Hometown Teams Exhibit travels to Neal Center

Several Nicholas County citizens have loaned their band uniforms, cheerleading sweaters and other sports memorabilia for the Home Town Teams Exhibit and can been seen along with the Smithsonian items that are now on display through Aug. 18 at the Neal Welcome Center in downtown Carlisle. Photos by Ross Haney.

“The Hometown Teams Exhibit has revitalized the spirit of what once was and hopefully will be again, pride in our small towns and support for the home team,” Greg Messenger, Rowlesburg, W.Va., exhibit co-coordinator, host of Hometown Teams said.

The Smithsonian’s Hometown Teams Exhibit has recently traveled to Carlisle and is on display at the Neal Welcome Center upstairs in the Mozart Hall at 108 West Main Street.

The exbibit is part of the Museum on Main Street program from the Smithsonian Institute and sponsored by the Kentucky Humanities Council.

In addition to the Smithsonian exhibition, local sports memorabilia from Nicholas County is included as well and is available free to the public through Aug. 18, 2017, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and on Sunday 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

Nicholas County Historical Society’s president, Michelle McDonald, said the opportunity to host the Hometown Teams Exhibit has taken a few years, but it has been well worth the wait.

“It’s been two years in the making since we started this journey for the chance to have the traveling exhibition in our hometown. Ann Kingsolver, who is familiar with all that the KHC does, recommended this project and thought we would be a good match for the Hometown Teams Exhibit because they were looking for smaller towns who may not have access to good quality museum exhibits such as this. It’s hard to explain what this is until you see it in person. You don’t have to be a sports fan to appreciate and enjoy this spectacular exhibition. The Smithsonian’s Hometown Teams traveling exhibition examines the many roles that sports play in American society. Hometown sports are more than just games, they shape our lives and unite us and celebrate who we are as Americans I think there is something that will be of interest to everyone,” McDonald said.

Gladys Shrout with Carlisle Tourism was especially happy to see the local displays.

“I’m very proud of all the exhibits that have been brought in. There is one display that is dear to my heart and that is the Carlisle High School exhibit. Carlisle High School was closed in 1963 when the schools consolidated. I graduated in 1962. We were so blessed to get the window that came out of the cloak room at Carlisle High School. Mary Ellen Humphrey Lucas donated the stained-glass window. The old clock we looked at every morning as we went up the steps is on display, along with cheerleading sweaters, ball uniforms, pictures, trophy’s and yearbooks. One of the most beautiful items is the majorette outfit that was handmade by Jane Ellen Booth for Judy Giffen Judge and there is Nell Wilson’s cheerleading cardigan. Henry Clark, our hometown hero, went on to play in the cotton bowl and scored the last two points to win the game. His wife was so gracious to loan us his sports memorabilia,” Shrout said.

Chamber of Commerce administrative assistant, Jerry Johnson assisted with setting up the exhibit and was thrilled to discover the quality of each item that came with the program.

“This has really been a wonderful experience. We have more than 300 local items on loan and several PowerPoint presentations. There is even an application where you can record your own sports memories and they will be archived in the Smithsonian Institute. In one of the displays is an old transistor radio that brought back memories of how I listened to ballgames,” Johnson said. “Getting to hear some of the stories from those who have brought in the local items has been extra fun and interesting,” Johnson added.

The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition was designed to engage conversation within a community and to open doors to history, and culture as well as to build a sense of local pride in small-town America.

Plan a day trip to the Neal Welcome Center in downtown Carlisle and see in person what all the excitement is about.