Fall 2014 • Vol. 2, Issue 7 Exhibit chronicles Inside this issue: Sioux City Journal history FY14 Annual emorable front most influential newspapers page headlines, for most of its existence, its Report Mphotographs, and editor/publisher George an array of artifacts are D. Perkins was Iowa’s most featured in the temporary respected newspaperman exhibit, Sioux City Journal: during his time at the helm 150 Years in Siouxland 1864- from 1869 to 1914. 2014, now showing at the Sioux City Public Museum in “Perhaps most important honor of the newspaper’s for current and future 150th anniversary. On display students of local history, through January 4, 2015, the Journal has been the the exhibit traces the history primary compiler of our Rack cards funded by a grant from of the news organization region’s story for 150 years,” the Iowa Tourism Office. from its founding by young continues Anderson. “That Inside back cover - lawyer Samuel Tait Davis to its includes both the printed Challenge grant fuels current role today. word and photographic endowment campaign documentation. “It is almost impossible If its work had to over-emphasize the not been importance of the Sioux preserved, City Journal to Sioux City’s much of our history,” says Matt Anderson, knowledge of exhibits preparator. “Along Sioux City’s past with being one of Iowa’s would be lost.” Above: Journal managing editor Bruce Miller (right) moderated a panel discussion with current and former Journal staff on August 24 during the exhibit’s opening weekend. Panelists sharing their memories were (from left to right) columnist/former City Hall reporter Lynn Zerschling, former managing editor Karen Luken, former editor Larry Myhre, sports editor Terry Hersom, former reporter Marcia Poole, and editor Chris Coates. Left: Nearly every Journal- related artifact in the Museum’s collection along with other pieces on loan from the Journal and local collectors are on display. The Sioux City Public Museum collects, preserves, and interprets cultural and social history with an emphasis on Sioux City and the region. GRAND OPENING Experience the history of Sioux City like never before! You are invited to celebrate the grand opening of the new Sioux City Public Museum. Explore state-of-the-art interactive displays, engaging permanent exhibits, rare Sioux City artifacts and so much more. Please join us on this history-making day as we present ÒOur New MuseumÓ to the community. WHO: Sioux City Public Museum WHAT: Grand Opening Ceremony & Ribbon Cutting WHEN: Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. WHERE: 607 4th Street Director’s Report by Steve Hansen reetings and thank fulfill our mission, but exceeds hibits enabling the Museum you for taking the expectations when it comes to offer an even wider range Gtime to read our to offering a wide range of of activities for our guests. annual report. As we ap- programs, excellent exhibits Thank you to those of you proach the holiday season and assuring that we meet who have already respond- and review what we are accreditation standards in ed to this challenge and to thankful for, I find each and caring for our collections. those of you who continue to every page of this newsletter help us grow in other ways. a reminder of how fortunate We are only as strong as our I am to be the Director of the community support is and By any measure, it has been Sioux City Public Museum. I am very pleased to an- another history-making year nounce that we have an in- for the entire Museum sys- We continue to receive credible opportunity to grow tem. Moving forward I wish solid community support and our endowment. The Gilchrist you the best for the holiday our visitors continue to be Foundation has offered us a season and that you will visit amazed with our wonderful challenge grant and we only us soon. facilities. As you look through have weeks left to meet the this edition, I am confident goal. Our endowment pro- Thank you again for your that you will agree that the ceeds go directly to educa- continued support. Museum not only strives to tional programming and ex- Association stores provide unique holiday gift ideas ooking for holiday gift ideas? Consider support- Ling the Sioux City Muse- um and Historical Association by shopping at the Museum Store and Galley Gift Shop. Among the best-selling gift ideas are the Association’s publications, Sioux City: A Pictorial History and Sioux City Left: The Sioux City Public Museum and Sergeant Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center History: 1980-2002. The Asso- offer a variety of Sioux City t-shirts. Right: The Museum Store expanded its selection of high- ciation-commissioned “Burial quality educational children’s toys with puzzles and games from Melissa & Doug. of Sergeant Floyd” painting Iowa, films featuring traveling the Galley Gift Shop has nu- is available as a print, coffee Iowans, as well as films that merous Sioux City and Lewis mug, and