Our Shared Vision: Representations of the Trans-Mississippi American West
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 4-2020 Our Shared Vision: Representations of the Trans-Mississippi American West Joshua D. Koenig Western Michigan University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the American Studies Commons, Museum Studies Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Koenig, Joshua D., "Our Shared Vision: Representations of the Trans-Mississippi American West" (2020). Dissertations. 3606. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/3606 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. OUR SHARED VISION: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE TRANS- MISSISSIPPI AMERICAN WEST by Joshua D. Koenig A dissertation submitted to the Graduate College In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy History Western Michigan University April 2020 Doctoral Committee Edwin Martini, Ph.D., Chair Lynne Heasley, Ph.D. Mitch Kachun, Ph.D. Nicolas Witschi, Ph.D. Copyright by Joshua D. Koenig 2020 OUR SHARED VISION; PUBLIC DEPICTIONS OF THE TRANS- MISSISSIPPI AMERICAN WEST Joshua D. Koenig, Ph.D. Western Michigan University, 2020 This dissertation examines the role played by museums in shaping our understanding of the American West. The history of the American West holds a place in American popular culture, evidenced by music, movies and television shows, novels, art, architecture, clothing, and numerous other examples. However, such examples raise questions of authenticity depending on medium and setting, Representations of the American West depict certain images or beliefs held by society. At the same time, the United States houses nearly 1,500 historic sites and museums focusing on the American West. These museums and sites are found scattered throughout thirty-eight states, in addition to the District of Columbia. As educational institutions, it is reasonable to assume that museums and historic sites offer a more authentic and reliable representation of the West than versions found throughout popular culture, such as films, television programs, and other forms of media. This work seeks to examine the ways in which four museums depict, explore, and preserve the history of the American West. This study critically analyzes four of the largest Western Heritage Museums that focus on depictions of the American West: the Museum of Westward Expansion, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and the Autry National Center. Through an analysis of historical documents, oral histories, and museum exhibitions, this work establishes a historical record of each institution, provides a critical examination of the exhibits found within each institution, and explores the ways in which each institution fits into the larger place of the American West. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to take a moment to thank several individuals for their support. I would like to thank the Western Michigan University Department of History for its continued support over the years; specifically, Dr. Marion Gray, Dr. Joe Brandao, and Dr. Bill Warren who have served as my department chairs, and supported my career over the years. I would also like to thank Dr. Judy Stone, Dr. Jim Palmitessa, Dr. Mitch Kachun, and Dr. Sally Hadden for guiding me through this process as my Directors of Graduate Studies. I would like to thank the Western Michigan University Department of History, the Burnham-MacMillian Committee, the Western Michigan University Graduate College, and the Newberry Library’s Darcy Mcnickle Center for providing the research grant and fellowship support that allowed me to conduct my research and complete this project. Additional support was provided by The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, The Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and The Autry National Center over the three-year period that I conducted my research. I want to thank each institution and its staff for providing granting me access to their archives and collections, and taking the time to meet with me in support of my work. At the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, I specifically want to thank Bob Moore, Kathryn Thomas, and Terry Weber. I would like to thank Charles Rand, Charles Schroeder, Don Reeves, Melissa Owens, Richard Rattenbury, and Dr. Steven Grafe for their assistance while I conducted research at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. I want to thank Bruce Eldredge, Dr. Chuck Preston, Emma Hanson, Dr. John Rumm, Dr. Kurt Graham, Lynn Houze, ii Acknowledgements – Continued Dr. Mindy Besaw, Dr. Robert Pickering, and Wally Reber for their time and support while I was at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Finally, at the Autry National Center, and the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, I want to thank Donna Tuggle, Dr. Duane King, Jackie Autry, John Gray, Dr. Jonathan Spaulding, Joanne Hale, Kim Walters, Dr. Louise Pubols, Marva Felchlin, Dr. Michael Duchemin, Pamela Hannah, Dr. Stephen Aron, and Dr. Virginia Scharff for welcoming me, and assisting me in my efforts. Thank you all for helping me complete this project. I want to thank my friends and family for their support through this process. I would like to thank Dr. Eric Ruckh, Dr. Brian Hosmer, and Eric Barnett for discussing many aspects of the subject with me in the conceptualization phase of this project. I am especially grateful to Dr. Amanda Bahr-Evola, who read drafts, and whose valuable advice and enthusiasm was crucial throughout this process. Equally, I want to thank my editor, Allison Hewitt Colosky. There is no way I could have done this without your help. I want to thank my friends Dr. Sally Hadden and Dr. Robert Berkhofer for their years of advice and continued friendship. I want to thank my friends Kelly Bolen, Darby Johnsen, Eric Paulek, Nate Vanden Brook, and Phil Veenstra for always being by my side. Specifically, I want to thank my parents, Jon and Judy Koenig, for their support from the very beginning, and Dana, Liam, and Alyson for their love an encouragement. Most importantly, I want to thank the members of my committee; Dr. Ed Martini, Dr. Lynne Heasley, Dr. Mitch Kachun, and Dr. Nic Witschi. I want to give special thanks to Dr. iii Acknowledgements – Continued Heasley who guided and shaped much of this project, and to Dr. Martini for helping me reach its completion. I could not have done this without you. To all of you, words are powerless to express my gratitude. Thank you all. This dissertation was completed with the aid and support from the western Michigan University Department of History, The Burnham-MacMillian Endowment, and the Western Michigan University Graduate College. Joshua D. Koenig iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………….ii ROADS LEADING WEST……………………………………………………………….…1 I Roads Leading West……………………………………………………………….2 THE WEST AS PLACE……………………………………………………………………44 II St. Louis, Missouri: Gateway to the West, the Museum of Westward Expansion……………………………………………………………….45 III Cody, Wyoming: The Buffalo Bill Historical Center…………………………..79 IV Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum…………………………………………………………………110 V Los Angeles, California: The Autry National Center………………………….133 VI Los Angeles California: The Southwest Museum of the American Indian…………………………………………………184 THE WEST AS HISTORY……………………………………………………………....198 VII The Museum of Westward Expansion…………………………………….…199 . VIII The Buffalo Bill Historical Center………………………………………….224 IX The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum……………………....279 X The Autry National Center…………………………………………………….316 THE WEST WAS COMMUNITY………………………………………………………351 XI Epilogue: The West as Community…………………………………………..352 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………..…367 v ROADS LEADING WEST 2 CHAPTER I ROADS LEADING WEST There is no doubt that Americans are interested in their history. While this interest varies from person to person, and the display of this interest may take different forms, history and its representation are necessary for both personal and national identities. Museums, monuments, and historic sites exist to serve as keepsakes of history; they spark memory and emotion, and allow us all to connect our past with our present and our shared future. Yet, we all interpret our history in different ways. Historical memory diverges from person to person as well. Popular culture, commercialization, academic scholarship, and personal experiences, to name a few, all shape the ways in which we approach, understand, and consume our history. This dissertation examines the history of the trans-Mississippi American West and its representation in contemporary society through museum exhibits. The history of the American West holds a place in American popular culture, evidenced, for example, by music, movies, and television shows, novels, art, architecture, and clothing. However, such examples raise questions of “authenticity.” Representations of the American West depict certain images or beliefs held by society. However, do these representations serve to portray the history of the West? Do the stories omit specific groups? By 2002, the United States housed nearly 1,500 historic sites and museums focusing on the American