Museum Special Events & Exhibits
2008

May 3, 2008, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. &                                              May 4, 2008, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Civil War Encampment.  Over 100 Civil War re-enactors portraying the Union and Confederate army will be demonstrating camp life, battle tactics, and a battle each day.  Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln will present a program each day and mingle with visitors and the soldiers.

The medical profession during the Civil War served under trying circumstances.  A Civil War surgeon will discuss the practice of the time and difficulty of battlefield surgery.  There will also be a exhibit of weapons and flags.  

A period photographer using reproduction and period equipment will be demonstrating photographer of the Civil War.  He will have a traveling setup and will discuss the process of making photographs.  There will be period clothes to wear if you are having a photograph taken.  There is a cost for photographs.

Schedule of Events

Saturday-May 3                                    

10:00     Camps open/Cannon firing demonstration     

10:30     Drill (Union and Confederate troops)

11:30     Musket firing demonstrations

12:00     Cannon firing demonstrations

12:30     Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln presentations

1:00       Visit soldiers as they prepare for battle

2:00       Battle

3:30       Surgeon display

Sunday-May 4

9:00       Camps open/Cannon firing demonstration

9:30       Drill (Union and Confederate troops)

10:30     Musket firing demonstrations

11:00     Cannon firing demonstration

11:30     Abraham & Mary Todd Lincoln presentation

12:00     Visits soldiers as they prepare for battle

1:00       Battle

2:30       Surgeon display

Not-for-profits of Ohio County will be selling food and drinks.  The Historical Society will set up a museum store selling Civil War and Ohio County related items.

Cost of admission is FREE.

To be held in the Shiner Community Park behind the Ohio County Elementary/Middle School.  Plenty of parking in the park and by the school.

Sponsored by the Ohio County/Rising Sun Park Board, the City of Rising Sun, Ohio County Community Foundation, and Rising Sun/Ohio County Tourism.

July 12, 2008, 1:00 p.m.

Vintage Base Ball Game.

See and learn about base ball (two words in the nineteenth century) as it was played in its formative years, the 1860s.  Today's game has the Cincinnati Red Stockings challenging the Cincinnati Buckeyes to game played by the rules of 1869.  Besides playing by the rules of 1869 they will following the customs of the time period as well.  Some of those customs are no swearing or spitting.  The players' uniforms and equipment are similar to that used back then.  Pitching is underhand from 45 feet, players wear no gloves, no over running first base, foul balls caught on a bounce are outs, and gentlemanly conduct prevails.

Food will be sold with proceeds benefiting the Historical Society.  The game will be played on the soccer field behind the Ohio County Elementary Middle School.  Cost of the vintage base ball game is FREE.

Sponsored by MainSource Bank, The Crestmont Company, and Dream Maker Mortgage, LLC.

September 20, 2008, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Prehistoric Native American Artifact Identification.  Jim Mohow, former Senior Archaeologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, will join us at the Historical Museum.  It will be three years since Jim has been at the museum.  Bring your prehistoric Native American artifacts for Jim to identify.  His knowledge is vast and can give insight into how the artifact was used, what it is made of, and how old it is.  Jim has been stumped once or twice, but enjoys the challenge.  Throughout the day he will share some of his stories of Indiana archaeology both past and present.

Cost of the program is admission to the museum.    Jim looking at a stone tool in 2005.

Sponsored by Robert Hastings.

September 24, 2008, 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Antique Appraisal. Bring your antique treasures that you have stashed in the basement, attic, or prominently displayed at home to certified appraiser, Robert Hill, to find out what it is worth.  Besides giving you a value Bob will also give you some historical information about the piece.  Each antique appraised will cost $5.00 and three antiques will cost $10.00.

The fundraising event for the Historical Society is for entertainment purposes.  If you are interested in a detailed evaluation of your antiques ask Bob for details.  Please do not bring any jewelry.  Refreshments will be served.Bob Hill appraising a chair brought in last year.

October 10-November 16, 2008

Teddy Bear Auction. Looking for a great gift or something to add to your collection?  Bid on a one of a kind teddy bear.  Each bear is handmade by Lois Latscha, museum staff, and decorated by a business, organization, or individual.  

Come in to see all the bears and place a bid and vote for your favorite bear.  All the money raised goes to the Ohio County Historical Society.  

October 25, 2008, 5:00-9:00

Nightmare on Walnut Street.

November 16, 2008, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Marketplace, Antiques, and Bake Sale.  The Ohio County Historical Society is providing space for crafts people and vendors to set up in the Educational Gallery to sell their handiwork for your holiday gift giving needs or for your own personal needs. Several vendors will be selling antiques as well.           

