Tennessee 4-H History Displays
After decades of planning and dreaming of an enduring exhibit documenting 4-H history, a permanent exhibit dedicated to Tennessee 4-H history now has a permanent home.
Located in the 4-H/FFA building at the Wilson County-Tennessee State Fair in Lebanon, the exhibit contains photos, artifacts and a timeline of Tennessee 4-H, but organizers are seeking much more.
TN 4-H/FFA Building at the Wilson County-Tennessee State Fair
See more: 4-H’ers Show Off at the Wilson County-Tennessee State Fair
All Call for Artifacts
Executive Director of 4-H Youth Development Ryan Hensley says staff are soliciting items and photos to grow and enhance the exhibit.
“If a person has any neat historical items and they’re looking for a good home for them, we would like to see them,” Hensley says.
He notes staff are particularly interested in items and photos from the 1960s and 1970s. “We had Roundup uniforms for a short time, for example,” he says. “If people have those or Congress sweaters, pins, programs from events, old photos, collectibles, we’d love to take a look.”
Hensley says staff are also seeking help in identifying people pictured in old photographs. “It’s always a struggle when you are talking about 60- to 70-year-old pictures to determine who is in the photos,” he says. A 4-H History page on social media will allow people to view photos and help with identification from home.
History (Exhibit) in the Making
The new permanent exhibit is less than a year old, Hensley says. “It’s still not complete to where we want it, but it’s a great start.” Pieces in the exhibit’s collection will be rotated regularly to keep it fresh, Hensley says. “Visitors will see different items every time they go.”
He says having a permanent historical exhibit was the longtime dream of Tennessee 4-H visionary leader Ben Powell and many others.
“Ben started on the idea some 30 years ago, collecting some things we didn’t have and working on funding and trying to find a home for an exhibit,” Hensley says. “This has been a long time coming, and we’re really excited to preserve 4-H history in a way that people can see it. If we put an exhibit in our office, not many people would see it, but by having it at the state fairgrounds, where lots of people go in and out of that building, we get to share these artifacts with the public.”
And by having the exhibit at the fairgrounds in Lebanon, Hensley believes it will become an excellent resource for clubs, especially those located in the Middle Tennessee area.
Donate Historic Artifacts
If you have programs, apparel, pins, collectibles, publications, photographs or any other 4-H-related items you are interested in donating, email Hensley at 4H_History@utk.edu. “If you’re unsure whether we would want it or not, reach out to us before you throw it out or give it away,” Hensley says. “We would love to have the first opportunity on these great pieces of 4-H history.”