Telling new, old stories
Shaw hopes to build on historical society's successes as executive director
Anne Shaw always wanted to work in a museum. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology and a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation, hoping to make that dream come true. But for years, it appeared her career path in would keep that dream out of reach.
For more than 20 years, Shaw worked as an investigator in architectural history and archaeology. She did federal compliance work for civil engineering firms, taught college classes, and even served as a recruiter and planner for the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce in Crawfordsville, her hometown.
That all changed in November, when Shaw was hired as the Howard County Historical Society’s executive director.
“I did all these things for 20 years, but they were never really what I wanted to do as a career,” said Shaw. “My original goal was to work in a museum. So, when this opportunity came up, I felt like it was meant to be.”
Shaw moved to Kokomo in 2017 and quickly became involved in the local historical society. She worked as a volunteer and was appointed to the board of trustees. When the director’s position opened, she took the leap and applied for the position. Her dream came true.
“It was easy to think about being here,” said Shaw. “I knew the staff and board already. I think it is a great organization. They know their stuff, and they are very good at it. It seemed like an opportunity to fulfill my original career goal as well as work with people I knew and liked.
“Also, I live three blocks away, which doesn’t hurt.”
The board of trustees was particularly pleased to have Shaw lead the organization, given her background, education, and involvement.
“We are very excited to be welcoming Anne into the position of executive director,” said HCHS board president Linda Ferries. “We look forward to working with her to move the HCHS forward in our mission of ‘collecting, preserving and sharing the diverse history of all peoples of Howard County.’"
Shaw took the director’s chair at a busy time. Christmas at the Seiberling, the historical society’s flagship event, was just a few weeks away from opening. She had to hit the ground running. Once the holiday season passed, however, Shaw began mapping out how she hopes to lead the organization in 2023.
“I would like to really continue what has been going on as a foundation, and then move us forward in the direction of education in Howard County history,” said Shaw. “I want to be able to represent that history to people in ways that are meaningful.
“My goal is to get people into the museum, let them see our exhibits. We’re working on what we feel will be good to educate people about this year. Working with the board, I am very excited to tweak some things and make experiences better for our visitors and volunteers.”
Shaw intends to use the technology of today to connect people to the past. A self-proclaimed “social media person,” she feels the best way to raise awareness of Howard County’s rich history is to reach people online.
“I’d like to get back to a high level of interest on social media because it is a great way to reach people,” said Shaw, noting that former executive director Dave Broman was an advocate of using the platform.
Shaw’s first year likely will be focused upon maintaining and improving the historical society’s current offerings. The museum’s annual events – Mr. Kingston’s Car Show, From Dark Pages, Christmas at the Seiberling, and the Howard County Hall of Legends – all are slated to return in 2023. But she does have some ideas and aspirations that range beyond what is already planned.
“I would like to have spring events; I love the museum property in the spring,” said Shaw. “I also would like to establish community walking tours, where you could use a mobile app to understand the architecture and history of the community as you visit.”
Shaw is confident there is no shortage of stories about Howard County’s history to tell. When she first arrived in the community, she knew that Kokomo was a gas boom town. She was aware of the automotive heritage that exists here. But there were other aspects of the city’s history that surprised her.
“I tell people it amazed me how different the history here is,” said Shaw. “It almost feels like a different regional area. I had no idea the details of the stories about the Miami tribe and that the last reserve was here. That history, to me, is much more present. That took me by surprise.
“The car industry, obviously, has a lot of history here. But I had no idea about Kokomo Opalescent Glass and the importance of its history before I moved here. There is just so much stuff you may not see or know about. I’d love to go back in time and see what Kokomo looked like at the start. I’d love to see what the Miami village looked like and how they interacted with European settlers coming in.”
Native American history is one area Shaw feels the historical society can embrace and share with the community. She has worked with local Native American historians and activists Sally Tuttle and Gil Porter to help them tell the Miami story, but there is much more ground to cover.
“We try to work closely with tribes and local historians,” said Shaw. “Being able to work with people from Native American backgrounds and cultures is imperative, I think. You can’t tell the community’s story if you aren’t including them in it. It’s something that is very prominent here. They have to be at the table.
“Then, to take that history, that information, and share it with so many people who just didn’t know or don’t understand what Kokomo used to be, our staff does an amazing job. We’re trying to focus on stories that haven’t really been told – Native American stories, African American stories, people who have lived here but haven’t been talked about much in the past. It’s not all about famous white guys.”
The Seiberling Mansion reopened for the year at the beginning of February, and it won’t be long before the museum launches its major exhibit for the year. Shaw said the historical society is still working out the details on this year’s offering, but it will be announced soon. Regardless of the new feature’s content, there is always something new to discover at the Seiberling, she said.
“Every time I go into the mansion, there is something I didn’t see before,” said Shaw. “You can walk in that house for hours and still find things you haven’t seen. And it’s all beautiful. As we move forward as an organization, we’ll be able to interpret the house and the grounds and learn more things.”
The historical society is only as good as the people involved in it. The professional staff is at the top of its game, Shaw contended, but it takes the entire community to tell the story. She hopes to encourage people to get involved in Howard County history through the society and the museum.
“I don’t know all of the stories; nobody does,” said Shaw. “But everyone has stories about Kokomo and Howard County and its history. If they come and tell us their stories, we have more to tell everybody else.
“We’re looking forward to a really great year. We’ll build on the momentum generated in past years. We just want people to come see us, become members, and get involved.”
To become a member of the historical society, application forms are available at the society office – 1200 W. Sycamore St. -- or people can apply online at www.howardcountymuseum.org. Membership via a variable donation entitles patrons to benefits ranging from free museum admission for themselves, free passes for guests, discounts on special events and facility rentals, behind the scenes tours, a quarterly newsletter, and opportunities to participate in preserving Howard County history.