PRESS RELEASES 
THE GLACIER’S GIFT
Museum unveils design for ice age exhibit
Plain Dealer (Wabash, Indiana) May 6, 2005
By Sheila Rhoades
When the first floor of the Wabash County Historical Museum opens in November, guests will be welcomed by an awesome sight – The Glacier’s Gift.
The sculpture will be a part of the Natural History Exhibit and will endeavor to tell the story of the glaciers – which moved through Indiana thousands of years ago – and how they shaped our community today.
The 25-foot, three dimensional sculpture will be the centerpiece of the museum. It will not only tell the story of the ice age, but will reveal the history of the waterways and their importance to the early inhabitants.
The Glacier’s Gift will compare the landscape before the reservoir system was put into place and show visitors what it looks like today.
The sculpture will be “reflective and colorful,” according to Craig Kerger, design engineer from Formations, the Portland, Ore., firm working on the museum’s design.
As Kerger spoke to the museum’s board of directors on Thursday, he was ironing out the exhibit’s details, of which there will be many.
Fused amid the artwork will be partial, life-sized replicas of wildlife indigenous to the area. Accuracy is of the utmost importance to board members, who insist that only wildlife, rocks, fossils and crops from this area – existing during that time in history – be included.
Fifty birds from the region will also be recreated in silhouette, with some suspended for effect. Embedded within the historic tree will be hidden turtles, deer, squirrels and frogs to “create many teachable moments,” Kerger explained.
The Glacier’s Gift, a monument to local history, will sit atop a multi-level base, complete with drawers and panels designed to hold fossils, leaves, tool and geological layers among other items. It will serve as another interactive tool enhancing the learning experience.
The new exhibit also creates another “naming opportunity” for those who would like to make a donation in the name of a loved one. For more information on how you can contribute, call Beth Stein at 563-9070.