Bardstown Museum

[Mcguire]

On our drive down to Outpost my pards and I decided to stop at the museum in Bardstown. Although generally impressed with the collection there were doubts as to the provenance of some of the items, in particular a number of the coats. There was one jacket my buddy insisted was a reproduction, however I am no expert so I could'nt debate his claims one way or the other.
I was wondering if anyone else came away with the same impression after viewing this collection.

[JordanRicketts]

Re: Bardstown Museum

Oh yeah I did as well, but you just got to take it for what it is when you look at the collection. But if you look past the junk they do have some nice stuff.

Jordan Ricketts

[sigsaye]

Re: Bardstown Museum

I live about 45 minutes from there. I focus on Navy , and the majority of stuff in their Navy section.....isn't. For example, they have a post 1917 undress blue jumper with the template for a post 1866 Petty Offficers badge, half filled in, and sewn to the sleeve. They have it displayed as a CW Petty Officers Frock. The same with the White frock displayed next to it. It is Mex War. They have several officers "Naval Officers" uniforms that are actually Civilian Merchant Officers.

They do have some correct authentic pieces, you just have to know what you are looking at and be able to sort it all out. They have a nice collection of personnal items, hat, hammock and blanket from a Sailor who served aboard Hartford at Mobile Bay, along with a photo of the Sailor wearing the hat and his papers. They also have stuff that while "Naval" may or may not be CW. Navy stuff did not exsist in the vacume of 1861-65, the same stuff was worn/used from 1859 into the 1870s, so maybe yes maybe no. But they lable it as CW

It is not really a museum as most of us understand the term. It is the collection of one local guy. He also has a WW 2 "musuem" there that I have not been in. After he collected so much stuff, he decided to build buildings to keep it all in. The last time I was there, none of the employees were actual museum folks, just folks to collect tickets and run the gift shop. The manager really knew nothing about the collection, what any of it was, where it came from etc. He wasn't a history guy. Again, if you know what you're looking at, it's a nice collection.

Steve Hesson

[Justin Runyon]

Re: Bardstown Museum

Several years ago, myself and a few others were given the keys to the place for an overnight viewing extravaganza (we were putting on a small LH for them that year) All of the material culture guys present (myself, Matt Caldwell, Jordan Ricketts) had some serious doubts about some of the pieces. On the other hand they have some real gems there as well.

[sigsaye]

Re: Bardstown Museum

Definately, as long as you know what you're looking at/for, you can find some reall prizes in there. You just have to know what you are looking at.

My main interest is USN 1886-1945, so finding an early undress blue jumper was a find for me. As a working uniform, few survived. Too bad it had that 1866 crow. Now that I reflect back on it, there was also a Bo's'uns call (pipe) on a piece of international orange nylon shot line around the nect of the form the jumper was on.

Steve Hesson

[ewtaylor]

Re: Bardstown Museum

Not only Bardstown, but many museums seem to have the same problem. I asked one of the workers (a few years ago) at the West Virginia Archives museum about mislabled or misidentified items, and she said they usually just take the donators word for it.
too bad,
everett taylor

[Federal Bummer]

Re: Bardstown Museum

As one who actually worked at the museum, there are questionable items. When I worked there I asked to see documentation on some items but it some how never got to me in one of those "Oh I forgot, I bring it mext time" deals.

The building is actually the old city water works and the area where the small village is used to be the small pool.

As it was said before, who have to know what your looking at. There aren several great pieces and several "mis-identified" (Broad nicer term) pieces in the collection.

The bulk belongs to two combined collectors and is on loan and can be taken away anytime. This is a reason a lot of people there don't speak up, I think.

A small portion belongs to another collector and is on loan for good

And probibly close to 5% the museum owns

[Thomas Alleman]

Re: Bardstown Museum

What about these.

[Matt Caldwell]

Re: Bardstown Museum

What about these.

Nice pics, wonder who took them :sarcastic

BTW, the penitentiary jacket (Prentice) looks to be fairly legit. A fair amount in the joint is ok, but others are far from correct including, but not limited to, the dozens of purported Confederate "battle flags."