Arachnologist display is still visible

The Montgomery County Carnegie Museum offers displays for the public to enjoy ... for free!

Free family fun right here in Crawfordsville ...

See

• Joe Allen's Spacesuit
• Businesses from the past
• A political section
• and Greta Binford's "Spider Lady" information ... and plenty of other interesting items!

  

  Items in the Greta Binford display

Have you ever seen spider venom?

Crawfordsville has a rich history in bottle caps

In Montgomery County Business Section

Bottle caps have had many names (crown cork, crown cap, or crown), and over 1500 patents to try to perfect a model. William Painter designed and patented all machinery necessary to manufacture the first bottle caps (which were not cork or wood) opening a business: Crown Cork & Seal in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1892. Painter's process of "pressing the cap tightly onto the bottle's flange and clamping it" became a desirable process. In 1931 Robert Smith brought this technology to Crawfordsville, Indiana. Smith began his business with $160 in a small lab on Pine Street.

To learn more interesting facts about your local heritage, visit the Carnegie Museum!

J.H. Rosberg Manufacturing Company

 John Henry (J.H.) Rosberg was born in Sweden in 1856 and at age 16 became an apprentice for a cabinet maker. This choice would lead into a long and industrious career of creating beautiful cabinets and benches.  Dentists and watchmakers were popular clients of the talented woodworker. Rosberg lived in Connecticut for a short time and then migrated to Chicago. Once in Illinois he began a partnership with Hans Jessen (Jessen & Rosberg) which lasted until Jessen's death in 1902. At this time Rosberg purchased Jessen's share of the partnership, and the business became the J.H. Rosberg Manufacturing Company. 

This is a J.H. Rosberg watchmaker's bench

MAKING STUFF

On March 29, 2014 the Carnegie Museum celebrated "MAKING STUFF."  Children enjoyed the event and will be able to return to other MAKING STUFF programs throughout the summer ... so stay tuned!

Auto Indiana Traveling Exhibit

The Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County
Will Host IHS’s Auto Indiana Traveling Exhibit

Crawfordsville:  The Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County will host Auto Indiana, the Indiana Historical Society’s (IHS's) newest traveling exhibition, opening on Wednesday, April 9^th and will run through Friday, May 9^th. Admission to the Carnegie Museum is free.

With Auto Indiana, visitors will take a ride through Indiana’s rich automotive past as they discover the Hoosier State’s prolific contributions. From inventors and innovators like Elwood Haynes and Ralph Teetor to automakers like Studebaker and Duesenberg, Indiana has left an indelible mark on the industry for more than a century—and vice versa.

The exhibit illuminates ties between the automobiles and the development of many other economic opportunities for the “Crossroads of America,” such as the iron, steel and glass businesses. It also explores how the automobile became part of American Dream and popular culture, from movies to making personal memories.

Guests can also gaze down the road ahead for Hoosiers, from environmental impact of automobiles to a look at manufacturing today. Auto Indiana is made possible by Kroger.

For more information about this exhibit, call the Carnegie Museum at 765-362-4618.To learn more about the IHS and its programs, call (317) 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org.

About IHS Traveling Exhibitions

Historical societies, museums, libraries, schools and other nonprofit organizations in Indiana can book this and other traveling exhibits through IHS’s Local History Services Department. Exhibits may be borrowed for approximately four to five weeks at a time. To book an exhibit, please contact Jeannette Rooney at localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org or (317) 233-8913. For more information about the traveling exhibit program, visit www.indianahistory.org.

About the Indiana Historical Society

Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the state’s history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation’s premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor exhibitions called the Indiana Experience. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; and provides youth, adult and family programming. The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, home of the IHS and the Indiana Experience, is located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.

Archaeology sites in Montgomery County documented

What:           Montgomery County Historic Preservation Fund Grant Presentation

When:          7:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 2

Where:        Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County, Crawfordsville, IN

New archaeology sites in Montgomery County documented

        This is the second year that Ball State archaeologists have been exploring the fields of Montgomery County.  Come to the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County on Wednesday,April 2 at 7:00 p.m. and learn some interesting archaeology facts about Montgomery County and the till plain region of Indiana.  The Applied Anthropology Laboratories, Department of Anthropology, Ball State University has recently completed two archaeological survey projects that have more than doubled the prehistoric and historic sites in the archaeological data base for Montgomery County.  The public presentation will review project goals and objectives of this year’s survey in the southern portion of the county, and compare and contrast the results to the 2010 survey in the northern portion of the county.  Archaeologists will have artifacts from the survey available to view and will show a video that highlights their field and lab methods.

