Coffee Gallery displays undergoing renovation
CHADRON – School groups, researchers and visitors will be able to view two new displays in the C.F. Coffee Gallery, located in the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center on the Chadron State College campus this fall. The space, on the lower level of the center, is dedicated to the local history of the cattle ranching industry
Sarah Polak, center director, said the reimagined exhibits were included in the long-term plans for the gallery as time, funding and artifacts became available. They will feature interactive elements and larger graphics.
Tammi Littrel, historian, said she is excited about both the “Plains in Transition” and “Then and Now” exhibits.
“The ‘Plains in Transition’ exhibit describes the transformation of land use as the public domain converted to private ownership via various settlement acts such as the Homestead Act and in parts of Nebraska, the Kinkaid Act. It also details how High Plains ranching adapted to the change,” she said. “The ‘Then and Now’ exhibit is interactive allowing visitors to move large blocks to explore how different aspects of ranching have changed or, in some cases, stayed the same over time.”
During the research phase, Dr. Ron Bolze, associate professor in applied sciences, and his students collaborated with Littrel.
Littrel presented a guest lecture to the CSC class about the history of cattle in the Americas. Subsequently, she polled the students regarding recent changes in ranching and the importance of those changes to the students and their futures in agriculture.
“Having student input for the ‘Then and Now’ display was important,” she said.
The renovation also include a new research area where visitors can sit at a table and read copies of historic brand books and brand registers from the 1880s to 1905. Original brand books are on display. Polak said some families want to learn when their brand was originally registered, while other visitors are simply fascinated with the various brands.
“The brand books are a great resource for anyone interested in ranching or plains history. Not only do they record the brands and markings for each ranch but also give a description of where these cattle grazed or ranged. The ranges were described in geographic terms such as, ‘from the Cheyenne River in the west to the White River in the east.’ They help researchers visualize the days of the Open Range era,” Littrel said.
Polak said the gallery remains open during the project, which is schedule to be completed in late August.
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Category: Campus News