the working environments of the hotel workers throughout the 19^th century. The workers illustrate many aspects of the nation during the Victorian era. By utilizing local places, names, and scenarios the era is easily illustrated to the children in an interactive, energetic format.

The stations we usually present during this program are an overview of the parlors and gathering room.  The children then travel upstairs to the third floor where four hotel rooms are interpreted. A short material culture talk and demonstration follows the rooms. Students then travel to the carriage house and experience 19^th century transportation first hand. The program concludes in the basement with a hands-on rich domestic station.

We look forward to a school year filled with visiting students. Soon we’ll take a look at some of our specialty holiday programming and special events that add to the educational experience. 

What is this?

In our description process for artifacts, curators refer to a book called “Nomenclature”. This was set out by previous museum professionals to make a system for describing and classifying objects for easier use across the museum field. It is similar to scientists classifying animals and plants. It isn't often as straight forward though. Different items can go by different names and a singular item name can have multiple uses. For example:

Button

Campaign Button

Button 

A button has many forms: a campaign button or a clothing button. One is advertising a statement and the other is used to keep clothing together.

Photograph
Photographs can be an art form but can also document an event like a birthday party.

Log

A log could be the piece of cut up tree we use to make buildings. Or it could be a record that a ship captain kept on his voyage.

All items are ordered under their wider use: structures, furnishings, personal artifacts, tools & equipment for materials, tools & equipment for science and technology, tools & equipment for communication, distribution & transportation artifacts, communication artifacts, recreational artifacts, and unclassifiable artifacts. Then within each there are smaller categories down to the actual item. Most are in a three part classification system.

          Communication Artifact – Documentary Artifact- Print, Photographic
          Communication Artifact – Art – Print, Photographic
          Personal Artifacts – Clothing—Accessory – Button
          Communication Artifact – Personal Symbol – Button, Campaign
          Communication Artifact – Documentary Artifact – Log, Ship’s
          Structures – Building Component - Log

Occasionally we receive items that we can’t identify. This is where visual dictionaries, the internet, and colleagues are extremely useful. We have a listserv that we can post a picture of our unidentifiable object and usually someone will know what it is. We like to think we know every single thing ever made, but sadly this is not the case.

Something you may not know about the Gaston County Museum:

We love volunteers and we have folks who work as greeters and gift shop guides, and folks who help in the Curatorial Department, even gardening folks who have amazing green thumbs, and those folks who like to help with exhibit construction – did we mention programs people who assist with interpreting educational programs for school groups? There are areas you might just fit into!  

Call Elaine Jackson @ 704-922-7681, x. 100 and ask about our volunteer opportunities.

Would you like to be a museum member?

If you feel supporting the Gaston County Museum of Art & History would be a good thing to do, we invite you to join in the month of October. You may ask, “what does membership give me” – good question:

             1) You receive quarterly newsletters telling about all upcoming programs, exhibits & events (some of which offer members’ discounts)

     2)10% discount in the gift shop on all items that are not consignment – (have you seen the neat toys and books we have for sale?

     3)Invitations to Members Only events –this may be first-peek at the newest exhibits and a chance to meet our staff, trustees and volunteers.

Think about being a museum supporter and doing the right thing for your community!

Programs and Stories and Outreach Oh My!

Do you have a favorite museum memory?

As an intern at the museum every week, if not every day, includes a new favorite memory or lesson learned. I have the pleasure of working with the Gaston County and Dallas community both within the museum and bringing programs to different sites outside the museum walls.

Ms. Kelly demonstrating "hoops"

This past week the museum helped celebrate the 150^th Birthday of the city of Dallas. Myself and Programs Coordinator Jason Luker brought out Hoops, Graces, Rounders, and many other old-timey games for the kids (and adults!) to play with. And boy did we play! Even though we don’t see these games on the shelves for kids to play with today, everyone had a great time learning how to use the “new” toys and playing a competitive game of Rounders. Rounders is very comparable to modern-day baseball with a few unique differences. The biggest difference in the game is that the bases are backwards. First base in Rounders is third base in baseball.  Much confusion and hilarity ensued as the kids ran bases every which way!

Every month the education staff sends someone out to do a program with the adult day cares in Gaston County. Last week was my turn! I had a great time adapting a paper I had written in school to the audience. I spoke about the power of television in the 1950’s and how the way news and information was communicated changed dramatically. Everyone loved talking about their own experiences with television in the 1950’s. One lady mentioned how she and her brothers and sisters asked not to be given any Christmas gifts if they could only have a TV! It was a great experience for me to create a program the museum does not normally have in its repertoire and have people respond to it! Not to mention I got to dress up in 1950's clothing as opposed to our normal “Victorian” wear!

Museum interns Ms. Kim and Ms. Susan

Whether we are at the museum interacting with guests or bringing our programs out into the community every week brings new favorite museum memories to our staff! 

Welcome to our newest staff member!

My name is Jason Luker and I am the new Programs Coordinator for the Gaston County Museum. I have been in the museum profession for the past 10 years working for different organizations such as the Charlotte Museum of History, the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, GA, and most recently Historic Brattonsville in McConnells, SC. Instead of giving the typical resume rundown, I wanted to share a story from my life that I think highlights the reason why I have chosen the museum profession and what motivates me in my work.

