2012 By the Numbers

Last month, Associate Director of Education Erin Gobel spent some time looking at our statistics and compiling some numbers we thought would interest our visitors and supporters.

For a larger view, click the picture. We also have a PDF version available for download.

Christmas Song for Children

This poem by Susan was written Christmas Eve, 1868, and published in the Crawfordsville Journal.

Christmas Song for Children

Oh, could I have my wish this Christmas night,
Some fairy should fly through the cold starlight,
And bear you away on her gentle breast,
To gardens enchanted, where all that's best,
Sweetest, and best, from every clime,
Should blossom in endless summer-time.
Of myrtle and rose should our garden be,
For the children only, their friends and me.

Built round it a wall, with towers high,
Should shut out all but the clear blue sky,
And circle a palace where banners bright
Float far and free in the soft sunlight.
And violet eyes, lifted meekly up,
And the tulip, bearing her golden cup
Of perfume, should greet the morning sun,
As the beautiful days come one by one,
With never a cloud, and never a tear,
From summer to summer, year to year.

And every path in that garden sweet
Should bear the light print of baby feet,
And ring with shouts of children at play
By babbling brooks that merrily stray
Through beds of lilies, away, away,
Where murmuring water, and bee, and bird,
Make the sweetest music ear ever heard.
There would we live and never grow old;
There measure the years with sands of gold;
In the rose garden whose gates are free
To children only, their friends and me.

It cannot be so--the wishes I bring
Are but the longing of Winter for Spring.
One fairy only haunts this world of ours;
His path is crowded with fadeless flowers;
And the spell that lies in his rosy wings
Is strange as the wonderful song he sings
To charm away sorrow--'twill pass you by,
While the fairy Love is hovering nigh.

This Christmas eve, oh, guard them well,
True love, thou sleepless sentinel!
Beneath they wings, warm lands and fair
Lie sheltered in enchanted air;
And circling walls to thee belong,
And mystic bars, unseen, but strong,
Oh, guard them, Love, with magic key,
The children dear, their friends, and me.

New! Online Donations & Memberships at our Website

Have you been planning to join the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society, but just can't seem to find a stamp to mail us your check? Have you thought about doing it, but decided it was too much work? Are you looking for last-minute donations to write off on your taxes?

Here at the Study, we're operating on a small budget, and we're always looking for ways to make it easier for you to give us money. After all, it's your support that allows us to provide great programming such as this year's Civil War Lectures, the Civil War Encampment, the Lew Wallace Academy, and more. We're also trying to raise money to match a grant that will allow us to restore the interior paint of the Study to how Lew had it.

So this week we are unveiling online donations and purchases of memberships via Paypal. Just visit the Join and Support page of our website and choose either to donate online or to purchase a membership for yourself or someone you love.

Keep in mind that, while we have done some testing with this, it is still in early stages. If you experience any difficulty, please email us or comment here. If you are purchasing a gift membership, we need to know the recipient's name and address. Hopefully you'll see an "Instructions to Seller" box where you can enter that information. If that isn't the case, please email us at study@ben-hur.com to give us that information, and to alert us that the instructions box isn't showing up.

We are always interested in finding new ways to keep you informed about what's going on here and to get you engaged in our mission. Hopefully this addition to our offerings will benefit you as well as us!

Winter Closing

December 15 will be the last tour date for the Lew Wallace Study & Museum in 2012. We will open again in February.

So what goes on during our closed period?

We take that time to focus specifically on changing the exhibits in the Carriage House Interpretive Center. During 2012 our exhibit has been centered on Lew Wallace's activities during 1862. In 2013 we will be presenting an exhibit surrounding Lew and Susan Wallace's descendants. A lot of work goes into setting up an exhibit. We have to research everything, decide which related artifacts will be on display, write interpretive text, and design the flow of the exhibit space.

Other things that will have our attention during our winter closing: a major fundraising effort to start in 2013--I'll be presenting a series of blog posts about that as we get closer to kickoff; finalizing our programming and event schedule for the coming year; selecting musical talent for the 7th Annual Taste of Montgomery County in August 2013.

