On Display Now
Three large exhibit cases in the Rolland Center for Lincoln Research are available for public viewing any time the Center is open. The displays cover three themes:
Immigrants & the Civil War:
The Immigrants & the Civil War case features images of German, Irish, Swedish, and French immigrants during the war. Other featured items include two fine art pieces on loan from the Indiana State Museum’s holdings of the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection as well as pamphlets published in the U.S. for immigrant groups surrounding the war and Lincoln’s presidency. This case also includes a bust sculpted in 2007 by Fort Wayne native Willis S. Clark.
Union Soldiers:
This display focuses on the lives of Union soldiers who fought in the Civil War. The case features images, letters, diaries, and artifacts highlighting enlistment, camp life, battles, medicine, and the home front. Featured items include letters written by soldier George Squier, songsters, and a Civil War blanket pin, pipe razor, and mess kit spoon that belonged to Corporal John E. Wilkins of Vigo County, Indiana.
The Lincoln Boys:
The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection is the only collection in the world to have the contents of the Lincoln family photo album. This case offers an overview of the lives of Abraham and Mary’s four sons, Robert, Edward, William, and Thomas. Also featured are photos of the boys, letters from Robert, a lock of Willie’s hair, toy soldiers that belonged to Tad, and a Myriopticon.
In addition to the three large exhibit cases, the Rolland Center also has a smaller case which is rotated more frequently. Check out this upcoming exhibit:
Women’s History Month: A Focus on 19th-Century Women (March 1-31, 2023)
This case will feature women whose struggles for social reform helped pave the way for the women of today.