FOUR DISPLAYS FOR 2020
The Edwardsburg Area Historical Museum will mount four displays for its 2020 season, beginning with a tribute to veterans to commemorate Memorial Day
“Letters from the Front,” on display from May 28 to June 13, will recognize the services and sacrifices of the Edwardsburg area’s military personnel from the Civil War, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and conflicts in the Middle East. The opening date of the museum was moved from May 13 to May 28 because of the coronavirus. Several letters from area veterans, both living and deceased, will be displayed and read during a special presentation.
Included are letters from Cyrus Bacon Jr., an Edwardsburg doctor who was a surgeon for the Union Army during the Civil War. One of his letters describes in detail a visit to the troops by President Abraham Lincoln on horseback. Another, from the late Loyal Lane of Edwardsburg, describes his excitement over his pending marriage at the end of World War II. Exhibits will simulate letter writing in battlefield camps and include cots, uniforms and blankets loaned by residents.
The second exhibit, from June 17 to Aug. 18, is “Women Vote and Serve Community.” It will celebrate the 19th Amendment of 1920 which gave women the right to vote, and highlight the contributions of local women through their clubs and organizations. Items will be featured from The Edwardsburg Monday Evening Club, the oldest continuously operating women’s club in Michigan; and past organizations such as the Lioness, Business and Professional Women’s Club, and the Edwardsburg Service Club.
“Hooked on Fishing” will be the third display. It will open Aug. 24, and run through Oct. 29. The exhibit will include many items from the museum’s permanent collection as well as lures, rods, augers, and old fishing equipment from area residents.
“Christmas Around the World” will be the final display, from Nov. 5 to Dec. 12. Included will be items collected from other countries by community residents with a focus on global Christmas traditions.
The Museum will close Dec. 12 for the winter months.