Moving Lew

Boxes of Lew Wallace's books and other large artifacts await the arrival of Red Ball Superior Moving and Storage to take them to the off-site storage location.

Grounds Manager Deb King watches her step carrying a chair out of the Study. This is the first time these artifacts have left the Study since Lew moved them in 1897!

Movers wait for the elevator to bring Lew's desk to its temporary home. They got quite an education from Collections Manager Amanda McGuire on how to pack and carry historic furniture. We were so grateful for their careful professionalism!

Boxes and artifacts rest in their temporary residence. It only took 2 hours to move the books and furniture, clearing space in the Study to pack other artifacts.

After the long morning, we enjoyed a celebratory post-move lunch. What a relief to have the first part of the move done!

Winter or Spring?

The winter of 2010 has been a chaotic mix of snow, sleet, wind and extreme cold. Mother Nature has thrown a wide range of different weather patterns to central Indiana. October was one of the wettest months in history and the first 15 days of 2010 never saw the temperatures rise above freezing.

Temperatures hovering just above zero in January and over 7 inches of snow in one storm, has the grounds of the Museum looking like a winter wonderland. Concerns about pipes freezing had the faucets kept to a slow trickle for days on end.

Even though the winter has seemed long, gloomy and never ending, Spring is on the doorstep (wishful thinking?) The blanket of snow on the ground for weeks, has now melted and surprise! Daffodils are emerging! In the past, daffodils have emerged towards the end of February. Emerging now puts them a full month ahead of schedule. I suspect that they will 'hibernate' until the proper time to bloom. Time will tell.

Siberian squill (scilla) has also sprouted. Scilla, a bright royal blue, usually shows some color the first of February. Spring cannot be far off, can it?

An Unwelcome Visitor

Grounds Manager Deb King releases a bat she found lying on the floor of the Study Monday afternoon.

We're not exactly sure how it got in, but by the time Deb found it, it was either sick or injured and didn't last long. This is one visitor that is NOT welcome!

Museum's Year Closes with a Trill

A flute trio from the Wabash College orchestra treated visitors to the Holiday Open House to a selection of seasonal music. Dozens of visitors enjoyed music, treats, crafts, and free tours of the General's Study.

Join us when we reopen for the spring on February 1, 2010. The Museum will be open to tours by appointment only through January.

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE IS MUSEUM’S LAST DAY OF SEASON

December 13 also the final day for public to view “Embattled” exhibit

CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN, December 6, 2009— The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum is hosting a free Holiday Open House on their last operating day of 2009, Sunday, December 13 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

The Open House takes place inside the Carriage House Interpretive Center, which is gloriously outfitted in yuletide décor, featuring a Christmas tree decorated in the minimalist style of the Civil War era. Festive activities and toasty treats will be on hand, as well as a fun holiday craft project for the kids.

The Open House will also be the final opportunity for visitors to see the Museum’s 2009 exhibit, Embattled: General Wallace’s Leadership in the Civil War. This year’s exhibit featured authentic artifacts of General Wallace’s from the 1860s alongside a thorough investigation of Wallace’s service in the Civil War. The exhibit was guest curated by Gail Stephens, Wallace scholar and author whose book on Wallace will be released next year.

Admission to the Museum during the Holiday Open House is free. Call 765-362-5769 or email study@ben-hur.com for further information. December 13 is also the final day of the 2008 Museum season. The Museum will be closed through January and reopen for tours on Sunday, February 3, 2010.

Cannas

Now that December is upon us, the gardens at the Study have been prepared for winter. Lantana has been lifted, pruned and repotted. They are kept alive in a cool greenhouse over the winter months, pruned and fertilized in the early spring, and will be ready for planting outdoors in late May.

Cannas and elephant ears have been lifted, cleaned and are ready for storage in the basement of the Study. In the past, we have had only mild success storing cannas, soI'm trying new technics this year. The cannas have been dug, the foliage cut back and bulbs have been cleaned of most soil.

Storage space is limited, so the bulbs will be layered in boxes with a soil-less mix (mostly peat moss) cushioning the bulbs. In the past, no soil was added and some of the bulbs shrivelled. Hopefully, the soil-less mix will help incubate the bulbs. The Study basement is not quite cool enough (45-50 degrees is ideal for storing), but I'm placing the bulbs in the coolest, darkest, dry spot in the basement.

Most of the perennials are cut back and shredded leaves are added to the garden for some extra winter protection. Plans are underway for a great 2010 season. Planting the gardens to look different every year, using period (1885-1905) plants and flowers require loads of research and many enjoyable hours looking through gardening catalogs, books and historical periodicals.

Third Annual Holiday High Tea Benefits General Lew Wallace Study and Museum

One-of-a-kind event features holiday décor, refreshments, fashion show and door prizes

CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN, November 22, 2009— Holidays and history bring the community together for the third annual Holiday High Tea and Fashions, a benefit for the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society scheduled for Friday, December 4, between 3:00 and 5:30 p.m.

This year’s event will be at the Herron House at 406 W. Wabash Ave., an historic building owned by Wabash College and carrying a great deal of community history. “General Lew Wallace used to sit on the veranda for hours at a time,” said Alice Phillips, who currently resides in the house with her husband, Dean of the College Gary Phillips. “He and William [Herron] were good friends and they would talk for hours about the issues of the day.” Among some of the house’s most beautiful features are the curved grand staircase, five hand-carved fireplaces, and stained glass windows that grace the front of the house and the lower level of the stairs.

The Holiday Tea is an open house complete with tea, sweets, and savory snacks served from the built-in dining room buffet. Local models will show off fashions from Formal to Fireside by heathcliff, and the Herron House will be decorated with seasonal floral arrangements by Milligan’s Flowers & Gifts. Door prizes from local merchants will also be drawn every half hour, giving event-goers several chances to win accessories and decorations to brighten their own homes.

“The holidays are about celebrating and giving, and we do both with this event,” said Anita Klein, chair of the Planning Committee. “The Holiday High Tea and Fashions is a chance to get together to enjoy food, fashion, and a festive atmosphere while supporting one of the gems of Crawfordsville.”

Reservations are $20 per person and due by December 2. No tickets will be available at the door. To reserve places for you and your guests, call the Museum at 765/362-5769.