The Reappearance of the Reflecting Pool

Thanks to heavy rainfall this past week, Lew's reflecting pool has made a brief reappearance behind the Study.

Take a look at this historic photo of the reflecting pool...

Lew and grandsons sitting beside the reflecting pool

...then compare it to a photo taken this morning.

Reflecting pool filled with rainwater

You can almost see it, can't 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.

Museum Day Live!

On September 29, we are participating in Smithsonian magazine's 8th Annual Museum Day Live!

For one day only, the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum will grant free access to visitors who download a Museum Day Live! ticket at Smithsonian.com. This emulates the free admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution's Washington, D.C.- based facilities, in order to encourage learning and the spread of knowledge nationwide.

To get your free ticket, go to www.Smithsonian.com/museumday and download the ticket. Visitors who present the ticket will gain free entrance for two at participating venues for one day only. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address.

More information about Museum Day Live! 2012 and a list of other participating museums can also be found at the website above. Other participants here in Montgomery County include the Rotary Jail Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County, and the Montgomery County Historical Society.

New Curtains for the Study Doors

We’re fortunate here at the museum to have historical photos of the Study--interior and exterior--as well as the Study grounds. Our goal is to present the Study to visitors as it would have been in Lew Wallace’s lifetime. We want visitors to see it the way Lew saw it.

One thing we have learned from our historical photos is that the doors of the Study all had curtains on the inside. You can see his curtains in the picture to the left.

The curtains might have functioned to preserve heat in the winter, to provide privacy, or simply to block out distractions. Whatever the reason Lew had them, we are proud to have reproduction curtains installed as of this week.

Board member Laura Conners made the reproduction curtains, as well as the curtains over the bookshelves, and they look fantastic. Fabrics were chosen specifically to replicate the drape and weight of the curtains. There are two kinds of velvet that accent the colorful golden brocade. The borders are made of velour.

Visit us at the Study and see our new additions!

CIVIL WAR WEEK FEATURES LIVE ENCAMPMENT, LECTURES

CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN, July 2, 2011— The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum is commemorating the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a lecture series and live encampment that will dynamically illustrate the hardships and triumphs of that era.

Three free, in-depth lectures on some of the Civil War’s most compelling subjects will be held at the Museum beginning this week.  On Thursday, July 7 at 7:00 p.m., the Museum will be hosting Jeannie R. Regan-Dinius from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources as she discusses the Underground Railroad in Indiana, including its history in Montgomery County.  The following evening, July 8 at 7:00 p.m., Joan Flinspach of Presenting the Past will talk about famed Civil War Photographer Matthew Brady.  On Wednesday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m., living history presenter Donna McCreary will illustrate the life of one of the nation’s most controversial First Ladies in “Mary’s Legacy According to Her Son Robert Lincoln.”  These lectures are free but space is limited; call the Museum at 765-362-5769 or email study@ben-hur.com to reserve a seat.

The scent of campfires and the sounds of Stephen Foster songs will fill the air once again at the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum for its annual Civil War Encampment weekend, July 9 and 10.  The Museum’s partnership with the Mid States Living History Association, Inc. allows visitors a rare chance to dig deeper into the experience of life as one of General Wallace’s rank-and-file soldiers.

Mid States, an Indianapolis-based group comprised of living history interpreters from throughout the Midwest, will present several activities on the Museum grounds over the course of the weekend that offer a greater insight into life as a Civil War soldier or civilian.  In addition to live demonstrations of camp cooking, construction, medical care, music, telegraphy and artillery training, visitors will have the chance to interact with both General Lew Wallace and the Governor of Indiana during that critical time, Oliver Morton.

“Our Encampment weekends are always popular,” said Associate Director Amanda Wesselmann.  “It’s an immersive experience that lets visitors really appreciate what General Wallace and his soldiers had to endure during the Civil War, much more so than they could just by reading a book or sitting in history class.”

The live activities include “School of the Piece,” an instructional training exercise for cannoneers that demonstrates the degree of textbook and practical training required to function on the field of battle.  Visitors will also be invited to participate in infantry training drills using toy “Woodfield” (wooden) rifles.  Demonstrations in Civil War-era medical care, camp construction and cooking will also be held throughout the weekend.  New this year will be a sharp-shooter display and a ladies’ tea.

