January-March 2024 – First Quarter Museum Home Education Plan Your Visit Collections Exhibitions Event Rentals Museum Shop 14th Annual Jimmie Dyess Symposium Thursday / January 11, 2024 / 5-6pm    The Augusta Museum of History is proud to present the 14th Annual Jimmie Dyess Symposium. The symposium was created and developed to recognize Marine Lieutenant Colonel Jimmie Dyess’s courage as both a citizen and a service member of the United States Marines and to identify others who have shown similar valor or made civic contributions above and beyond the call of duty.   The symposium includes talks by several distinguished individuals, including the yearly recipients of the Jimmie Dyess Distinguished American Award. Major General Perry Smith, who served thirty years in the United States Air Force flying missions over North Vietnam and Laos, will provide introductory remarks.   Honorees for 2024 are local community leaders, Clint Bryant & Nancy Hussey. We will also recognize Medal of Honor recipient, James McCloughan, for his actions as a medic during the Vietnam War. ⁠ All are welcome to this free event on Thursday, January 11 at 5pm in the Museum Rotunda. For more information on the Symposium, please contact the Museum at (706) 722-8454. IN THIS ISSUE   From the Director   Events 2024 Jimmie Dyess Symposium Super Museum Sunday Susan Still Kilrain Book Reading & Signing Music at the Museum   News from Collections So Much More to Discover Wilkinson Collection Fitz-Symms Collection Exhibit Update New Acquisitions Collection Care Tip County Corner NAGPRA Update   Welcome New Staff   Education Programs Richmond Co. Fifth Grade Field Trips Discovery Days 2024 Brown Bag History Lecture Series Time Detectives Voices of the Past Schedule A Tour AMH CALENDAR   AMH & EHH Closed December 24,25 & 31, 2023 January 1, 2024   Jimmie Dyess Symposium Thursday, January 11, 2024 5-6pm, Museum Rotunda   AMH & EHH Closed Monday, January 15, 2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observed   Brown Bag History Series January 17, 2024 Evidence of Impact Series Overview Dr. LeeAnn Caldwell   Super Museum Sunday February 11, 2024 Free Admission To AMH   Brown Bag History Series February 14, 2024 History Through Manuscripts Courtney Berge   An Unlikely Astronaut Book Reading & Signing  With Susan Still Kilrain Saturday, February 17, 2024 10:00am, Free To Public   AMH & EHH Closed Monday, February 19, 2024 Presidents’ Day Observed   Music At The Museum Saturday, March 9, 2024 Featuring Created 2 Play   Brown Bag History Series March 13, 2024 Genealogy: Historical Family Records  Catherine Robertson   AMH & EHH Closed Sunday, March 31, 2024 Easter Observed   Voices of the Past 1st Saturday: The Other Tubmans 2nd Saturday: Petersburg Boat Pilot From The Director The Augusta Museum of History will be adding two additions over the next three years: a functional loading dock and corridor connecting the main Museum with the Knox Foundation Center for the Preservation and Study of the CSRA History. Having this structure will ensure that when moving artifacts between the two buildings the items will have the very best environment. After the loading dock/corridor is complete the next addition will be the adjacent warehouse which was once the office and shop for the Bowes Construction Company (at one time called the T. Markwalter, Augusta Marble Works). T. Markwalter was responsible for many of the monuments, mantels and tombs in the area. The Bowe Construction Company began in 19th Century, but prospered throughout most of the 20th Century. The company was responsible for providing building supplies for homes, bridges, and buildings throughout Georgia and around the United States. It is a an incredible inventory of buildings, from Sacred Heart Catholic Church to the State Capital in Atlanta. In the 1920s and 1930s they expanded and began paving roads from Broad Street in Augusta to Salisbury, North Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee.  The warehouse will be converted into a woodshop/design studio. The current woodshop space will be turned into much needed exhibition space. One of the major reasons for moving the shop is the dust particulates that it generates whether cutting wood or plexiglass, painting, sanding and finishing products fumes. The shop shares the same air handling system that carries heat and air conditioning to public spaces and exhibition galleries. In its new location it will have its own systems.   As the project moves forward, I will giving tours of the additions. Stay Tuned!   Nancy J. Glaser Executive Director Augusta Museum of History   Free Admission To The Museum For Everyone February 11th is Super Museum Sunday and the Augusta Museum of History is thrilled to offer free admission for all on this day from 1-5pm. There will be fun events happening at the AMH this day in association with our Discovery Days Program. (See more info in the education section on Discovery Days) Please put this date on your calendar, invite your friends & family and join in the fun. Local Legend NASA Astronaut Susan Still Kilrain Returns to Augusta! The Augusta Museum of History is proud to have Astronaut Susan Still Kilrain, at the Museum for a book reading and signing on Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 10am.   