Advanced Project in Window Restoration: Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

Hey, all! 

                I'm Whitney Tucker, a Graduate Assistant for the History Department at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) completing my second year of graduate studies in Public History, Historic Preservation emphasis. I’m originally from a small town in Southeast Missouri, but I have lived all over the state. I was homeschooled my whole life and graduated high school at sixteen and had a Bachelor’s by 20. I took some time off to be with my wonderful son, but eventually came back. When it came to selecting a program, I knew that SEMO was exactly where I wanted to be. The reputation of the program here is well known and well respected. After talking with the Program Director, I knew there was no other University that could offer the high-quality, experiential learning that SEMO does. So here I am!

Whitney Tucker working on re-glazing historic window for
Felix Valle House and Mercantile (ca. 1818)

                Recently I completed an Advanced Project in Applied History in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri at the Felix Valle State Historic Site. This site has multiple homes, such as the Shaw House (ca.1819,) the Felix Valle House and Mercantile (ca. 1818,) and the Beauvais-Amoureux House (ca. 1792.) The Beauvais-Amoureux House is a French vertical log structure, known as poteaux-en-terre (post in the ground.) It  is one of three poteaux-en-terre in Ste. Genevieve, and one of five in the entire United States. As you can imagine, it was a huge opportunity (and responsibility) to work on some of the conservation work at this site. (To find out more about this awesome historic site visit Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources: https://mostateparks.com/park/felix-valle-house-state-historic-site )

                While at the Beauvais-Amoureux House I was able to work on more than a few hands on conservation projects.  The tasks I completed were wood repairs, window restoration, and glazing. While I completed various restoration work on the windows and shutters of both the Shaw and Felixe Valle houses, my primary project was completed at the Beauvais-Amoureux House. There I was solely responsible for the restoration of the windows and door.

Restoration and glazing completed on window
for historic Valle House (ca. 1818)

                The process for restoring the windows was intricate and time consuming, and required a great amount of patience. Additionally, I needed to have an understanding of wood and how the material ages, responds to water, and the best ways to preserve it. While my education at this point had provided me with the ability to research, document, and apply the Secretary of the Interiors Standard for Preservation, working in a hands-on manner with the state historic site allowed me the opportunity to further my education on the Standards for Rehabilitation.

Completed restoration and glazing on window
for historic Beauvais-Amoureux House (ca. 1792)

               









Learning to work with historic materials was one of the primary goals of my experience. In prior classes, such as Legal and Economic Principles of Historic Preservation and Historic Preservation Field School, we learned the significance of original historic windows. However, I gained a greater insight into why the original windows are so important. Additionally, my experience allowed me to understand the amount of work and gain the skills needed to for saving and restoring a historic window.

               While I now have the knowledge and ability to care for historic windows and wood, I have determined that when working with historic building materials, there is a vast amount I still need to learn. There is no one material that is more significant than another, as they all need care and maintenance in order to be able to preserve them for future generations.   

This was just one of the many opportunities for hands on learning that I have been able to take part in with SEMO. I look forward to a great many more!

An Internship in Historic Tax Credits: Macon, Georgia

Hi Everyone!

My name is Sara Doll and I am the new Historic Preservation Graduate Assistant.  I am originally from Southwest Kansas and a town that is probably smaller than most high schools.  I have two Bachelor degrees, one in History from Sterling College, Sterling KS and second one in Anthropology/Archaeology from Wichita State University, Wichita KS.  I am in my third semester here at SEMO working on my Masters in Public History with an Emphasis in Historic Preservation.  

I recently spent the summer working in Macon, GA at Historic Macon Foundation (HMF).  The main focus was over the exciting topic of tax credits!  Yes, I used the word exciting.  Most, myself included, would not classify tax credits as all that interesting of a topic, but after my internship there are few words to describe how fundamental tax credits can be to historic preservation.  Macon definitely had seen its better days during the mid-1900s but like a majority of cities it fell into decline and up until less than ten years ago

Macon was not the ideal city one wanted to live in.