Visitors are invited to experience the live drama of the Civil War on Saturday, July 9 from 1:00 – 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, July 10 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville.  For further information, contact the Museum at 765-362-5769 or email study@ben-hur.com.

Open for the Season!

It's February 1st, and the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum is once again open for tours! Just a reminder about our hours:

Wednesday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. -- 5:00 p.m.

If you're interested in tours on Monday or Tuesday, be sure to call ahead (765-362-5769) for an appointment.

Our next exhibit, Embattled: General Wallace's Leadership in the Civil War, will debut to the public on Saturday, March 21. A special sneak preview of the blockbuster exhibit will take place on Friday, March 20 for members of the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society. Not a member? Sign up today to support this National Historic Landmark and receive some great member benefits.

We have a terrific, event-filled schedule in the works for 2009, including tried-and-true favorites like our annual Lew Wallace Youth Academy and Civil War Encampment, as well as new events like this fall's Leadership Symposium. And of course, our 3rd Annual Taste of Montgomery County will be bringing record crowds to our beautiful grounds on August 29! Our complete event calendar will be updated on our website very soon, so be sure to see all the fun we have to offer and make your plans to visit.

See you @ the Study!

--Kara Edie, Visitor Services & Marketing Coordinator

New Items Make Gifting a Breeze!

Things are blooming outside, and new things are also popping up in our gift shop! We have several new book titles for readers of all ages, including our 2008 Brown Bag Book Club selections Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and The Wizard of Menlo Park by Randall Stross. Younger readers can check out You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Civil War Soldier!, which spells out what life was like in the Union army, from the wool uniforms to the tasteless hardtack!

Lew Wallace became very acquainted with the art of using a quill pen on parchment paper, and now you can too! Our “Create Your Own Parchment Document” kits include ink, glass ink bottle with cork stopper, feather quill pen and piece of parchment to make your own historical-looking documents. Want to make your words really stick? Our new Lew Wallace magnetic poetry kits mix the fun of creating your own verse with some terrific Wallace-themed words to make an activity that entertains and educates!

In addition, we have a terrific collection of items for the Civil War buff, literary enthusiast and nature lover in your family. Remember the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum gift shop when you shop, and keep General Wallace’s legacy alive with every gift you send! Contact us through our website, by emailing info@ben-hur.com, or by giving us a call at 765-362-5769 and let us help with all your gift-giving needs.

Spring

Spring at the Study has finally arrived! A cold and wet March has given way to warmer temperatures and sunshine with bouts of rain. The Study grounds are covered in scilla, spring beauty and cut-leaved toothwort. Dogtooth violets are starting to bloom along with lily of the valley. The numerous trees on the grounds are starting to leaf and the redbud trees are in full glory. The magnolias, daffodils and tulips have finished blooming and the gardens are waiting for the planting of annuals. Frost-free date is around the 10th of May and the gardens will be planted by the 1st of June. Plants that were listed in catalog of the 1800's are planted to maintain the historic aspects of the Study. Ageratum, marigolds, lantana, elephant ears, cannas are just some of the plants that are planned for the gardens.

Park Day at the Study

Yes, believe it or not, Spring has decided to finally make an appearance in Indiana, and the folks at the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum were just in time to welcome this long-lost season with some much-needed cleanup of the Museum grounds.

Park Day, a national initiative of the Civil War Preservation Trust, aims to help Civil War heritage sites (like ours) by organizing an annual cleanup day to restore, maintain and bring new life to our winter-sleepy land. This year's effort was our best yet, bringing over thirty volunteers together to paint, weed, rake, mulch, and remove branches from the grounds.

In addition to the crowds of volunteers, scads of visitors were also attracted to the Museum in this first burst of warm Spring weather. We've had over twenty visitors inside the Study and Carriage House today, and if this is any indication of our visitation this year, we'll be breaking another attendance record!

Stay tuned as we roll into the crazy (never lazy) days of summer here at the Study!