So keep warm this winter, and we look forward to seeing you next year, when our new exhibit opens!

2012 Holiday High Tea a Grand Success

The Holiday High Tea came off beautifully. Here are a few photos of the fun our guests had and the beautiful decorations and delicious delicacies!

Christmas Shopping in the Carriage House

We all have that one person, don't we? That person who seems to have everything? That person who says, "I don't need anything this year?" So how do you shop for someone like that?

Consider giving them a gift that also supports local history and culture!

Proceeds from the gift shop here are used for the benefit of the museum. We have books about Lew Wallace, copies of Ben-Hur, Christmas tree ornaments, t-shirts, and even artwork. For the real collector in your family, you can purchase the two-volume autobiography Lew was writing at the time of his death; it was completed by his wife Susan. We also have Mama G beaded earrings created by a local artist and Indiana-shaped cheese boards made by a local artisan.

If you would prefer to give a gift that is less tangible but carries the benefits of being tax deductible and directly supporting our mission, buy a membership to the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society in someone's name. Membership levels start as low as $25 for the Lieutenant Level and go all the way to Ben-Hur Level at $500.

If you're interested in preserving Lew Wallace's legacy, Christmas is a great way to do it!

Holiday High Tea This Friday

It's not too late! Wednesday is the deadline for anyone wishing to attend the Holiday High Tea to RSVP.

The Holiday High Tea is this Friday, December 7, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Guests will tour the DAR Chapter House and the Elston Homestead, enjoy refreshments, live entertainment, a holiday wreath sale, and a fashion show.

Reservations are $25/person. Contact the museum at 765-362-5769 or email study@ben-hur.com.

New Furniture in the Carriage House

Deb working on her desk

Thanks to the generosity of one of our board members, we have a new desk in our office upstairs. Deb King, our garden and grounds expert, had been using a tabletop supported by two filing cabinets until this past week, when outgoing board member Roger Adams presented her with a new desk!

 The desk was delivered last week, and staff spent some time assembling it. Now Deb has a comfortable and attractive workspace.

Thank you, Roger!

The completed project!

Greenery Workshop Planned

Just in time for the holiday season, the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum will host a garland making workshop on Saturday, December 1, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Tannenbaum Cultural Center, located at 107 W. Spring Street, directly behind the Rotary Jail Museum.

The workshop is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Please RSVP by calling 765-362-5769 or e-mailing study@ben-hur.com.

All garlands made at the workshop will be on display at the Dorothy Q Chapter DAR House during the annual Holiday High Tea & Fashion Show on Friday, December 7.

Live greenery will be provided, but attendees should bring their own gloves and clippers. Refreshments will also be provided. 

Thanksgiving and the Wallaces

We talk a lot about Lew and Susan Wallace here at the blog, but someone who isn't mentioned often is Lew's father David Wallace. David  attended West Point Military Academy and began practicing law in Indiana in 1823. He served in the Indiana State Legislature from 1828 to 1830. In 1831 he was elected Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana.

From 1837 to 1840, David Wallace served as Indiana's sixth governor. On October 30, 1840, David signed the first state proclamation for Thanksgiving and a day of prayer. So if you live in Indiana and are planning to have turkey and pumpkin pie later today, you have Lew Wallace's father to thank!

Thanksgiving Week Hours

photo by tinaxduzgen on flickr

The Lew Wallace Study and Museum will be open Tuesday and Wednesday for tours. We will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving.

We wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving!

Holiday High Tea is fast approaching

As I write this, the weather is sunny and warm, but as impossible as it seems, the holidays are right around the corner. Christmas is less than two months away!

Here at the Lew Wallace Study, we always ring in the holiday season with our Holiday High Tea and fashion show. This year, the event is scheduled for December 7 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Join us for a sneak peek into two of Crawfordsville's most prestigious historic homes, specially decorated for the holidays!

The Colonel Isaac C. Elston Home, chapter house for the Dorothy Q chapter of the DAR, and the Elston Homestead, home of the President of Wabash College, serve as the host locations for the fashion show and boutique, high tea, holiday concert, and the spirit of the season.