Members and staff of the Historical Society will whip up some of their best desserts and other goodies. This would be a great opportunity to purchase some tasty treats for Thanksgiving and all your other party needs. The cost of the event is free. Lunch can be purchased during the day as well. All funds from the bake sale and lunch will go to support the Historical Society.

November 28-December 30, 2008                                                                   

Model Train Exhibit.  Trains have fascinated people for over 160 years. Toy trains became popular in the late 1800s. Then in 1903 the first electric train made an appearance and soon became a highly desired "toy." The Historical Society for the eighth year will set up a model train exhibit featuring more than six operating trains.

The trains include a Baltimore and Ohio 1870s passenger train in  G-scale, which is commonly found in garden railroads. Other scales include O (Lionel), the common scale HO, and the small, but not the smallest N-scale. An electric Lego train layout will join the others in this winter wonderland that is sure to please many during the holidays. Cost of the exhibit is price of admission to the museum.  

Sponsored by PFS Community Foundation

November 28-December 30, 2008

Child's Play: Games, Toys, and Dolls. An exhibit that looks at toys, games, and dolls from years gone by.  The exhibit explores where some of the most popular games, toys, and dolls came from.  Such as Lincoln Logs was the brain child of John Lloyd Wright the son of Frank Lloyd Wright.  It will be a fun exhibit to explore with your children and/or grandchildren.

December 7, 2008, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

Santa's Workshop.  A festive afternoon is planned with refreshments and all the material needed to make ornaments and gifts.  Santa will be on hand to observe all the handiwork.  Santa has even set time aside to listen to the young ones wish list.  Cost of the program is $3.00 for adults, $2.50 seniors, $2.00 high school students, $1.00 for members and children 12 and younger.  The cost includes admission to the museum and viewing of the operating train layout.

December 11, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

Polar Express Program.  Join Wayne Gatzke as he shares the events that brought a neglected steam locomotive to Hollywood stardom.  Wayne is a member of the World's Greatest Hobby (model trains) and he will share his enthusiasm for model trains and the Polar Express.  

A month before the attack on Pearl Harbor an off the rack steam engine from the Lima Locomotive Works was put in service on the Pere Marquette Railroad in Owasso, Michigan.  The trains carried steel from the mills of the Lower Great Lakes to the auto manufacturers in Detroit.  The steel then became tanks, jeeps, and other military equipment used by the Allies in Europe.  As World War II was coming to a close, rail activity slowed; trucks became big competitors to steam transportation and more diesel powered were introduced on the routes.  Thus after ten years of service the steam engines of Pere Marquette went to scrap yards.

However, engine #1225 was saved from the welder's torch and was moved to Michigan State University as a monument to the steam era of railroads.  Later, an Michigan State University student inspired other students to restore the engine to operating condition and eventually it was ready to travel again through the Arsenal of Democracy.

The author Chris Van Alsburg remembered the Lima Berkshire engine #1225 from boyhood days and in 1983 published the Polar Express and in 2004 Warner Brothers premiered the animated movie by the same title.

Cost of the program is admission to the museum.   Refreshments will be served and everyone is encouraged to take a few moments to view the operating model trains in the museum.

Wayne extends an invitation to those attending who wish may bring their O27 or HO gauge engines to the program for a test run on a section of track. 

2009

January 17-April 12, 2009

First Ladies of Fashion Exhibit. 

This exhibit features fourteen reproduction inaugural gowns were by first ladies from Martha Washington to Rosalyn Carter.  Arrange for your group to have a tour or a luncheon and tour.  Call 812-438-4915 and talk to Bill about pricing and scheduling.  This exhibit is on loan from the Frankenmuth Historical Society in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

February 2-April 12, 2009

The Lincoln Family Album Exhibit. This exhibit features four generations of Lincolns in photographs .  Whether taken at home in Springfield, in residence at the White House, in self-imposed exile in Europe, on vacation in Iowa, in retirement in Vermont or elsewhere around the world, the photographs in the exhibition, The Lincoln Family Album, provide us with snapshots of life among the Lincolns--the Abraham Lincolns, the Robert Todd Lincolns, the Charles Ishams, and the Warren Beckwiths.  This rich collection of photographs assemble by Abraham and Mary and all the succeeding generations of Lincolns is the basis of this exhibition that explores not only the Lincoln family history, but also acquaints the visitor with the Lincoln family genealogy.

The exhibit is brought to the Ohio County Historical Society courtesy of The Lincoln Museum and the Indiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

April 3-5, 2009

Quilt Fest.