Museum project presents 19th century life
By Joanne Fox, Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, July 07, 2008
Bob Huibregtse stands next to a new exhibit at the Sioux County Heritage Center Museum in Orange City, Iowa, that is a re-creation of a typical 19th century Dutch living area. (Staff photo by Jerry Mennenga)
ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- You would have thought the folks in this Sioux County community would be well aware of their culture.
Not so, said a volunteer who guided a multiyear project that includes the re-creation of a typical 19th century Dutch living area at the Sioux County Heritage Center Museum.
"The role of a museum has always been to pass on information to the next generation," said Bob Huibregtse. "We're hoping this will get people even more interested in their heritage."
The display illustrates the standard of living of an average landowner in the 1800s in the Netherlands. Pewter plates and three-tine forks are on the table. A tablecloth with an intricate design covers a small table, at which two high-backed wooden chairs sit.
Blue tile surrounds the fireplace, which has a kettle all set to boil. A straw broom stands ready to sweep out debris and ash from a fire. Attention was even given to replicate the hearth curtains, said Huibregtse.
"They kept smoke fumes out of the room and going up the chimney instead," he explained.
To one side is a cabinet bed that kids really enjoy for its diminutiveness, Huibregtse said.
"In the wet days, country people would sleep sitting up in case a flood would suddenly happen," he said. "We wanted to make this all as accurate as we could."
Adjacent to the living area is a display of folk clothing from Volendam, the community best known for its women's high, pointed bonnets.
"It's really interesting to see the meticulous detail in the costume," Huibregtse said.
In close proximity to the Dutch living area is a display that explains European immigrants' arrival in Sioux County, as well as documentation about the voyages. A ship's manifest shows Henrick (Henry) Hospers, one of the first to take up residence in the area.
People fly to Europe and think nothing of the time it takes, Huibregtse said. That was not the case for immigrants who came to the United States. For example, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the 1600s took eight weeks; in the 1840s, the same journey took six weeks and by 1870, it was cut to four weeks.
"Many times, individuals booked themselves as "cargo" rather than passengers," Huibregtse explained, "because the cost was less."
Immigrants first came to Pella, Iowa, around 1840 and then, since farmland was available in the Orange City area, more folks embraced the offer, moving once again from 1870 to 1914, Huibregtse said. But an 1860 lithograph illustrates the "Early Soo River," and letters written in 1866 and '67 to relatives back in England show that settlers were slowing moving in.
"The census of 1870 showed 10 people in all of Sioux County," he added.
Huibregtse, 72, said the project got off the ground because Sioux County Historical Society members wanted to make learning about the history of the area unique. Last year was the first year for the additions that tell the Dutch story from 1870 to 1890.
"Decorah has its Norwegians and Elk Horn has its Danish," Huibregtse said with a smile. "We should have our Dutch."
Before that, the museum had an exhibit of Victorian furniture in the area. The project joins an extensive American Indian collection and fossil collection the museum also has on display, Huibregtse said. During the year, docents provide tours for grade school pupils.
"Our favorite audiences are kids in fourth and fifth grade," he said. "They have a natural curiosity about all of this."
If you go
What: Sioux County Heritage Center Museum.
Where: Third Street, directly south of the Sioux County Courthouse, in Orange City.
When: Open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. the third Sunday of each month; also for special occasions and celebrations and by appointment.
Phone: Orange City Chamber of Commerce, 712- 737-4510.
Not so, said a volunteer who guided a multiyear project that includes the re-creation of a typical 19th century Dutch living area at the Sioux County Heritage Center Museum.
"The role of a museum has always been to pass on information to the next generation," said Bob Huibregtse. "We're hoping this will get people even more interested in their heritage."
The display illustrates the standard of living of an average landowner in the 1800s in the Netherlands. Pewter plates and three-tine forks are on the table. A tablecloth with an intricate design covers a small table, at which two high-backed wooden chairs sit.
Blue tile surrounds the fireplace, which has a kettle all set to boil. A straw broom stands ready to sweep out debris and ash from a fire. Attention was even given to replicate the hearth curtains, said Huibregtse.
"They kept smoke fumes out of the room and going up the chimney instead," he explained.
To one side is a cabinet bed that kids really enjoy for its diminutiveness, Huibregtse said.
"In the wet days, country people would sleep sitting up in case a flood would suddenly happen," he said. "We wanted to make this all as accurate as we could."
Adjacent to the living area is a display of folk clothing from Volendam, the community best known for its women's high, pointed bonnets.
"It's really interesting to see the meticulous detail in the costume," Huibregtse said.
In close proximity to the Dutch living area is a display that explains European immigrants' arrival in Sioux County, as well as documentation about the voyages. A ship's manifest shows Henrick (Henry) Hospers, one of the first to take up residence in the area.
People fly to Europe and think nothing of the time it takes, Huibregtse said. That was not the case for immigrants who came to the United States. For example, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the 1600s took eight weeks; in the 1840s, the same journey took six weeks and by 1870, it was cut to four weeks.
"Many times, individuals booked themselves as "cargo" rather than passengers," Huibregtse explained, "because the cost was less."
Immigrants first came to Pella, Iowa, around 1840 and then, since farmland was available in the Orange City area, more folks embraced the offer, moving once again from 1870 to 1914, Huibregtse said. But an 1860 lithograph illustrates the "Early Soo River," and letters written in 1866 and '67 to relatives back in England show that settlers were slowing moving in.
"The census of 1870 showed 10 people in all of Sioux County," he added.
Huibregtse, 72, said the project got off the ground because Sioux County Historical Society members wanted to make learning about the history of the area unique. Last year was the first year for the additions that tell the Dutch story from 1870 to 1890.
"Decorah has its Norwegians and Elk Horn has its Danish," Huibregtse said with a smile. "We should have our Dutch."
Before that, the museum had an exhibit of Victorian furniture in the area. The project joins an extensive American Indian collection and fossil collection the museum also has on display, Huibregtse said. During the year, docents provide tours for grade school pupils.
"Our favorite audiences are kids in fourth and fifth grade," he said. "They have a natural curiosity about all of this."
If you go
What: Sioux County Heritage Center Museum.
Where: Third Street, directly south of the Sioux County Courthouse, in Orange City.
When: Open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. the third Sunday of each month; also for special occasions and celebrations and by appointment.
Phone: Orange City Chamber of Commerce, 712- 737-4510.
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