Iowa History 101 - Traveling Exhibit
Dragoon Trace Nature Center, Ringgold County
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Ringgold County Conservation welcomes State Historical Museum of Iowa's mobile museum to Mount Ayr!
Take free tours of "Iowa History 101" to see artifacts and learn about Iowa history
If you can't make it to the State Historical Museum of Iowa in Des Moines, why not let it come to Ringgold County.
That's the idea behind the State Historical Society of Iowa's new "Iowa History 101" mobile museum, a bright blue, custom-built Winnebago that travels the state's highways and back roads to share stories from the past. The museum on wheels currently houses a 300-square-foot exhibition called "Iowa History 101" and is filled with artifacts from the State Historical Society's collection.
The mobile museum will visit Ringgold County on April 7th-8th, 2018 and offer free tours from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the Dragoon Trace Nature Center, east of Mount Ayr, Iowa. More information is available by contacting Ringgold County Conservation at 641-464-2787.
"This exhibition shares some of the essential stories that every Iowan should know about who we are and what we've achieved since Iowa became a state more than 170 years ago," State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Susan Kloewer said. "So we're delighted to bring this traveling exhibition to Mount Ayr, and we encourage all Iowans to learn about our state's rich heritage."
Like a visit to your grandparents' attic, the exhibition unpacks stories of Iowa's past with nearly 50 artifacts, including:
- A battered hat from a coal miner in Boone
- A 1917 prototype of the state flag designed by Dixie Cornell Gebhardt of Knoxville
- The pen Gov. William Harding used to sign the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote
- A basketball jersey Lynne Lorenzen wore during her glory days at Ventura High School
- An Olympic medal from sprinter Natasha Kaiser-Brown of Des Moines
- A patch from a spacesuit worn by astronaut Peggy Whitson of Beaconsfield
As a bonus, Mike Wolfe, the creator and star of the hit television series “American Pickers,” lent his voice and video talents to the exhibition’s multimedia elements. A native of Le Claire, Wolfe has a long-standing interest in history and a knack for using artifacts to unlock its stories.
The idea for the mobile museum emerged in 2014 from a series of community conversations organized by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, which oversees the State Historical Society. Iowans who care deeply about history made it clear that they wanted new ways to access the State Historical Museum’s resources even if they couldn’t visit Des Moines in person.
Accordingly, the 38-foot Winnebago will visit all 99 Iowa counties over the course of three years, from 2017 through 2019, with stops at schools, libraries, local museums, community festivals, county fairs and other places where Iowans gather. Follow the RV's statewide journey on Facebook at facebook.com/IowaHistory.)
The traveling exhibition -- which is sponsored by EMC Insurance Companies, Casey's General Stores and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach -- is one of a trio of “Iowa History 101” shows. Visitors to the State Historical Museum in Des Moines can find both a traditional museum exhibition, plus an interactive Hands-On History gallery designed especially for children.
More information is available at iowaculture.gov or 515-281-5111.
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The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and its three divisions – the State Historical Society of Iowa, the Iowa Arts Council and Produce Iowa, the State Office of Media Production – empower Iowa to build and sustain culturally vibrant communities by connecting Iowans to the people, places and points of pride that define our state. The department’s work enables Iowans to foster creativity and serves as a catalyst for innovation where the stories of Iowa are preserved and communicated to connect past, present and future generations. iowaculture.gov