Historic Macon Foundation
Sara Doll poses on the porch of a historic structure in Macon, Georgia

HMF is becoming a model for preservation in the nation.  They have helped to take commercial, industrial, and residential places from notices of demolition to places that are in high demand.  I was a part of seeing the process that each of these places underwent to become their final product.  Macon is made up of 14 historic districts listed on the National Register and currently working on a new one.  These district listings allow for tax credits to be used towards contributing buildings.  This is key to the success of HMF and their mission to “revitalize our community by preserving architecture and sharing history.”  They see the importance of constantly improving Macon and helped me to see that even if a neighborhood looks rundown and little hope that there is always a beacon of light. By beginning work in an area and showing the potential that the neighborhood has to offer is a great first step in revitalization.  However, it is not as easy as that sounded.  HMF is constantly in communication with the local businesses and colleges to create addition incentives to move into a place.  Not only will an individual get the tax credits but in most cases there are low income neighborhood incentives, down payment assistance, protection convents, and inclusive activities being a member of historic Macon.

During my internship, I was able to experience an array of projects dealing with tax credits and working with each step of the tax credit process in Georgia.  I was assigned my own project over a shotgun that would begin work within the next year.  My supervisor, Kim Campbell, at HMF helped guide me through the process and made sure to answer any questions or provide a different wording for Part 1 and 2.  We also put together information for an Industrial Tour with the hopes of printing a brochure this Fall.  There was extensive amount of research done between myself and my fellow intern over 23 individual properties and their history.  It really helped us learn about Macon’s past and we were able to share some new information with Maconites who had lived there their whole lives not knowing. 

Working with HMF was a great first-hand experience how historic preservation meets public history.  Even though many consider them to be the same, they each benefit from each other.  It was amazing to see how preserving the built environment could have such an impact on the community as a whole and flaming the spark that was started less than a decade ago.  

Jessica's Experience Assisting on a Missouri Historical Review Article

The “From the Stacks” article is an important part of the Missouri Historical Review; therefore, it was a very beneficial experience to assist with one as a graduate student in public history. As the graduate assistant in the State Historical Society’s research center on campus, I assisted the director of the Cape Girardeau center with the most recent “From the Stacks” article. This included assisting with the research and drafting of the piece. It was decided the topic should be about the society’s collections which could assist researchers in learning and interpreting Amy Husband Kimmel. As a professional, I was able to help with research and writing that communicated what materials the society has to offer researchers along with how this material could be useful to them.

Article citation: 

Nickell, Frank, and Jessica Cox. "From the Stacks Research Center-Cape Girardeau Amy Husband Kimmel and the Wednesday Club of Cape Girardeau." Missouri Historical Review 110, no. 2 (January 2016): 132-35.

Missouri Preservation Conference 2015 Hosted at Southeast Missouri State University

This past October, Southeast Missouri State University was honored to host the 2015 Missouri Preservation Conference. This annual gathering of historic preservation professionals was a complete success, benefiting attendees, the city of Cape Girardeau, and the University. From the 21st-23rd, preservationists from all over the state learned about new developments and innovations in the field and got hands on training on proper restoration techniques.

While most of the conference events took place in the University Center, there were also a variety of unique tours offered as well. One of the most popular tours was to the Elmwood Estate in southwest Cape Girardeau. This incredibly preserved and maintained historic home is a relic of early South East Missouri history.

Another highlight was the Keynote Address by David Brown, the Executive Vice President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In his speech, “The Past and Future of Preservation”, Mr. Brown spoke of the urgent need for historians to embrace both continuity and change in our approach to preservation of the built environment and saving the places that matter to both Missourians and the Nation.

Many SEMO history students took advantage of this opportunity, and found ways to volunteer at the conference. We all benefited greatly from this professional experience and had a ton of fun at the same time! 

All aboard the tour bus

Busy vendor area

Keynote Address from David Brown to kick off the conference

Elmwood Estate, a true architectural delight

Hands on historic wooden window repair

Legacy Awards Dinner: These one-time only awards honored the host city and people and organizations that have contributed to Cape Girardeau's preservation success story

Professional panel for students

SEMO students get involved

Tour of Cape Girardeau's Civil War forts

Typical conference session

Volunteer fun!

Volunteers working hard

Jessica's Summer 2015 Exhibit Development Project

After spending several wonderful years of my life working and volunteering in museums while getting a formal education in museum work I have come to the conclusion that “museuming,” a term I have affectionately created for the work that I do (and should not be taken too seriously) consists of two priorities. The first priority is to preserve and protect the artifacts the museum houses and the second is to interpret and present the artifacts to the public through exhibits, therefore museums should constantly strive as much as is practical to develop exhibits. Continuous exhibit development is a fundamental part of museum work.