        This project was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology.

      

Zenith radio ... a blaring part of history

Zenith radio console with push buttons, model 78582

The Carnegie Museum has several examples of household items such as radios and phonographs from years ago, including a 1941 radio. At one time, radio dominated the entertainment and news industry. In fact, on December 7, 1941, millions of Americans first heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Do you want to see a 1941 radio in person?

Visit the Carnegie Museum, opening again March 1.

Did you know?
The Zenith Corporation was founded in Chicago in 1918 and utilized the famous slogan of "The quality goes in, before the name goes on."

NOVA Making Stuff Workshop

March 29, 1-5pm

















Do you like to build things? Do you like to know howthings work? If so, our Making Stuff workshop will be fit just for you! Come in March 29th, next Saturday, from 1-5 to experience how to make things Wilder, Colder, Faster, and Safer. Everyone's  welcome and will be able to do each of the four stations. Don't miss out on this fun learning experience! 

Space suits and beyond ...

Joe Allen, Crawfordsville-born astronaut, has quite a display at your Carnegie Museum (re-opening March 1st, so make plans to drop by!). As a member of Mission Control, Joe Allen took part in Apollo 15 and 17. In 1982 and in 1984 he was a mission specialist aboard the Discovery shuttle. Allen logged 314 hours in space.

Joe Allen's space suits are displayed at the Carnegie Museum

In this display, Allen's helmet, space food and other Astronaut memorabilia can be viewed.

Allen's snoopy helmet.

Flight manuals used by Allen

Pi Day 2014!

Pi Day 2014 at the Carnegie was a success. 255 attended our event; young and old enjoyed the activities -- and the pie! Here is some "pi" for those who could not make it: 
3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939
937510582097494459230781640628620899862803482
53421170679821480865132823066470938446095505
822317253594081284811174502841027019385211055
5964462294895493038196442881097566593344612847
564823378678316527120190914564856692346034861
04543266482133936072602491412737245870066063
15588174881520920962829254091715364367
89259036001133053

Joe Allen: Author, Astronaut & Administrator

Crawfordsville has its own astronaut! Check out Joe Allen in the Carnegie Museum's WOW Gallery after March 1st.

Joe Allen was born June 27, 1937 at Crawfordsville. Joe attended Mills School and graduated from CHS in 1955. DePauw was his next stop earning his bachelor of arts degree in math and physics. Yale is where he gained a masters degree and Ph.D. in physics.

At the time of his flights, Joe was 5'6'' and 125 pounds,
 thus earning the title "Little Joe."

There is a copy of Allen's book in  the RA
section of the Crawfordsville Library

Atwater Kent Radio set, circa 1925

Frank J. Stewart donated this beautiful Atwater Kent Radio Set

See this historic radio in your Carnegie Museum after we re-open March 1st.

The receiving unit, a tabletop box model, ran on batteries with sound coming through the horn-style loudspeaker.

Atwater Kent was the leading manufacturer of radios in the 1920s, producing high-quality units and sponsoring one of the most popular entertainment radio programs of the era, the Atwater Kent Hour. In the 1930s, sales were hampered by the Great Depression and the expiration of component patents, which allowed other companies to more easily enter the market. In 1936, tired of dealing with the competition from lower-priced and lower-quality units, Atwater Kent closed his company and retired a very wealthy man.

Horn-style loudspeaker

                                              

Dials, Controls

Pi Day 2014

Saturday, March 8 from 2-4 pm!
Admission is free

Celebrate Pi (3.1415) Day with us as Wabash College professors and students entertain and amaze museum visitors.

Witness and explore physics firsthand. Bring the whole family! And of course we will have a little pie!

Wabash College Physics professor Martin Madsen, "Pi Day this year will include an exploration of video game physics.  Imagine what would happen if some of your favorite games came to life!  How hard would it be to really shoot an "Angry Bird" at fortified pigs?  How hard is it to shoot a laser beam at a moving target?  Imagine playing "Fruit Ninja" with real moving objects.  We will also activities looking at the physics of human-computer interactions including new and interesting ways to play games."

Admission to the museum is free and the museum is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

MAPPED OUT IS HERE!

The day has arrived!  It is March 1 and the new exhibit is open.  Be the first one to visit and learn about MAPS and Montgomery County history - what a fun family adventure!