Like most people in this field, I grew up going to museums and historical sites. My mother was the one that made sure our vacations included these historical stops. My father, though interested, was not the torch barrier for these excursions. He mostly went along with them because his wife and ultimately his children were interested. The poor man was outnumbered.

However, my father did participate with me on one memorable trip. This time it was to a lost graveyard. My family line has lived in Alabama since the early 19^th century, moving from the Carolina’s and Georgia as land became available. The first family members to cross into the state were William and Catherine Luker. My father had no idea where they lived or were buried. By doing some research, I was able to determine their burial site. The old church that my descendants had attended relocated and the old cemetery, where William and Catherine were buried, had been abandoned. Surprisingly, my father and I were able to locate the old cemetery in the backwoods of Alabama and there were still a few grave makers visible.

Through this trip, I was able to share with my father all the information I had found out about our family, much of it he had never heard of before. We were connected to our past that day and ultimately better connected to one another.

That is what drives me in my work; connecting people to their past. I look forward to providing programs and sharing the rich history and culture of Gaston County with our patrons. I want their visit to be one that excites their curiosity about the past and gain a better appreciation of those that came before us. It is an honor to join such a wonderful team here at the Gaston County Museum and I hope you visit us soon.

Sounds of Carolina – Museum Fundraiser

Clyde "Pop" Ferguson

                We hope you will be able to join us for a fun filled evening and support the museum on Saturday October 19 from 7 – 10 PM!  This event promises to be exciting and entertaining for everyone.  During this night, our new Evolution of Recorded Sound exhibit will be open for patrons to view.  This exhibit explores the history of recorded sound, starting with the phonograph and continuing through the iPod.  Listen to the difference between a late 1800's song and one recorded in 2013.  Relive memories of the record player, 8-Track, and Walkman!

        In addition, there will be on-going live music from 7-8 PM from Royce Robinson & Friends (mill music), John Alexander (jazz saxophone music), the Chordweavers (barbershop quartet), and more!  Beginning at 8:30 PM, Clyde “Pop” Ferguson and his band will perform a set of Piedmont Blues music behind the museum.  At the event, there will also be fine food and drink, and silent auction items.  Tickets are $60 per person and we encourage you to contact 704.922.7681 x100 to purchase yours today.  We hope to see all of you at the event.

The Chordweavers

Best wishes,

Jeff Pruett – Director 

Extra! Extra!

Museum Staff buried alive under stuff!

Intern found giggling under collapsed pottery kiln!

Registrar disappears into paperwork sinkhole!

Okay, perhaps it won’t make the front page news, but the curatorial staff has been feeling rather ‘buried’ at the moment! BIG changes are in the works at the Museum.

Ms. Kim

The North Carolina Pottery Exhibit has come down (literally in the case of the kiln vignette falling on top of intern Kim Looby! She’s fine, Mom, we promise!) and The Evolution of Recorded Sound is going up.

Over the past several years we’ve done some exhibits that while interesting, have dealt with some pretty serious topics: child labor, children with serious medical issues, the Civil War, etc. And though these have been mixed with some amazing art exhibits, they haven’t really offered the staff (or the visitors) an opportunity to have any fun. The Sound exhibit is just that. A fun topic that while interesting and informative, concentrates purely on entertainment!

Ms. Regan

Of course we’re never still for long! As soon as the exhibit is up, we’ll be moving our offices around! The Curatorial and Education departments are doing a BIG switch-up, moving desks, files and shelves. Why? So we can all be together around the campfire! J Right now, our offices are spread out throughout the building. Now that we’re bringing on our newest partner in crime, Programs Coordinator Jason Luker, we thought it might be a good opportunity to try and get everyone in the same area. That way the ideas can flow a bit more smoothly and we don’t have to hunt everyone down to get feedback and input. A great idea, and while we’re at it, it’s the perfect time to go through 20+ years of old files, pare down and weed out. Which might take awhile….. 

It is that time of year! It is hard to believe that summer is gone and the new school year is upon us! The education staff has been very busy with fabulous summer camps and is now gearing up for school programs!

Teachers and students alike can expect to see some new and exciting changes to our popular America in the 19^th Century program! Not only will you meet some new smiling faces but you will also see some new elements in our interpretation!

Ms. Kelly

Kelly Mason, one of the educators at the museum has been busy with her needle and thread this summer and completed her first period outfit.

We also have a new beautiful piece of furniture that is in the process being refurbished in our domestic station.

When you walk out to the carriage house, don’t forget to check out our new hands on tack section near Van Gogh.

We look forward to seeing everyone this coming fall! Come and check it out!

 

The new Hutch

Few occupations come with the occasional spine tingling adventure of rummaging through abandoned buildings, basements, and old houses.  Being a Curator is one of those occupations.  The most memorable for me was when I gained permission to explore the old 1924 Gaston Memorial Hospital on Highland Street in Gastonia to look for objects that could be included in our North Carolina Orthopedic Hospital exhibit. 

