Free Lecture: "Handwritten History"

420 Linden Place,DeKalb IL 60115

05 August, 2021

Description

Curator Audrey King shares how museums use documents to learn about the past, and reveals stories from the Ellwood House archives. On Thursday, August 5 at noon, join the Ellwood House and DeKalb County History Center for “Handwritten History,” a free lecture by Audrey King, the Ellwood House Museum’s Curator of Education and Interpretation. Three-dimensional objects often take center stage in museum exhibits, but letters, legal documents, and other texts can be some of the most helpful resources for understanding the past. During this one-hour presentation, King will share the process of transcribing and caring for documents in the collection, uncover some of the stories revealed in these documents, and highlight volunteer opportunities in the collections space. “Documents are special because you often hear about people’s lives in their own words,” says King. “Sometimes the information was meant to be shared, and sometimes you get a peek into a very personal side. Paired with objects, and with other sides of the same story, you can start to unfold a more complete picture.” The presentation is part of Brown Bag Lunch/Local Lore, the museums’ series of free monthly lectures. “Handwritten History” will be held in-person in the Ellwood House Museum’s Visitor Center. Brown Bag Lunch/Local Lore is generously supported by the Mary E. Stevens Concert and Lecture Fund. The Ellwood House Museum is located at 420 Linden Place in DeKalb. The Ellwood House Museum is a historic mansion situated on ten acres of parkland in the heart of DeKalb, Illinois. The museum campus consists of seven historic structures (including the 1879 Ellwood Mansion and 1899 Ellwood-Nehring House), four gardens, and 6,000 square feet of exhibit space in the Patience Ellwood Towle Visitor Center, a converted and expanded 1912 multi-car garage. Originally built for barbed wire entrepreneur Isaac Ellwood, the Mansion was home to three generations of the Ellwood family from 1879 to 1965. Our mission is to engage visitors with authentic examples of ingenuity and architecture by sharing the Ellwood mansion, gardens, and museum campus.Operated by the not-for-profit Ellwood House Association in conjunction with the DeKalb Park District.