Happy....Spring?! Snow is coming this weekend, right as ECASD starts its spring break. While kids and educators are off, Chippewa Valley Museums staff will be making room for the next exhibit in our rotating gallery. Today (3/22) and Saturday (3/23) are your last days to see the Venture & Voice exhibit.

April is full of programs and there's a peek at May below, too.

Wisconsin for Kennedy Book Release

Tuesday, April 2, 6:30 - 7:30

Ever wonder about which Wisconsinites answered the call to build a more equitable future during J.F.K.'s presidential campaign? On Spring Election Day, join Chippewa Valley author B.J. Hollars for a reading, conversation and book release event at Chippewa Valley Museums. Discover behind-the-scenes stories of regular, everyday people from Wisconsin who were part of a political campaign that changed the course of history. Books will be available for purchase.

This event is free and open to the public thanks to support from museum members.

Reserve your free tickets and snag your seats by clicking "register" below. Walk-up admissions will be accommodated as space allows.

Remember to vote!

Civil War Program: The Controversial Major General George Meade

Tuesday, April 9, 6:30 - 7:30pm

Meet General George Meade who was known as the, “da_ned old goggle-eyed snapping turtle." Retired Colonel Gary Carlberg presents, in character, the story of General George Meade. From Meade’s younger years at West Point, to his achievements in command of the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War, the audience will experience an immersive retelling of events.

This program is made possible with ongoing financial support from Eau Claire County.

Reserve your FREE ticket in advance to guarantee a seat for this program. Walk-up admissions will be accommodated as space allows. 

Changes in the Land with John Muetz of Beaver Creek Reserve 

Saturday, April 13, 2:30 - 3:30

As we approach the commemoration of Earth Day, Beaver Creek Reserve and Chippewa Valley Museums have come together to host this eco-friendly program. Discover how the Wisconsin landscape has changed throughout history and the impact that people have had on the environment. 

Cost: $8 advance registration. Museum admission for walk-ins. FREE for Triple Play members. 

This program takes place at Chippewa Valley Museums.

Museum Thrift and Surplus Sale

Thursday - Saturday, April 18-21

Members Night: April 18

Celebrate Earth Day by bringing home items the museum can no longer use. This granddaddy of all thrift sales includes:

• photos used in past exhibits

• surplus office furnishings and shop equipment

• duplicate historic postcards, photos, and books

• miscellanous new-to-you treasures

• special collection of autographed sports memorabilia and books given to the museum to sell 

• and all kinds of non-artifact things found in museum buildings. 

Watch our Facebook and Instagram accounts for sale highlights.

Sale Hours: 

• Thursday, April 18, 5-8pm. Member Only

• Friday - Saturday, April 20-21, 10am - 4pm

• Sunday, April 22, 10am - 1pm 

Museum admission not required to attend sale

New Exhibit Opening April 9

Working America

April 9 - May 25

Save These Dates

There's a lot to do. Thank you for helping to make all this possible.

Peace,

Carrie Ronnander
Executive Director, Chippewa Valley Museums

P.S.  HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and HSHS St. Joseph Hospital closed today, Friday, March 22, 2024. By chance, I witnessed the removal of some Sacred Heart Hospital signage. It was an emotional moment as I reflected on the hospital's history and its legacy.

Felicity Boske from WQOW News 18 began working on a history of the two hospitals shortly after the closings were announced in late January. The link to the twenty-minute documentary is below. 

This story isn't finished. It will be years before we understand the full impact of these closures. Our understanding of the events and decisions leading up to the closures will also change. A generation from now people will be remembering and talking about this moment in time.

The 1992 closure of Eau Claire's Uniroyal tire factory sent similar shockwaves through the community. We're still discovering how this closing changed Eau Claire and the greater Chippewa Valley. Serendipitously, B.J. Hollars and Steve Dayton set out more than a year ago to detail the untold story of Uniroyal's closing. "At its heart, this is a story of resiliency, adaptation, and change,” said director B.J. Hollars in a recent news release.  “To understand the city we are today, we have to understand those people—and industry—that came before.”

Watch the official film trailer below. You can see the full documentary when it premieres May 3, 7:00 pm at the Pablo Center at the Confluence. A Q&A with plant employees and filmmakers follows the film. Tickets can be purchased using the button below. 

To weave it all together, the Chippewa Valley Museums' most recent Who What When podcast features B.J. and Steve talking about their documentary. During the podcast they discuss the surprising things they learned as well as the similarities and differences between Uniroyal and the recent health facilities closings.

Use the button below to listen to this and other podcasts in the Who What When series.

I've given you plenty to read, watch, listen to, and absorb. Luckily for those in Wisconsin, we're getting a humdinger of a snowstorm so you will have some indoor time to take all of this in.