Todd Steenbergen, left, points to a case of political memorabilia as Jessie Brown, right, looks onward and reflects on past elections in Barren County. Both individuals are are history teachers. The two were among the crowd gathered at the museum on Thursday, July 29, 2022, for the latest unveiling of exhibits.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
BY BRENNAN D. CRAIN, WCLU News
GLASGOW — After nine years from the idea’s inception, a slew of exhibits were unveiled Thursday at the Southcentral Kentucky Cultural Center.
The third floor of the former Kentucky Pants Factory was a storage area for the longest time. Volunteers and museum staff started the journey to clean the area and started building the new exhibits about three years ago.
“It was a longtime coming,” said Katie Reece, executive director of the museum.
The museum features three sprawling floors of exhibits, which range from early Native American times in the Barrens to the latest exhibition of life in the area during the 1960s and 1970s. Volunteers work to collaborate, research and build each exhibit.
Kay Harbison, a museum volunteer, acted as the curator for much of the upstairs exhibit. Museumgoers marveled at the work she completed to recreate scenes of days gone by in the Barrens.
Among the new exhibits are a Cold War-era bunker remodeled from former dentist Fred Ganter’s home, a robust election machine from Hiseville, and a suit worn by former Kentucky Governor Louie B. Nunn. Other exhibits feature local politics and others showcase photographs and information about notable members of the area.
Jessie Brown is entering his sixtieth years in the classroom. He started a career in Glasgow as a social studies teacher in 1963 and continues to serve as a substitute teacher. He’s seen several aspects of local history play out like when the daughter of former Gov. Nunn was among his pupils.
“I think it’s a great place for them to see the memorabilia of history,” he said. “Of course, I’m 82 years old, so a lot of this I can remember – the things that have happened. It’s good.”
The pandemic halted most of the exhibits’ construction, but they resumed over the last few months.
Gayle Berry, a former museum director and longtime volunteer, donated several items for an exhibit, which showcases items from a former S&H Green Stamps store in the area. An end table, a lamp, bedspread, coffee pot, and a green Rival Crockpot were among the items she donated.
“It was a good memory back in the 70s,” she said.
Folks were given green stamps as an incentive for items they purchased. Those stamps were saved, compiled in a book and returned to the store. Items were then purchased with the credits.
The museum seeks to highlight history from all counties of the Barrens, which includes Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, Monroe and Allen counties.
The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday’s hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free though donations are appreciated.
Find more information about the museum here.