Globe

Compass Rose

United States map

MAPPED OUT!

In just a few days the Carnegie Museum will re-open with a brand new exhibit.  Here are some "pieces" of the display ...

Stop by on March 1st to see who in the family can "piece" this exhibit together!

MAPPED OUT!

March 1st is the opening day with the new exhibit MAPPED OUT!  Come visit the Carnegie Museum to enjoy even more Montgomery County History!  Here is a sneak peek ...

Come visit the museum and see if you can locate this!

Wabash Chapel watercolor

Katie Nutt Wilkinson donated the painting presented to Faye E. Nutt

In 1946 a Wabash College Professor asked Faye E. Nutt to welcome a Japanese student and a German student to campus and to help them feel welcome in the community.  World War II had just ended. Henrey Kalahashi and Klaus Wolfe welcomed the affection and in return presented Nutt with this watercolor of Wabash Chapel at the end of their Wabash careers in 1950.  One of the artists sketched the building while the other used watercolor, resulting in a remarkable painting.

Visit the Carnegie Museum to view this painting and learn about the history-rich community in which you reside!

Herbert C. Morrison

Herbert C. Morrison graduated from Crawfordsville High School in 1919. After a year at Wabash College (his father was a Wabash Alumnus), Morrison took a job at Crawfordsville State Bank and began his lustrous career. In 1927 Elston Bank and Crawfordsville State Bank merged and in 1941 he became the bank president. After 29 years in this role he retired in 1970.

Senior Picture, Crawfordsville High School Yearbook

This painting of Morrison is in the Carnegie Museum

Elston bank was acquired by National City Bank in 1991 and then National City was acquired by PNC in 2008. The Elston Bank name can still be seen on the buildings at 201 East Main Street and 101 West Main Street.

March 1, 2014 the Carnegie Museum will re-open, be sure to stop by and learn about Montgomery County History!

In Honor of National Puzzle Day

Do you celebrate National Puzzle Day in January every year? If not, consider stopping by the Carnegie Museum beginning March 1 to enjoy Montgomery County and world history. The featured puzzle can teach which cities had populations of over 500,000 and which were the largest in the world during World War II.

There is a section about Allied Nations, Axis Powers, and an explanation of "Why Sea Lanes and Airways are Shown as Curved Lines."  The Gorman Company, Chicago, partnered with Mercator Projection to create this splendid puzzle. Mercator Projection was developed in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator as a navigation tool.

Perfectly Played Paris

The 1916 CHS symphony.  Wilbur (back left) as a drum player.

Wilbur de Paris was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana on September 20, 1900 to Sidney G. and Fannie (Sarilda) Paris. This soon-to-be talented musician graduated from Lincoln School in 1915 and then became a CHS (Crawfordsville High School) Athenian. After leaving his hometown, he became one of the leading Jazz bandleaders in the mid-1900s.

1918 CHS Band; Wilbur (back left) as a tuba player.

Not only did Wilbur de Paris play the trombone with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, he led bands until 1961. He passed away on January 18, 1973.

Wilbur as trombone player.

Did you know? 
In 1958, Wilbur de Paris spent three months in Africa as a goodwill ambassador for the President, earning distinction for his dignity.

You can find out more about Wilbur de Paris in your Carnegie Museum (re-opening March 1st)! The Montgomery County WOW Gallery serves as a "Hall of Fame" for people, places, and things from Montgomery County. 

Mapped Out!

We've been busy here at the Carnegie taking down last year's How Does it Work? Exhibit. These big, empty rooms and cases will soon be filled with our new exhibit, Mapped Out! Have you ever wondered how some streets got their name or how mapping technology has changed over time? Be sure to come check it out when we reopen in March!

MAKING STUFF Wilder, Colder, Faster, and Safer!

As a proud member of the MAKING STUFF Outreach Community program, we are excited to announce that we have now received our box of four activity kits that we will be sharing with you! Those who participate with us will be exploring how to make things wilder, colder, faster, and safer.

The MAKING STUFF project is sponsored by NOVA, a television science show in its 40^th season. NOVA aims to educate its viewers by showing hour-long documentaries on numerous things such as the latest technology and things in nature. 

Closed for the season

The Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County is closed until March 1, 2014.

The museum is still open by appointment until our regular hours resume this spring!

See our web page at http://www.cdpl.lib.in.us/carnegie.php for upcoming details.