postcard. merely mention Iowa. and Clark souvenirs and ap- parel items. New merchandise includes a While the Galley Gift Shop book by local authors Marty and Museum Store stock The Museum Store features S. Knepper and John Shelton some of the same books of Iowa-made candles, small Lawrence, who have written local interest, each location pottery vases, George Lind- the first and only compre- offers slightly different gift blade’s books and films in- hensive story of Iowa films. ideas. Along with many tour- cluding “High Times on Lower The Book of Iowa Films covers ist related items from Iowa, 4th” and dinosaur toys and films made in Iowa, films set in Nebraska, and South Dakota, shirts. Sioux City Museum & Historical Association ANNUAL REPORT Fiscal Year 2013 – 2014 • July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014 Sioux City Public Museum Sergeant Floyd River Mu- the Museum, the 48 public seum & Welcome Center. programs for youth groups in- A redesigned website was cluded everything from “Kid’s launched providing more Thursdays” to Boy Scout and up-to-date information about Girl Scout events. The 43 all three Museum sites. Along adult public programs on-site With the Sioux City Public with social media efforts, the included lectures, special Museum entering its fourth Museum’s photo kiosk ex- events and the “History at year downtown, the need to panded e-mail marketing to High Noon” series. Museum showcase the facility in new more than 2,500 subscribers. staff and volunteer Gallery ways prompted partnerships Guides led 83 school groups and new marketing efforts. In FY14, outreach increased and adult groups on tours. dramatically by reaching In October 2013, the Sioux high school students in large The Research Center served City Public Museum along numbers. In addition, 49 off- 931 researchers in FY14: 258 with the Sioux City Art Center site programs were given to in-house researchers; 661 via hosted the Iowa Museum As- adult and youth groups. At phone; and 12 via mail/e-mail. sociation Conference. Muse- um professionals from across Haddock memorial finds new home the state were impressed by With the construction of the downtown facility’s ex- the Hard Rock Casino in hibit design, use of technolo- downtown last year, the gy, and archival storage. The marker commemorating Museum also participated in the murder of Rev. George Fall Fest with other communi- Haddock had to be moved ty attractions for the first time from its location on Water and hosted more Historic Street. The memorial is now Preservation Week events. on display at the Museum near the “Ghost in the Mirror” The Museum & Historical As- interactive which features sociation received a grant a likeness of Haddock. The from the Iowa Tourism Office removal of the marker has to develop rack cards for spurred renewed interest in both the Museum and the the slain prohibitionist. Attendance/Service Statistics Sioux City Public Museum - 39,360 Sgt. Floyd River Museum & Welcome Center - 21,260 Outreach and Research - 9,054 The Sioux City Public Museum collects, preserves, and interprets cultural and social history with an emphasis on Sioux City and the region. Welcome Center The Sergeant Floyd River Mu- history camp in July seum & Welcome Center cel- 2013 was a 42 foot ebrated its 25th anniversary mackinaw-style boat in May 2014. After bringing built by Butch Bouvier the decommissioned vessel of Onawa, Iowa. The to Sioux City, the boat was boat is similar to the dry-docked and opened to pirogues of the Lewis the public on May 15, 1989. & Clark Expedition. Owned and operated by the City of Sioux City, and now a Throughout the years, part of the Sioux City Public the Floyd’s visitor Museum, the anniversary was counts have fluctu- celebrated with three days ated, but have re- of open house activities. Mike Koller (right), a member of the Floyd’s crew during bounded from the the Bicentennial Tour of 1975-76, joined Welcome Center Supervisor Kathy Meisner at the open house. A display of flood of 2011. Group The Floyd has served as an Koller’s donated personal collection of memorabilia was and school tours in Iowa Welcome Center since unveiled during the 25th anniversary celebration. FY14 were steady with its inception, providing maps Two annual events on the 53 groups averaging 47 visi- and travel information to Welcome Center’s grounds, tors per group, while overall thousands of visitors from the Sioux City Museum & His- attendance increased sig- around the globe. Most have torical Association’s Bill Dia- nificantly. TheSergeant Floyd never been to Sioux City mond Antique and Classic continues to receive rave before, giving the staff and Car Show and the Sergeant reviews; as visitors from Sioux volunteers the opportunity Floyd Memorial Encamp- Falls, SD noted, “Great Wel- to share the city’s rich history ment, remain popular with come Center! Knowledge- and show their tri-state hospi- local residents and tourists.