In celebration of the National Park Service Centennial in 2016, this exhibit showcases one object from every national park museum collection in Indiana. We invite you to explore museum collections from George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.
Mural inside the George Rogers Clark Memorial. The capture of Fort Sackville by George Rogers Clark on February 25, 1779 was arguably the most important action of the Revolutionary War that occurred west of the Appalachian Mountains. Artist Ezra Winter captured this morning scene on linen. It depicts a confident George Rogers Clark accepting the surrender of British Lt. Governor Henry Hamilton. The capture of the fort began a chain of events that led to the United States claiming the Old Northwest Territory (the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the eastern portion of Minnesota).
George Rogers Clark National Historic Site, GERO 5
This projectile point was collected during one of several inventory and testing projects performed by the Midwest Archeological Center (MWAC) at prehistoric archeological sites within Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (INDU). These investigations helped to establish the significance of the area's archeological resources, and greatly increased our knowledge of INDU prehistory and our ability to effectively manage sites within the related portions of the park.
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, INDU 30614
Thomas Lincoln brought his wife Nancy Hanks and their young children, including Abraham, to Indiana in 1816 and stayed until 1830. It is here in southern Indiana that Thomas quickly set about building a cabin for his family and hewing a new life for his family out of the woods and fields with his carpentry skills. Shingling hatchets were crucial tools in that they had the combined utility of a hammer and a blade in one object. This shingling hatchet's specific age and origins are obscured through corrosion. The hatchet was recovered from Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial grounds during archeological investigations in 1999.
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, LIBO 1619
Park museum staff from: George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.
National Park Service, Museum Management Program Staff: Amber Dumler, Stephen Damm, Ron Wilson, and Joan Bacharach
