Museum Memo

Hello from the Great Bend Museum in Ravenswood!

We were founded in 1972 by the Jackson County Historical Society to share the history of our county and the Ohio River’s Great Bend region with objects, photographs and archives. In 2020, the Historical Society gave the museum and collection to the City of Ravenswood to carry on its mission of preserving and promoting county history.

Last weekend, we hosted a Mother’s Day Tea and Historic Costume Exploration. Thank you to everyone who came out, and we hope you enjoyed your time. Alongside a delicious array of teas and pastries, author and costume historian Jeanette Watts gave a fascinating, in-depth presentation on Victorian fashion and clothing etiquette. We hope to do more of these events in the future.

On June 1 at the Sayre Log House, we will host Thomas Ingles in a “History Alive!” performance of the West Virginia Humanities Council. The Ingles family was captured by Shawnee in 1755 — Mary famously escaped, but her son Thomas stayed behind and was raised by the tribe, returning to white society as a teenager. Come hear his story of living between two cultures, presented by actor Doug Wood.

Our Facebook serial continues to share the Civil War diary entries of Henrietta Fitzhugh Barr, daughter of Ravenswood’s town founders. If you want to follow Henrietta’s experiences throughout the War, visit our page at facebook.com/greatbendmuseum.

Thank you to everyone who donated items to the museum last month! Zella Johnson gave a “Kera House” platter handmade for Neva Dow, Kaiser Cafeteria cook, and two photos of Neva. Deanna Tilley and the Ravenswood Civic Club gave a David Homer McFarland painting of the Ravenswood House Hotel. Elaine Martin gave archives, pictures, and military medals of Henry Clay Rowley (Union Civil War veteran) and his son, Claymore (WWII veteran, President of Jackson County Bank). The Senoia Area Historical Society of Georgia gave us a 1989 Straight & Tucker Funeral Home calendar from their collection. If you have anything you’d like to donate, reach out! We collect all kinds of things — objects, photos, and archives — from all over Jackson County.

Speaking of historical clothing, we are seeking information about the historical clothing in our collection. Many of the old records for hundreds of clothing items are lost/missing, and these records contain the information we need to tell these items’ stories. If you or someone you know gave an article of clothing or an accessory to the museum at some point, please get in touch with us so we can verify our information and update our records. We have many stunning dresses, accessories, and uniforms that deserve to be displayed and their wearers’ stories told.

With the help of an incredible crew of volunteers, we’ve cleaned and rearranged the Sayre Log House for the season. Stop in and take a tour! We need volunteers to greet visitors there this summer—period clothing and historic craft demonstrations are optional. Reach out to us if you’d be interested in helping.

We are also seeking archives relating to Kaiser Aluminum for a documentary about Kaiser’s impact and legacy here. We are also looking for information and photos relating to the old Jackson County Poor Farm at the current County Fairgrounds. Lastly, we are seeking items, photos, or memories of Clara Weisheit (1885-1965). She was an avid Ravenswood photographer between about 1918 and 1940. Her photos meticulously document her activities, community, and extensive travels, offering wonderful insights into Ravenswood at that time. We are planning an exhibit about her extraordinary life, but we need your help to make it happen! Please reach out if you have anything to share.

Our Photo of the Month is a graduation photo of the Ravenswood High School class of 1918. This photo, likely taken in Henry Clay Fleming’s Walnut Street studio, depicts Casper “Zippy” Kinzel, Myrtle Twiggs (Ritchie), Mary Keller (Batton), Ethel Wright (Pickens), Lorena Hutchinson (Winstead), Helen Reyburn, and Paul Reyburn preparing to graduate. The Class of 1918 was one of the last classes to graduate from the 1887 School before the new high school was finished on Sycamore Street in 1921. The new high school also introduced yearbooks; before then, these class photos were often the only records of graduating classes.

We hope this column has inspired you to explore, learn, and appreciate the beauty of our museum’s offerings. We are a museum for all of Jackson County. Share your experiences with us, bring your friends, and help us spread the magic of our history.

Located at 220 Riverfront Park, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Follow it on Facebook, visit www.cityofravenswood/museum, call 304-273-1999, or email museum@cityofravenswood.com.