As in past years, hand-designed holiday wreaths like the one pictured at right will be available at the "Making Spirits Bright" sale beginning at 4 p.m. Local merchant Homestead Greetings and Gifts will be providing a Vera Bradley boutique and other home decor.

Reservations are $25 per person and due by December 5. For reservations, please call 765-362-5769 or email study@ben-hur.com. Proceeds from ticket sales directly benefit the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum and the Dorothy Q Chapter DAR.

Lew Wallace and Veterans Day

Since Veterans Day wasn't established until 1919 (as Armistice Day), you may wonder about the title of this blog post. But although Veterans Day was not observed in Lew's day, Decoration Day (the precursor to Memorial Day) was. Lew was also very interested in the fate of veterans, and remained involved in veterans organizations.

On several occasions Lew spoke at the dedication of war memorials, in locations such as Shiloh National Battlefield in Tennessee; Greencastle, Indiana; and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Indianapolis. Some of the words spoken at the dedication of the monument in Indianapolis are worth remembering as we observe Veterans Day:

It has been said 'The world loves, not those who would sacrifice themselves for others, if they could find an opportunity, but those who have found one and used it.' She, our mother, the state, saw the distinction, and applied it to her sons of the sword and gun; and now it is the text of the sermon she means these stones to preach immemorially. In other words, making this matchless structure speak for her, she says: 'They are my best beloved, who in every instance of danger to the nation, discover a glorious chance to serve their fellow men and dare the chance, though in so doing they suffer and sometimes die.'

Happy Veterans Day, and to all who have served this country, in peacetime or in war, in the United States Armed Forces, thank you.

A unique--if uncomfortable--piece of furniture

I'm often asked about this rocking chair in the Study. It doesn't look as if it would be very comfortable, thanks to the face carved on the back. The nose would probably poke the hapless sitter in the middle of the back!

But whether or not the chair would be comfortable, it is certainly ornate and intriguing. Why is there a face carved on the back? Is there some meaning to it? Where did the chair come from?

We don't have much information in our archives about the history of the chair, but the carved motif is very similar to one that can be found throughout Europe--that of the Green Man.

Depictions of faces surrounded by foliage, or with foliage coming from their mouths, can be found dating back as early as the Eleventh Century in England, and dating back to the First Century in Rome. There might be a link between the Green Man and the Greek gods such as Dionysus, Silvanus, Bacchus, and Pan. Celtic deities such as Cernunnos and the Oak King and Holly King may also be represented in these figures.

Whatever the symbolism, Lew must have appreciated the workmanship of this chair...even if he found it uncomfortable to sit in.

A close-up of the carving

For more information about the Green Man, visit The Enigma of the Green Man or The Mythology of the Green Man.

Memento Mori

I frequently have visitors ask me about the little paperweight displayed on a shelf in the Study. Titled Memento Mori, the paperweight depicts a human skull. So why would Lew want to display a skull on his desk?

The phrase "memento mori" is Latin, and means "remember you will die" or "remember you are mortal." It has a connection to the Roman era, when victorious generals were often given a triumph. As the general was being lavished with praise and glory, a servant stood nearby, whispering to him, "Remember, you are mortal." Wouldn't want those generals to get any ideas!

The Victorians embraced the concept of mortality and had a complicated relationship with death. There were strict guidelines about how long mourning should last and how long it should be done. Brooches were made from the braided hair of dead loved ones. Victorians often took photographs of their deceased.

Viewed in that light, Lew's little reminder of his own mortality doesn't seem quite so macabre!

Fall has hit with a vengeance with temperatures in the hi 70's and temperatures hovering around 45 degrees a day later. Typically unpredictable Indiana weather! The lawn is littered with leaves with only the pin oak and some gingko leaves left on the trees. The lawn mowers are chopping up the leaves and some of the leaves will be used as mulch on the gardens.


daffodils and magnolia blooming in the spring



We have been busy planting spring bulbs. Over 200 bulbs have been planted for an anticipated beautiful spring showing. Mixed giant alliums have been planted in front of the Study, with colors ranging from dark purple to white. Ivory Queen alliums have been planted with the white shrub roses for the last 3 years and make a beautiful showing. Red tulips have been replenished, adding to the 50 or so tulips planted a few years ago. The squirrels love to dig them up and chew on them, leaving half the bulb laying to waste on the ground.

