Stewards of Local History and Heritage:
The Importance of the Historic House Museum
A city is defined by its culture, the people by their heritage. Search any magazine or internet article for the ‘best cities’ in America and on the top of the list for criteria; is culture. A cities culture is based on its amount of museums, sports teams, live theater and musical events. In order to understand a city, one must understand its culture. There is no better way for the inhabitants of any city to understand their culture and heritage but by visiting their local historic house museum Historic house museums are the quintessential historic site. The house museum is a place of preservation of local history. Through its collection of material history, educational programs and re-enactments of historical events it connects the community with their past and provides understanding of its inherited attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.
Educational programs provided by the house museum teach the public about historic events that helped shape local attitudes and inform them of the way of life of early settlers that were influential on the city’s history. These educational programs help teach children and adults. Kansas City resident Stacie Kroos explains why she visits house museums with her family by stating, “I love visiting them and learning about the family that lived there and the way of life they lived in their time.” When asked if she thought the house museum was beneficial to the community she said, “It is beneficial to our children to learn about the past and how our ancestors lived. It is enjoyable also to see the architecture of a bi-gone time. As a child I was always fascinated with the past and old buildings and homes and I hope to pass this interest onto my children.”[i]
At the John Wornall House Museum in Kansas City, MO educational programs offer children the opportunity of hands on learning of the past. The museum tour teaches about life in the 1800’s. It is set up to explain life on the frontier and the history of the house, and the part the Wornalls played during the Civil War. The educational programs show how early 19th century children lived and played. Several of the programs include showing how to churn butter, spin wool into yarn, create ink out of berries and dip candles. While children enjoy the projects and demonstrations, they learn how earlier settlers lived and worked; gaining an understanding of the past and an appreciation for the present. A member of the American History Meetup in Johnson County, KS states, “The homes I see in my area make me proud of the people who came here and help established this environment. It is a legacy for us and for our children.”[ii] Groups that frequent the house are Girl and Boy Scout groups and school groups. Educators use the house programs to enhance the classroom learning and make the history lessons memorable and more personal.
The John Wornall House Museum also presents historical events that help to educate adults. The museum hosts wine and cheese events that feature tours of the house, local artists and their works, and/or present a themed subject. Civil War re-enactments as well as demonstrations of battlefield surgery, 19th Century holiday’s and hearth cooking add to the locals understanding of Kansas City heritage. [iii] The educational resources of the house museum expand beyond educational programs into the rich historical collections of artifacts that the house museum holds. The public as well as academics can find hundreds of stories of the past within the material history that is within the house museum.
The artifacts these house museums possess are one of the best resources to students and researchers of history. According to Lito Apostolakou, an historian writing for Suite101.com, “Historic houses are invaluable essay writing resources that provide information about historical personages on many levels.”[iv] Author and Historian, Michelle McClellan writes, “The historic house museum is… the most common way for Americans to encounter local history.”[v] Historical house museum collections provide information on the lives of the people, the events of the times and the past flora and fauna of the area. These collections provide the greatest insight to a cities heritage and culture. Researchers can browse through the museums cache of archives and public records to get details on the lives of the people who lived there and of the events that took place in the area or to the property. One can easily pick up a book and read about an historical event. The house museum helps provide more than just information about an event, it helps provide a physical and emotional connection, “Every time I visit a home, I feel I have actually stepped back in time and can visualize myself dining, working in the kitchen or working in the kitchen garden.”[vi]
The environment of the house museum allows the visitor the opportunity to ‘feel’ history. The John Wornall House Museum’s collections of artifacts include personal items of the Wornall family. Receipts of purchases made by the family allow the visitor to experience for themselves how the family lived and understand the importance and function of particular items. Letters written and stories told by the family members give eyewitness accounts of their lives. Civil War artifacts found on the property allow visitors to experience the Battle of Westport and the severity of war. Through the artifacts and stories people gain an understanding of the early animosities between Missourians and Kansans and how some of those attitudes have carried through generations. One also learns of how local traditions were established and local flavors developed. Walking through an historical house museum provides ‘aha’ moments for visitors.
The roots of our culture lie within the walls of the local house museum. Those who visit will find themselves saying, “So that’s why we do that” or “So that’s where that saying came from,” gaining an understanding of their culture. Without the house museum people would not have the opportunity to experience history on a personal level. The material history of the house allows the visitor to be transported to the past and feel history as it might have been. The educational programs offered by these museums are beneficial to the community by providing fun and interesting programs that help increase the understanding of children and adults in the community of their past. The culture of a city depends on its rich historical heritage and the historical house museum is the best source of historical preservation.
Endnotes
[i] Stacie Kroos, Olathe, KS. Personal testimony given on 3/01/10 via www.amerhistory-50@meetup.com.
[ii] Katie Kate, Johnson County, KS. Personal testimony given on 3/01/10. Via www.amerhistory-50@meetup.com
[iii] John Wornall House Museum, www.wornallhouse.org, 2009.
[iv] Lito Apostolakou, “Historical House Museums and Material Culture,” http://historicalresources.suite101.com/article.cfm/historic-house-museums-and-material-culture, Suite101.com, Historical Resources, Feb. 2, 2010.
[v] Michelle McClellan, “New Solutions for House Museums: Ensuring the Long-Term Preservation of America’s Historic Houses,” CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship, vol.6, num.1, 2009. http://crmjournal.cr.nps.gov/07_rbook_sub.cfm?issue=Volume%206%20Number%201%20Winter%202009&seq=3
No comments:
Post a Comment