This summer I did extensive volunteer work at Delta Gateway Museum in Blytheville, AR. The mission of this particular museum is “To tell the story of Blytheville and the surrounding area by interpreting the land and its impact on the people.” This mission encompasses a long timeline beginning from the Native American cultures that were the first inhabitants of the area to modern times. The Farming and Rural Life and the Native American Archaeology exhibits are two exhibits that I did extensive work on this past summer. Volunteering for a local institution is a great way to develop your skills and contribute to your professional experiences.

With the Native American Archaeology exhibit I cataloged, put on display, and helped create labels for a new case that has been filled with the loaned collection of a private local collector who lives in the area. His collection represents hundreds, perhaps thousands of years of Native American artifacts from Northeast Arkansas and Southeast Missouri. The most crucial and tedious task was the initial cataloging. I documented, photographed, and cataloged over sixty artifacts. After they were cataloged I did a rough sketch of how they should be placed in the case and then put them in a display case.

The Farming and Rural Life exhibit presented fascinating research and discussion on how to display the artifacts in the exhibit. I helped move the artifacts into place, researched them, and created labels for them.

This is a unique specimen. It is a nutting stone. Usually nutting stones will be much smaller and have one indention. This stone is fairly large and has several indentions.

Notice the two smaller, more typical nutting stones in front of the larger one.

These two photos of pottery are close ups of objects in the case.

I thought these pieces should be grouped together because of their uniqueness.

This is the case after the development was completed. Notice there is a mirror in the back of the case. Mirrors can be helpful to the display because patrons can see the backs of the artifacts. This is very interesting with pottery.

Upon researching this hat I found out it was a men’s boater hat from the 1920s. On the inside of the hat there was the insignia of a haberdasher, Mead’s Men Store. Researching in the museum’s library and archive showed that Mead’s was the predecessor to what is now Day’s Men’s Store. Mead’s was in business on Blytheville’s Main Street from 1912-1971.

Ms. Leslie Hester, the museum’s director and I discussed how to organize the Farming and Rural Life exhibit. We came to the conclusion that when patrons arrive at the beginning of the exhibit it should feel like they are walking into a farm house. When they go further into the exhibit area they should feel like they are walking outside and at the end of the exhibit they are walking into the Main Street area.

Some artifacts present questions. This rocking chair is very interesting. I analyzed it thoroughly and could find no identifying markings. It looks like it could be homemade.

One of the most rewarding things about working in museums is that you learn something new every day. There was one artifact that I came across that I found very interesting. It was a photograph of cotton chopping geese. I have heard stories about cotton chopping all of my life, but I had never heard of cotton chopping geese. This photograph was taken around 1930 and shows geese that were used for chopping cotton. The geese would eat the weeds, etc. that would normally be chopped with a hoe by people.

Caryn's Summer 2015 Internship

My name is Caryn Guth and I am currently a second year M.A. in Public History student with an emphasis in Heritage Education. This past summer, I was given the incredible opportunity of living in Estes Park, Colorado and interning at the YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center. Specifically, I worked in the Lula W. Dorsey museum and I was the museum education intern.

Going into this, I really was not sure what to expect because I had never officially taught historical education classes and really did not have a formal education background, but as it turned out I was much better prepared than I was giving myself credit for. My special project was one that lasted all summer and it consisted of me taking the eleven predetermined day camp themes and writing an interactive and fun lesson plan for each different week that was related to the YMCA of the Rockies specifically, the YMCA in general, or Colorado history and then teaching those lessons to day camp kids grades Pre-K through 8th grade. The eleven different themes were Disney, Nature, Careers, Space, Holidays, History, Superheros, Around the World, Water World, Books, and Color Wars.

For example, these are some of the lesson plans that I created:

Week 1: Disney - A Disney themed scavenger hunt where kids were given a list of Disney movies, which varied for different age groups. Then, they had to go in the museum and look on the museum grounds (there were three historic cabins as well) for artifacts that they thought could relate to the listed Disney movie. Examples would be finding the ice saw to match with Frozen and mice (fake, of course) to match with Cinderella.

