The North Platte Historical Museum has received a $500 Richard S. Brownlee grant from the State Historical Society of Missouri.
The Richard S. Brownlee grant is awarded to help Missouri non-profits preserve their holdings and/or provide educational programs.
The Brownlee Fund is a memorial to longtime SHSMO Executive Director Richard S. Brownlee, who held this position from 1960 to 1985.
During his tenure, Brownlee built the State Historical Society of Missouri into a major specialized research library. Historically, the Brownlee Fund was presented as grants to individuals and organizations proposing to publish or otherwise document Missouri and its citizens. Current grants are given to cultural heritage institutions to preserve local records and provide access to local history.
While Brownlee was executive director, SHSMO’s holdings of newspapers, reference materials, and manuscripts tripled in size.
He also expanded the collection of Missouri genre paintings, featuring the works of George Caleb Bingham and Thomas Hart Benton. He developed a contemporary art collection, expanded the editorial cartoon collection, and widely loaned the artworks for exhibition.
Brownlee also wrote articles and essays, and edited the Missouri Historical Review and numerous historical publications.
“This is the second Brownlee grant the museum has received to purchase archival boxes to preserve military uniforms, dresses and fabrics in our collection,” Lynn Cassity, who is a board member and writes grants for the museum, said.
The grant money was used to purchase archival boxes for clothing, including military uniforms, wedding dresses and children’s clothing. Most of the military uniforms are from deceased area residents. Cassity said many veterans loan the museum their uniforms for their Veterans Day exhibit.
“Our oldest uniform is a Civil War era cadet’s uniform from a military academy,” Cassity said. “It was given to us by the Trawinski family in honor of their parents, the late Mike and Pam Trawinski. We also have the World War I accouterments of Dearborn’s Dr. Silas Durham, given by the lateLu Durham. Her father’s items are on permanent display in a glass case.Our boxes arrived last week and military uniforms will be safely preserved in these boxes in the coming days. We thank SHSMO for their generosity.”
This is the second grant the museum has received from the State Historical Society of Missouri. “We’ve also received grants from Missouri Humanities and the Platte County Parks and Recreation,” Cassity said. “Missouri Speakers Bureau also provided a grant for a program on a World War I soldier’s diary.”
Cassity also received notice recently that the museum has received a $400 grant from Missouri Humanities.
The NPHM staff members believe it’s important for people to support their local museums so that future generations can learn from their ancestors’ past.
“Probably because I’m older now and have heard or read of someone wondering why this is, or how this happened, I realize not everyone knows what occurred here,” Cassity said. “Museums can answer those questions. They can explain why today is like it is because of what happened in the past. It shapes the present. The past can help with a better tomorrow, if it’s remembered. Museums can help with that.”
She finds the past fascinating and particularly likes working for the museum and helping ensure that historical items are preserved.
“So many people lived their lives in so many different ways,” Cassity said. “The people who visit the museum and share information on local events and people are always fun to talk with. Working with the members who enjoy preserving our past and think it’s important is fun, too. Discovering anything new about the past in photos, relics, or stories is gratifying.”
As the museum grows, its needs change, and future grants will help to provide for some of those needs. Last year, a grant from the Platte County Parks and Recreation, called Music in the Museum, provided funds to hire musicians to perform during two of the museum’s exhibits.
“We hope to continue that program,” Cassity said. “We still need boxes to preserve newspapers, photos and ephemera. We also hope to have more speakers in the future.”
Local residents are also encouraged to help ensure the museum is supported and preserved for generations to come.
“We so appreciate the people who visit the museum on our exhibit days,” Cassity said. “We offer something different each month, so visiting the museum is a great way to support it. It’s free. We do offer memberships for $20, but sharing what we have and know about this area - Camden Point, Edgerton, Dearborn, New Market and Ridgely - is what we do. Visiting, sharing knowledge, and volunteering are great ways to support the museum.”