Daffodils, a naturilizing mix, have been planted throughout the grounds. On the natural hillside, near the picnic area, by the Carriage House and in the gardens,  daffodils will be a beacon of color in an otherwise green oasis. Planted on a hillside of Siberian squill (bright blue blooms) the daffodils will provide a splendid photo opportunity. Crocus are being planted, in small groups, throughout the grounds. We are placing wire screening on top of the bulbs to protect them from the hungry squirrels.
 Wintertime blues can be lessened by imagining the bright and magnificent Spring color that is just waiting to burst through the ground.

Meet Our Lecturers

The last installment of the 2012 Civil War Lecture Series is scheduled for Thursday, October 18 at the Crawfordsville District Public Library. We will have two lectures that evening, beginning at 7pm.

Chuck Beemer will present "Breakfast at Fort Donelson," discussing Lew Wallace's actions at Fort Donelson in February 1862. Immediately following Beemer's presentation, Roger Adams will present "Tarnished Stars:  Lew Wallace and the Defense of Cincinnati, September 1862."

Chuck Beemer was born and raised in Crawfordsville and holds a MA from the University of Wisconsin and a JD from the University of North Carolina. He recently finished a manuscript, "My Greatest Quarrel with Fortune: Major General Lew Wallace in the West, 1861-1862." He is the Vice President of the Western North Carolina Civil War Roundtable and serves on the Wallace Scholars Advisory Board to the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum.

Roger Adams is associate professor of library science and curator of rare books & special collections at Kansas State University Libraries. He is from Kenton Hills, Kentucky. Growing up near the earthwork fortifications built in 1862 for the defense of Cincinnati led to a life-long fascination with Wallace. Adams serves on the Board of the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society and owns a large collection of Ben-Hur and other Wallace books.

Come out to this free event and benefit from the expertise of these two scholars. We'd love it if you would RSVP at (765)362-5769 or study@ben-hur.com.

Fall Colors at the Study

Fall colors are beginning to creep into the leaves here on the Study grounds!

Clear Your Schedule for Two Civil War Lectures

Make sure to keep the evening of Thursday, October 18, open to attend the last lecture of the 2012 Civil War Lecture Series. The lectures are being held at the Crawfordsville District Public Library in the Donnelley Room at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Chuck Beemer will present "Breakfast at Fort Donelson," discussing Lew Wallace's actions at Fort Donelson. The Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862 was a strategic battle for the control of the Cumberland River in Tennessee. Brigadier General Wallace created a defensive line along Wynns Ferry Road against orders. The line held through three Confederate surges, protecting the Union right flank and leading the Confederates to surrender the fort the following day. Beemer will also discuss what these actions reveal about Wallace's character and personality.

Immediately following Beemer's presentation, Roger Adams will present "Tarnished Stars:  Lew Wallace and the Defense of Cincinnati, September 1862." Although Wallace lost his command after the Battle of Shiloh in April, 1862, he was called upon in September to help defend nearby Cincinnati, Ohio. Confederate armies had invaded Kentucky in the late summer and Cincinnati, with its strategic position on the Ohio River, was thought to be a prime target. Wallace was instrumental in preparing Cincinnati for such an attack and hoped to restore his military reputation along the way.

Both lectures are part of public programming associated with the museum's 2012 exhibit, "Courage & Conflict: Lew Wallace in 1862," on display in the carriage house on Study grounds until December 15, 2012.

Please RSVP for the lectures at (765)362-5769 or study@ben-hur.com.

Exciting New Gift Shop Items

We have some exciting new items in our gift shop. There are two new bookmarks, one with a design featuring photos of Lew Wallace and another with a design featuring photos of the Study itself. They sell for $2.75 each and have information and quotes on the back.

We've also added a brand new t-shirt design. Drawn by our own Deb King, the design is a clean, simple line drawing of the Study building. T-shirts are available in dark green and maroon, in adult sizes. They sell for $14.95.

Stop in soon and check out the new souvenirs!