Week 4: Space - We read different Native American creation stories about constellations and then kids got to create their own constellations using marshmallows and pretzels, which they could eat at the end of the lesson, name it, and write their own story about it.

Week 10 - Books - We made homemade paper! It was a lot of work, and quite messy, but very fun and the kids absolutely loved it, which was what mattered most!

There are not nearly enough words to describe how much fun I had during my internship this summer, and how much I learned that I would be able to take with me throughout the rest of my education and hopefully into future careers. Coming into this internship, I was really not quite sure what to expect or what exactly my duties would be. I quickly became overwhelmed when I learned that I would be creating 11 different lesson plans for kids ranging from PreK-8th grade, and I was basically doing it all on my own. However, my supervisor Carie was such an amazing lady and mentor and a huge help to me during my time here. There were also many different times when I had to act independently as she was gone many of the weeks over to the sister YMCA camp, Snow Mountain Ranch, where she is also the association historian. It boosted my confidence to know that she had faith and trust in me that I could do this, and it felt great to prove her right!

I learned a lot about writing lesson plans, which was something I had never done before, and even more about teaching them to kids. After working here for 14 weeks, I can safely say that if this was the job I would have to do for the rest of my life as my career, I could not be happier. While there were days that proved to be difficult, I came away from this internship overall feeling very happy and proud of myself. The relationships I made here are ones that will last forever, and the experience was once in a lifetime and certainly one that I will never forget.

My amazing co-workers at the museum who I quickly became lifelong friends with!

The back of the museum grounds with the three historic cabins

Yes, it snowed the day after I moved in...

Elk checking out our historic tents at the museum

I had free time on the weekends to hike with some of my friends too!

View from the front porch of the museum - a place I spent lots of quality time when not teaching

I finally saw a black bear!

View from the front of the museum

YMCA of the Rockies

I also had a chance to do fun Colorado things like go white water rafting - I definitely recommend it if you like adventure!

Laura's Summer 2015 Internship

Hello All!

My name is Laura Williams and I’m a second year graduate student in the Public History program at Southeast Missouri State University. This summer I completed an internship at the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. I worked under the supervision of the District Archaeologist (and distinguished SEMO HP graduate), Heather Carey. Mrs. Carey’s job duties, as one of only two cultural resource specialists on the SNF, proved to be extremely diverse, providing me with a dynamic experience in the public realm of public history.

I worked a variety of properties including both the built environment and archaeological sites. For example, as part of the regular monitoring of significant properties on FS land, we visited 10 remote Native American sites to check for any kind of illegal activity or destruction. On the above ground side, My major project was to document the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, a historic church located on FS property. I performed background research using land and tax records from Pope County, Illinois and from the FS archives. My research culminated in a complete Evaluation and Determination of Eligibility, which was subsequently submitted to and accepted by the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office.

I was also able to gain some experience in heritage education working with kids. A group of Native American youth from the Absentee Shawnee Tribe in Oklahoma visited the Forest for a week to learn about their ancestor’s migration through Southern Illinois. We took them on a tour of some of the major Native American Sites in the forest, including Millstone Bluff. I also helped Heather and some of her FS colleges teach at a youth day camp through the University of Illinois Extension Office in Anna, IL. We focused on the Trail of Tears, which passes through the region. I gave a short lesson on the basic principals of archaeological stratigraphy. The students layered ingredients from a buffet of sugary treats to create a tasty visual aid.

My favorite part of the internship was monitoring (checking up on) a collection of historic homesteads that make up what was once an antebellum community of free slaves called Miller Grove. Although what is left of Miller Grove today is mostly stone foundations and chimney falls, archaeological research has yielded valuable information and interesting insights into what life was like in this rare town. I also really liked that no day was the same as the one before, and the only thing I could absolutely count on, was that the next day would be different too.

Reflecting on my woodsey adventure now, I truly wouldn’t change anything. I feel incredibly grateful that I was able to work one on one with such a successful cultural resource specialist in such a beautiful natural environment.

Thanks for Reading!

Laura Williams

Kids eating their stratigraphy

Site monitoring

Sometimes we got to play with toys!

Survey in the wilderness

Touring Mill Stone Bluff with the Absentee Shawnee