Gaston Memorial Hospital

It was a somewhat dreary day with little light coming through the broken and shattered windows of the old hospital.  Electricity in the building had long ago been turned off, so like the ghost hunters on television we armed ourselves with flashlights and started cautiously wondering the hallways. You never know exactly what you are going to encounter on such expeditions; wild animals, a rare historical find, an eerily forgotten item long ago left by the owner, or a glimpse into a tragic event. 

The Old Piano

We started out in the wing with no windows, going through old office spaces with a lot of left over files and office furniture.  We even stumbled across a gurney that had been left behind, but it did not fit the “period” of artifacts we were looking for, so we moved on.    Next we traveled to the recreation/gathering rooms and encountered an old piano that gave us a view into what life at the hospital had been like. 

The Psyche Ward, however, gave most of the team pause.  A patient had set fire to this ward shortly before the hospital closed, and was never repaired.  The charred walls, lack of light, and the finality of a tragic event having taken place in this very spot left most of us with chills running down our spines and the hairs on our arms standing up; leaving each of us anxious to move on.

Fire Damage

Making our way into the basement and still a little on edge from the Psyche Ward, we finally found what we came for in the old fallout shelter.  Treasure beyond a Curator’s belief lined the floors.  Packages of old sterile bandages, needles, and medicine of all types had been left behind as if for the sole purpose of someone from the future bringing back to life the era of this once grand hospital.  Climbing over piles of supplies and dodging open needles, we were on a treasure hunt for the most pristine items.  We passed over many items with water or bug damage, and focused on almost perfect specimens. 

We gathered several other things during our adventure, but what will stay with us always is the excitement and adrenalin rush of that day.  To walk the halls of history and create in your mind the people who worked, lived, or just passed through is something one never forgets.  You cannot help but think about what was happening in the world and Gastonia while this hospital was operating, and putting stories to the experiences you have on an adventure like this.  I will never be able to pass the newly renovated apartment complex now occupying this building without remembering its past and the special impression it made on me that dreary day. 

On June 21^st and August 9^th the Gaston County Museum held our fourth annual Civil War Soldiers Camp. These were day-long opportunities for young men and women to experience, first-hand, some of the trials and tribulations of a Victorian era American soldier.

The camps started with a short introduction to the period. By utilizing images from the Library of Congress, the staff presented the campers with portraits of soldiers from both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. After discussing the differences and similarities of the regions engaged in conflict, the campers were asked to choose a side to fight for.

As usual, the Confederates outnumbered the Federals. During the first camp, museum employee Paul Greene acted as commander of the confederate forces. We were lucky to have Scott Douglas, Interpreter at Fort Dobbs State Historic Site, as confederate commander during the second camp.

The campers learned basic drill allowing them to move around the field in a cohesive manner. They would have to put these lessons to use later in the afternoon during the tactical simulations.

Throughout the day members of the staff gave presentations on a variety of Civil War era topics. The federal commander, Outreach Coordinator Robert Bemis, gave talks on the Signal Corps and communications during the War, a brief history of the United States Colored Troops, and the work of war-time illustrator Alfred Waud.

Programs assistant Kelly Mason and intern Becky Soules gave talks on women's roles and camp life. We hoped to present a well rounded experience that addressed issues of multiple genders and race.

The kids enjoyed a modern lunch of Dominos Pizza that energized them for the afternoon’s fun. The commanders of both sides took to the fields with their troops and put to good use the drill lessons from earlier in the day. Parents were asked to arrive a little early to witness the prowess of their troops and enjoy a camp-ending parade.

Both of the camps were rousing successes and we look forward to seeing our veterans again next year.

 Ms. Becky, Mr. Bob, and Ms. Kelly

 Mr. Paul take a "hit"

Mr. Scott signing in the troops.

 Would you like to have this?

Most of the artifacts in our collection come from outside donors. Museums see themselves as keepers of the public’s items. We store them in climate controlled rooms with storage meant to be long lasting. We want visitors to be able to enjoy the objects for many more generations. People come by every week offering us items that we might use. Museums must be careful in selecting objects because we have limited space and resources to care for everything. Trust us, we would love to take in everything that is offered, unfortunately we cannot, and we hate having to say no.

 Our top selecting criteria are:

1.      Was it made/used/owned by someone in Gaston County or North Carolina?

2.      Does it have a good story connected to it that we can share with our visitors?

3.      Is it in good condition—will we be able to care for it long-term and display it?

4.      Is it representative of a larger theme that will fit well in a future exhibit?

5.      Do we have a good example of this particular item in the collection already?

There are many other reasons museums take in certain artifacts, but these are a few of ours.

When we are evaluating a potential donation, we generally don’t know how much anything is worth in terms of money. That is up to an appraiser who is trained in assigning the monetary value of an object like on Antiques Roadshow. We judge worth on the stories surrounding the artifact, how it represents a time period or other culture, and any craftsmanship that went into its creation.

Collecting artifacts from donors is a mutual, trusting relationship between the museum and the general public. We are a center for keeping and displaying things, or what we would call “cultural heritage”. When we take items in, we have the goal of caring for them indefinitely.