Discover Uncover

Contemporary Curation: Collecting Artifacts and their Stories for Future Generations

Collecting historical artifacts doesn’t always mean seeking out the old. Museums also collect contemporary artifacts, as well as the stories surrounding those objects, for the benefit of future generations. In this podcast episode Curator Geoff Woodcox and Registrar Sarah Dickinson show some contemporary pieces in the Sloan Museum history collection and the significance they hold for future museum-goers. Sarah also talks about the donation process for anyone who thinks they may have an artifact of significance that will help tell the stories from Flint and Genesee County. You can download a form and learn more about artifact donation at SloanLongway.org/artifact-donation [http://sloanlongway.org/artifact-donation].

From Crisis to Care Community Exhibit Tells Evolution of Emergency Response in Genesee County

Hosts Geoff Woodcox and Sarah Dickenson delve into the backstory of a new community gallery exhibition at Sloan Museum that will open June 25, 2024. “From Crisis to Care” is a community exhibition showcasing the evolution of Hurley Medical Center from one small institution serving Flint to its current status as a Level I trauma center with an international footprint. It also showcases the evolution of emergency response into the system we have now, from your first call to 911 to what happens in the emergency room and general treatment floors. The exhibit was a year-long, collaborative project between Sloan Museum curatorial staff, Exhibit team members, and staff of Hurley Medical Center who generously provided artifacts and directed the story. Also partnering on the exhibit is Patriot Ambulance Service, which provided artifacts including a real ambulance. If you have a personal connection to one of our podcast historical topics, an artifact relating to Flint or Genesee County history, or have a burning question prompted by one of our past podcasts, please call (810) 237-3417 and leave a voicemail (we may use your question on air), or email us at Podcast@SloanLongway.org [Podcast@SloanLongway.org]

The 1950 Buick Estate Wagon “Woodie” from Sloan’s Historical Vehicle Collection

Wood-paneled vehicles from the 1940s and 1950s became affectionately known as “Woodies” by historic car enthusiasts. Curator of Collections Geoff Woodcox and Registrar and Exhibits Liaison Sarah Dickinson go into the backstories of a wood-paneled 1950 Buick Estate Wagon that’s part of Sloan’s historic vehicle collection. Donated in 1969 by Donald Mitchell, the President of Ionia Manufacturing Company, this “Woodie” is an example of General Motors’ outsourcing for niche vehicles. This podcast episode also gives listeners and viewers insights into the automotive design elements that emerged after WWII and how post-war popular culture influenced both the buyers and the manufacturers. If you have a personal connection to one of our podcast historical topics, an artifact relating to Flint or Genesee County history, or have a burning question prompted by one of our past podcasts, please call (810) 237-3417 and leave a voicemail (we may use your question on air), or email us at Podcast@SloanLongway.org [Podcast@SloanLongway.org]

Old Money – a Peek Inside a Rare Coin Collection Spanning 2000 Years

Hidden away in the vast artifact collection at Sloan Museum is a coin and bill collection that spans 2000 years, dating from an ancient Roman coin dated 240 BCE, through American colonial coins from the 1600s and a $7 hand-signed bill in 1775, and up through the 19th century. Altogether, there are about 600 pieces that were primarily transferred from the Genesee County Historical Society. Sloan’s Curator of Collections Geoff Woodcox and co-host Sarah Dickinson, Registrar & Exhibit Liaison, go down into the Sloan Collections and bring out these rare coins for an interesting peek into geo-politics and history through money from the past. If you have a personal connection to one of our podcast historical topics, an artifact relating to Flint or Genesee County history, or have a burning question prompted by one of our past podcasts, please call (810) 237-3417 and leave a voicemail (we may use your question on air), or email us at Podcast@SloanLongway.org [Podcast@SloanLongway.org]

Flint Faience Tiles – AC Spark Plug’s Clever Spinoff That Beautified the World

Sloan Museum Curator of Collections, Geoff Woodcox, tells the intriguing genesis of Flint Faience Tiles. This short-lived tile company began with an unusual partnership between French-born Albert Champion, who founded AC Spark Plug (now ACDelco), and an entrepreneurial Belgian-born ceramic tile artist named Carl Bergmans. Faience is a style of tile named after a village in Italy and was very popular in the early 20th century. During the early days of spark plug manufacturing, there were times when the kilns used to produce the ceramic insulators were not in use. Tilemaker Bergmans approached Champion in 1921 about using the kilns to produce decorative tiles and a clever new business was born. At its peak, Flint Faience Tiles were used on cruise ships, schools, factories, and homes around the United States. There is a small exhibit of Flint Faience Tiles in the History Gallery that tells the story of this unusual partnership between an enterprising automotive parts supplier and an innovative artist. If you have a personal connection to one of our podcast historical topics, an artifact relating to Flint or Genesee County history, or have a burning question prompted by one of our past podcasts, please call (810) 237-3417 and leave a voicemail (we may use your question on air), or email us at Podcast@SloanLongway.org [Podcast@SloanLongway.org]