Warsaw Grad Curator Of Lincoln Exhibits At Indianapolis Museum
Warsaw Grad Curator Of Lincoln Exhibits At Indianapolis Museum
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Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Grad Curator Of Lincoln Exhibits At Indianapolis MuseumINDIANAPOLIS - Dale Ogden wanted to be a teacher.
After getting his undergraduate degree at Indiana University and going to graduate school in Bloomington, he hoped to teach history.
Ogden is teaching history, but not in the way he imagined.Ogden is the senior curator at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis.
"The opportunity just kind of opened up," said Ogden
Under the category of "local boy makes good", Ogden grew up in Winona Lake and graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 1971 before going on to IU.
Now Ogden is doing his part to allow thousands to learn more about Abraham Lincoln. Not just the myth of Lincoln but the man himself.
"With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition" is at the state museum on loan from the Library of Congress.
"With Charity For All: The Lincoln Foundation Collection" is the museum's own collection.
The Library of Congress display will be at the state museum until April 11, while the museum's exhibit will be shown until July 25.
As many as 50,000 people are expected to view the exhibits.
"My job is to identify items that go into the exhibition," said Ogden, "and to create a storyline for the exhibition."
Ogden said some of the most interesting objects are family photographs that became available when the last Lincoln heir died in 1985.
"A lot of the photos would have been in the living quarters of the White House," said Ogden.
Often noted as the first photographed U.S. president, there are many iconic images of Lincoln.
Ogden said his job is to bring another side to Lincoln other than the man who gave the Gettysburg Address or as the boy who did schoolwork by candlelight.
Ogden said the exhibits are a way for Indiana to lay claim to Lincoln as its native son.
Though born in Kentucky, Lincoln lived in Indiana from ages 7 to 21 before moving to Illinois.
"Many of the legends we learned about (Lincoln) would have happened while he lived in Indiana," said Ogden.
One item of interest that is currently on display at the state museum is the Bible that Lincoln took the oath of office with when he became president. It's the same Bible President Barack Obama used when he was sworn in last year.
Also on the display is an early draft of the Gettysburg Address.
There are also things like toys belonging to Lincoln's son, Tad, as well as personal items of Lincoln's.
"When dealing with Lincoln, it's difficult to get beyond the mythology," said Ogden. "Sometimes Lincoln is too easily caricatured. This exhibit does a very good job of going beyond that."
Fore more information, visit www.indianamuseum.org or call 317-232-1637.
The museum is at 650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis.
