artifact

Welcome to "What is It Wednesday - REVEALED"! Thanks to everyone who guessed!  

11458-1 Wig Mold Hinged door on side allows interior to be storage for wig care tools.

Visitors to Fort Robinson State Park (near Nebraska’s northwest corner) see many original

As I mentioned in a blog post a few weeks back about a Superman comic book, the Nebraska State Historical Society collects and cares for hundreds of thousands of items not all of which are particularly old.  We feel it is important to collect items now that will allow us to examine important issues in our state that will have long-reaching impact.  One important debate being played out in Nebraska today has been the potential placement of Transcanada’s Keystone XL pipeline across our state and the Ogalala aquifer. 

The Nebraska State Historical Society collects and cares for hundreds of thousands of items.  Not surprisingly, many are quite old.  We aren’t, however, neglecting the present.  Although it can be difficult to determine today what will have historical relevance

Cape, jacket, and skirt made by Nettie Vertrovsky of Crete and covered with buttons from her collection. (NSHS 7329-4,5) (at right).

Think about the clothes you save–what are they?  Chances are your family saves things like wedding dresses, christening gowns, military uniforms and other fancy or formal attire.  These get handed down for a few generations (maybe) and sometimes are eventually donated to your local museum.  Museums are happy to have these items.  Clothing collections help illustrate styles over the years, fine local or regional craftsmanship, and even changes in textile manufacturing.   However, what many museums end up with is a collection of formal and fancy attire.  That’s fine but it also doesn’t allow