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Smithsonian Exhibit Celebrates the Invention of the American Backyard

Smithsonian Exhibit Celebrates the Invention of the American Backyard

Americans love their backyards. Retreats for recreation, entertainment, dining, and relaxation, they combine the comfort and convenience of living rooms with the freedom of the open air. A new Smithsonian traveling exhibition, "Patios, Pools, & the Invention of the Backyard," explores the transition from the front porch to the backyard patio, the rise of the do-it-yourself homeowner, and the use of "chemical warfare" to achieve the perfect lawn.

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The exhibition will be on display in the Library Building at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home from March 21 through May 31. "We are thrilled to be the debut site of this intriguing traveling exhibit. The Eisenhower Administration was known as the eight years of peace and prosperity when the suburbs gained in popularity. Traveling exhibits curated by the Smithsonian are always popular with our visitors and we look forward to another successful showing," states Karl Weissenbach, director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
Through rare photographs, historic drawings and period advertisements, the exhibit explores the mid-century backyard of the 1950s from the rise of the suburbs and tract houses and the beauty of postwar garden design to the birth of the environmental movement. Drawing from the collections and research of the Smithsonian Gardens' Archives of American Gardens, the exhibition is organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES)

In the 1950s, America was a nation emerging from the shadow of World War II, searching for ways to enjoy its new found peace and prosperity. Postwar trends such as the baby boom, a growing middle class, the do-it-yourself concept and a dramatic rise in home ownership remade much of the U.S. and contributed to the development of the suburban backyard.

Companies produced an increasing number of products designed to lessen the burden of yard work. Imported and hybrid grasses, herbicides and pesticides, automated sprinkler systems, chemical sprayers and newly affordable lawn mowers began to appear in sheds and garages around the nation. Many contemporary backyards still boast the pristine lawn, low-maintenance plantings, patios, outdoor furniture, grills and play equipment that first emerged after World War II.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 60 years. SITES connects Americans to their cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history.

Smithsonian Gardens care for living plant, artifact and archival collections. Its Archives of American Gardens collects and makes available for research use images of and documentation relating to a wide variety of cultivated gardens throughout the United States.

The Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home, a nonpartisan federal institution, is part of the Presidential Libraries network operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience. We preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire.

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Representative Tim Huelskamp Receive NAM Award

Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-KS-01) to Receive NAM Award for Support of Manufacturing

Representative Tim Huelskamp

 Todd Smith, General Manager of Coperio K-Tron, will present Representative Tim Huelskamp (R-KS-01) with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence recognizing his support of policies critical to the success of manufacturing in Kansas and across the United States.

The event will take place on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT at Hillenbrand, Inc Coperion K-Tron Salina, 606 North Front Street, Salina, KS 6740.

Please RSVP:mmicetich@nam.org

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New Director of Education at Great Plains Theatre

New Ed Director Hired

Mark Robinson

 The Great Plains Theatre announces Mark Robinson has joined the staff as Director of Education. Mark served for three-years as the Arts Education Manager at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, in Bethel, New York (the site of the historic 1969 Woodstock concert). Mark has spent the last twenty years teaching acting, directing, puppetry, playwriting, creative writing, and improvisation with youth of all ages. He has directed over 70 youth and professional theatre productions. A graduate of the State University of New York at Cortland with a degree in Speech/Theatre, he has taught Theatre Arts at a wide range of summer camps, arts venues, and schools, including nine-years at the Mount Michael Benedictine High School in Omaha, Nebraska.

In 2014, Mark was honored by the New York State Legislature for his work using the performing arts as a means to empower underprivileged youth of the Catskill Mountain region. A published author, Mark has written three encyclopedias: The Disney Song Encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Television Theme Songs, and The World of Musicals. Mark is very excited to join the Abilene community and eager to get started working with the youth of the Great Plains Theatre.

"With Mark's love of theatre, and his experience with youth, he will be a great asset to the theatre and Abilene," said Executive Director, Elizabeth Weese. 

Mark's first production with the youth will be Godspell which will be presented at the Abilene High School auditorium, May 8-10.  Tickets are available now. Please call the GPT at 785.263.4574 for tickets.  Godspell is produced in part by a grant from the Community Foundation of Dickinson County.  Great Plains Theatre's 2015 season is underwritten by Astra Bank.

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Abilene High School Students Cook Up Talent!!

Abilene Kansas App News Center: Abilene High School Student Cook Up Talent!!: Cool, Calm and Collected AHS Students Showcase Culinary Talents Meta Newell West             Abilene High School students are busy ...