News release from the History Center:
History Center Will Host IHS’s The Great War: From Ration Lines to the Front Lines Traveling Exhibit
(January 25, 2016) — The History Center will host The Great War: From Ration Lines to the Front Lines, one of the Indiana Historical Society’s (IHS’s) newest traveling exhibitions, January 30 – February 29, 2016. The exhibition will be on display at the History Center located at 302 East Berry Street in downtown Fort Wayne, open Monday – Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 12-5pm
Indiana’s contributions during the First World War went far beyond the men and women who were drafted or volunteered for overseas duty. Tens of thousands left home for European battlefields, hospitals, and training camps, and several thousand never returned. The scale of the war and the vast amount of mobilized resources unavoidably drew Hoosiers statewide into the war effort with long-lasting effects.
Indiana’s diverse residents experienced the Great War in distinct ways. While those of German heritage faced discrimination, African Americans and women pointed to their wartime contributions years later when advocating for social and political rights. As a result of war-time industry and the demand for steel, machinery, and equipment to power the Allied War effort, cities such as Indianapolis, South Bend, and Gary experienced economic booms that drew them even closer to the war.
The exhibit explores the roots of World War I, America’s entrance into the war, Indiana’s participation in and contributions to the war effort, the evolution of warfare, the role of Hoosier women both at home and abroad, Germans in Indiana, efforts for lasting peace, the construction of the American Legion building and the Indiana War Memorial, and more. The exhibit will be supplemented with local artifacts, documents, and images from the History Center’s historical collection.
The Great War: From Ration Lines to the Front Lines is made possible by Kroger. For more information about this exhibit, call 260-426-2882 or visit www.fwhistorycenter.com. To learn more about the IHS and its programs, call (317) 232-1882 or visit https://indianahistory.org/.
About IHS Traveling Exhibitions
Historical societies, museums, libraries, schools and other nonprofit organizations in Indiana can book this and other traveling exhibits through IHS’s Local History Services Department. Exhibits may be borrowed for approximately four to five weeks at a time. To book an exhibit, please contact Karen DePauw at localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org or (317) 233-3110. For more information about the traveling exhibit program, visit https://indianahistory.org/.About the Indiana Historical Society
Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the state’s history. A private, nonprofit membership organization, IHS maintains the nation’s premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor exhibitions called the Indiana Experience. IHS also provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; produces and hosts art exhibitions, museum theater and outside performance groups; and provides youth, adult and family programming.
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