The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum reinstates its popular Winter Preservation Workshop Series after a one-year break. The first of four workshops, focusing on safeguarding family photos and personal papers, will take place on Tuesday, February 9, 2010. “Pictures and Papers” from 7:00-9:00 p.m. will be led by Beth Swift from the Ramsay Archives at Wabash College. This continues the Museum’s tradition of advocating for historic materials, which helped them win the 2008 National Medal for Museum Service.
A Historic Preservation Partnership
The Winter Preservation Workshop Series is co-hosted by Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana and the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum. The series offers a wealth of easily-applicable information for people interested in preserving historic buildings and personal effects. The workshops will be held Tuesday evenings in the Carriage House Interpretive Center at the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum. They provide instruction on a variety of topics from roofing matters to Victorian landscapes.
“We’re branching out from buildings this year to cover something that everyone has thought about. How do you keep personal papers and photographs in the best condition?” Amanda Wesselmann, Associate Director, added, “Beth Swift has a lot of good information about easy, inexpensive things that people can do right now keep their documents in good shape.”
Historic Preservation Topics
“Pictures and Papers” will introduce participants to products and practices used to keep family heirloom documents in the best possible condition for future generations. Beth Swift, the facilitator of this workshop, is the Archivist at the Ramsay Archives at Wabash College. In addition, she writes the “Dear Old Wabash” history blog. Swift also guides efforts to properly pack and preserve General Wallace’s personal artifacts. Crucial roof repair work necessitated this packing of the artifacts.
The second workshop of the series, “Historic Roofing,” provides an overview of historic roofing materials. Additional topics include acceptable replacements and maintenance strategies to help prevent unneeded repairs. Representatives from Henry C. Smither Roofing Company in Indianapolis will lead the presentation, on Tuesday, February 16, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Meg Storrow, Principal Landscape Architect at Storrow Kinsella Associates, will present “Victorian Landscapes.” The March 2 workshop covers historic landscapes and designs for modern properties. It also discusses plants, fencings, and other decorative elements to complement an historic house.
Can preserving a historic building be good for the environment as well? The final workshop of the series is “Green Design in Preservation.” Jim Kienle will present ways to incorporate green concepts like solar and geothermal power, water collection systems, and energy-saving products for historic buildings. Kienle, of Moody Nolan’s Historic Preservation Studio, will present on Tuesday, March 16 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Registration Information
Homeowners and business owners alike are invited to attend these important workshops at the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum. Also the series is open to members of the public interested in historic preservation and landscape architecture. Members of the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society or Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana can attend for $15 a session or $55 for the series. Non-members can attend for $25 a workshop or $90 for the entire series. Inquire about membership to the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society by calling 765-362-5769.
To register, contact the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum at 765-362-5769 or email study@ben-hur.com.
