General Lew Wallace Study and Museum, Crawfordsville, IN

Web site: www.ben-hur.com
Press Contact: Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, clegutko@ben-hur.com, 765-362-5769

Study and museum grounds.

General Lew Wallace is best known as the author of Ben-Hur, the best-selling novel of the 19th century. But Ben-Hur was just one of Wallace’s many notable achievements. He was also a Union general in the Civil War, a military judge at Abraham Lincoln’s assassination trial, a statesman, governor, violinist, artist, architect, and inventor. So it is fitting that the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum uses Wallace’s illustrious life and accomplishments as a lens through which lessons of leadership, strong character, and lifelong learning can be taught to visitors and the community that it serves.

For almost a century, the grounds, study, and carriage house that made up General Wallace’s property were tended by one or two staffers whose jobs were to maintain the site and offer seasonal tours to the public; educational programming was not offered. In 2003, the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society positioned the property as a place where the community could gather to learn and decided to preserve the study and the artifacts therein, clean up the grounds, and restore the carriage house as the museum’s Interpretive Center.

The Carriage House Interpretive Center features an education room, a changing exhibit gallery, and a collections storage vault. In 2007, the museum’s programming theme was the Wallace Women (a nod to Wallace’s stepmother, an active suffragist; and Wallace’s wife, a notable author). The Carriage House held programs, inclu-ding the Brown Bag Book Club series and the Women Making a Difference Symposium, and served as the starting point for the Women’s Suffrage Walking Tour. These programs gave visitors a chance to delve into the history of the suffragist movement and learn about the issues facing women at the turn of the century.

The cornerstone of educational programming for school-aged children at the institution is the Lew Wallace Youth Academy. Established in 2005 for middle school students interested in history, the academy incorporates Wallace’s life story into lessons in problem solving, creating art, and serving others. Area schools preselect about half of the admitted students, and participants are taught by local professionals, scholars, historians, and college professors. Upon completion of their studies, students partici pate in a formal graduation ceremony attended by their families and friends.

With great strides made in its educational programming, the museum felt that it was time to institute an initiative that gave the rest of the community an invested interest in the estate and the museum. In 2007, the institution hosted its first annual Taste of Montgomery County event to help raise funds for the study and museum’s operating budget. The daylong festival held on the museum grounds drew 2,000 attendees and featured restaurants and caterers from around the county. The event attracted great corporate sponsorship, created an economic engine for small businesses in the Montgomery County area, and brought new people to the museum’s campus to celebrate local food and music.

That same year, the museum participated in a public forum called “Build a Better Downtown,” which asked that participants voice their concerns about, and ideas for, community revitalization that local institutions then tried to address. The museum became engaged in the initiatives that were developed as a result of this forum and, through its involvement, hopes to ensure long-range support for the museum’s services.

Through exceptional educational programming; collaborations with local and state organizations, including colleges, service organizations, and tourism groups; and community development opportunities, the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum fulfills its mission to “celebrate and renew belief in the power of the individual spirit to affect American history and culture.”

“The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville is a shining example of how well-preserved history can enrich our communities today," said Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN). "The innovative programs of the Lew Wallace Youth Academy provide a great service to the children of Indiana, creating a unique learning opportunity for middle school students. The museum is truly a community organization, hosting successful events for all of Montgomery County and taking an active role in the revitalization of downtown Crawfordsville. The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum is a point of pride in Indiana, and I congratulate the museum for this well-deserved honor.”

Community Member Gail Pebworth
Women’s Voting Activist and Historic Home Owner Motivated by Local Legend
When Gail Pebworth moved to Crawfordsville, Indiana, 41 years ago, she knew of the novel Ben Hur but nothing about its author, General Lew Wallace. Today, through her involvement with the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum, Pebworth has become well acquainted with the scope of Wallace’s life and accomplishments. She finds his life – and the life of his step-mother – to be an inspiration. Pebworth began her association with the museum when she joined its Lew Wallace Preservation Society, which was formed to preserve the Wallace’s study and grounds, and to bring more visitors to the site. Pebworth and her husband, who have been restoring an 1855 farmhouse, appreciated the advice of the visiting conservator at the study's Historic Home Preservation Workshop series. As the vice president of the League of Women Voters in Indiana, Pebworth was especially pleased to learn that Zerelda Wallace, Lew’s step-mother, was an active suffragist, and had testified on women’s right to vote before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Pebworth’s involvement with the museum has enriched her life and the museum that she loves.