Commander Susan Still Kilrain is an astronaut, a Navy test pilot, an aerospace engineer and a world traveler. She is the youngest person to pilot the space shuttle, and one of only three women to do so. Susan piloted space shuttle missions STS-83 and STS-94 both in 1997, spending more that twenty days in space. Susan is currently a motivational speaker, specializing in encouraging young women and underprivileged teens to excel in STEM careers.   Susan will read her book, An Unlikely Astronaut in the Museum Rotunda. Books will be available for purchase, and the reading is free to attend. To celebrate the day we will offer free crafts in the Garden City Room after the Book Reading from 10:30am-12:00pm. Make sure you put this date on your calendar. Created 2 Play Coming To The AMH! Music At The Museum returns with a free performance from Created 2 Play on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 1:00pm.    Created 2 Play is a local youth drumline program that started in 2019 by Jermal & Christine Harris. C2P Drumline not only serves as a source of musical enrichment, but also as mentorship and unique education for local youth. Their mission: to use musical and visual experiences as well as performances to assist the children in the Augusta community to develop confidence, cooperation, leadership, responsibility, and standards of excellence.   Save the date and invite your family and friends for this entertaining and inspiring afternoon of music.  SO MUCH MORE TO DISCOVER Sweetheart Pin, ca.1942 You’ll find this symbol of affection with our military history exhibits. “Sweetheart Pins” like this one were worn in support of loved ones stationed abroad during World War II. This pin, with its anchor design and “USN” initials indicates that the wearer’s loved is a member of the United States Navy. Museum Purchase 1997.004.014 The Peace Sign Hand Figure, ca. 1960s The Counter-Culture moment was popular in the 1960s, and the peace sign was symbolic of the peace and tolerance that was promoted in this movement. It was, and still is, used in many forms of media to reference the iconic era of the 1960s. Donated by Adam Engel 1999.138.001 NEW DISCOVERIES Wilkinson Photography Collection The Wilkinson Photography Studio collection has over 250,000 negativesdocumenting the CSRA’s past. Robert Wilkinson Jr. was a prominent photographer in the Augusta area active from the 1940s-1980s. Donated by Wilkinson family members Linda Askey and Charles M. Askey, Jr., the collection is digitized and cared for through the Photography Collections Internship Program. The following are a few interesting discoveries made during the collection care process.   The Augusta Museum of History wishes to thank the Community Foundation of the CSRA for the generous grant to support the Wilkinson intern for 2023. Fitz-Symms Collection Donated by Kirk and Lora Baxley in memory of Robert Symms, the photographic collection of Fitz-Symms Photography captures the history of the Augusta region between the 1940’s and the 1980’s. To preserve this history, the Photography Collections Internship Program at the Augusta Museum of History processes this collection by scanning and rehousing its 800,000 photographic negatives. The following images represent just a fraction of the negatives which thus far have been processed. J.B. Whites Fashion Show, 1965  Located in Augusta, GA, The J.B. Whites Department Store was first established in Augusta, GA in 1874. This image is taken by Fitz-Symms for J.B. Whites Department Store in 1965 during one of their fashion shows. The image shows women who were models a variety of styles, from daywear to evening gowns, At the time of this image J.B. Whites was located at 936 Broad Street Augusta, Georgia Jefferson Hospital, 1974 Jefferson Hospital dedication ceremony and hospital walkthrough, located in Louisville, GA. The hospital had its groundbreaking for the new structure in August 1972 and opened its doors in March 1974. After speeches and ribbon cutting, several hospital officials toured the facilities. This group of gentlemen are being given a tour of one of the new surgical rooms. Johnson Motor, 1966 These image, taken by Fitz-Symms for Johnson Motor in 1966 shows the exterior of the property taken from the roof of the Maxwell Building. This shoot was done to include in a brochure made by Edward Seigelson. The image is taken at dusk showing the lights of the showroom and signs as well as several vehicles for sale. EXHIBIT UPDATE Wells Fargo Textile Case Seasons: A Year in Augusta’s Fashions   The Wells Fargo Textile Case now features Fall fashions, installed on October 2nd. The final installment in the 2023 Seasons Series features football, county fairs, and Halloween costumes. The exhibit will be on view through January 7th, after which the case will feature a new theme for 2024!   Coming Soon  Fantastic Fibers:  Augusta’s Textile Art  January 11, 2024 the Wells Fargo Textile Case will begin a four-part series featuring objects from our textile collection for the artistic skill that went into their production. Follow this series as we learn about the ways Augustans have made their lives vibrant with leatherworking, weaving, crochet, needlepoint, and more! New Acquisitions Case On January 25th, 2024 new items that recently entered the Museum’s collection will be added to the New Acquisitions Case. This case is located near the Trolley and will be curated by Wilkinson Intern, Dana Wilde. New Acquisitions