PBHH.org: Museum Exhibits

The 2008 exhibit opened on President’s Day and this year we are focusing on parades. During Benjamin Harrison’s campaign torchlight parades were very popular. We have several torches and paper lanterns on display from Harrison’s time. We borrowed items from several other institutions and collectors to round out our display covering William Henry Harrison to George W. Bush. Parade items changed through the years to include car toppers and bumper stickers.

One campaign piece that was very popular during the late 1800s is the campaign bandanna. Bandannas and ribbons would have been carried and worn by the parade participants. We have a few Harrison bandannas in our collection and are lucky to be able to include several new examples that are part of the recently acquired Harrison Collection. Bandannas of the late 1880s came in silk, linen, and cotton. Other similar textiles are handkerchiefs that are smaller in size.

Two early textiles of interest in the new Harrison Collection are a colored ribbon and silk inaugural invitation for William Henry Harrison. The March 1841 invitation is printed on silk with an image of William Henry at the top. The other decorations around the edges might have been added later. The colored ribbon is rare as most ribbons for WHH in 1840 are printed in black only and usually on a white or cream silk. There are a few examples on a colored silk, but this one has red, blue, and green in the decoration on the white ribbon.

Campaign torchlights were first patented in 1837, but did not really catch on until 1860. The “Wide-Awakes” a marching club for Lincoln began organizing torchlight parades, entertaining communities in the evenings when little else was found for diversion. Marching clubs continued on through the 1800s. The Columbia Club was founded in 1888 as a marching society for Benjamin Harrison.

Torches come in varying sizes and shapes. Many were homemade, while others could be ordered from suppliers. The basic torch of the canister variety consists of an oil reservoir for coal oil or kerosene, a capped hole to pour in the fuel, a wick, and a wire frame or strap to hold the torch from a pole or broom handle. Few have patent dates while other can be identified with a specific campaign.

The star shape was used in the 1860s. Rifle torches also make their appearance in 1860, but continue to be used through the 1880s. Rifle torches were used in “manual-of-arms” performances, many veterans of the Civil War joined the marching clubs. Examples are on display in the exhibit. One of the more detailed designs is the eagle torch. One eagle torch is in the Detroit Historical Society collection and is said to have been used in the 1860 campaign. Another example is in the DeWitt Collection and is identified as being used in William Henry Harrison’s 1841 inaugural parade.

Several fine examples of Benjamin Harrison torches are also exhibited and are hat shaped torches and a portrait torch. Many fine examples can be seen in our exhibit including a ballot box torch, punched hole McKinley lantern, fireman’s torch, Harrison collapsible paper lantern and helmet (hat) torches.

These wonderful items and many more will be on display from February 18, 2008 to November 9, 2008.

The special exhibit is included in the price of the daily tour.

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