It seems like we are experiencing all sorts of anniversaries around here lateley.

This Tuesday, March 18th, marks the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Tri-State Tornado as featured in one of our exhibits currently in the South Gallery. I can’t help but think what a difference 100 years makes. This remains the deadliest tornado in US history – besides the fact that it was an F5 and traveled 219 miles over the course of 3.5 hours – mainly because there wasn’t the technology available to predict weather like this nor to warn residents of its approach. Compare that to all of the predictions and warnings we have of the severe weather that is supposed to come into this region tonight.; reports and predictions have been prevalent for almost a full week. In fact, it was just decided to cancel tonight’s opening performance of Salem, Farrar’s annual play because of it. If they had this kind of warning 100 years ago, it wouldn’t have been so deadly.

On to more fun anniversaries!

Ken Craft, founder of the Zion Roots Research Library, forwarded me an email yesterday that he got as a “memory” from his OneDrive photots (I can’t help but wonder about the look I would get if I read that sentence to someone in 1925 – meterological predictions aren’t the only thing that has changed in the last 100 years!) Evidently it was 15 years ago that he delivered the Zion Roots Library to the museum. Here are some pictures from that date:

For those of you who may not know (taken from zionrootsgenealogy.org):

The Zion Roots™ library provides a rich collection of historic resources from the United States and Germany.  The in-house research data includes records organized by surname, German hometown, and German parish, regional census data, as well as extensive Dresden, Bavarian, and Austrian data.  The in-house library also includes a large map collection and numerous family genealogy books that have been compiled and donated by descendants of immigrants.  Online access to some of the Zion Roots™ materials will be provided, beginning with the ZionRootsGenealogy.org website.

ZionRootsGenealogy.org is a collaborative project for creating a single genealogical network comprising multiple families who were part of the “Saxon immigration” to Perry County.  Descendants of these immigrants and other early settlers are invited to participate by submitting genealogical information for their family.  The resulting community tree will show the complex relationships that have subsequently evolved between families.  The privacy of living people will be respected by restricting access to information about them.

Ken assembled the contents of the distinctive yellow binders at his home in Atlanta and then brought them and the bookshelves he purchased to Altenburg. He had to wait until near spring to avoid freezing the binders. The library was originally housed in what was then Carla Jordan’s office; she worked for a couple of years from the front desk. When the library outgrew that space, it was moved to the Big School. Finally, in 2015 it landed where it currently sits in the Family Research Library.

His daughter Kelly Hayes designed the logo which are printed on the yellow binders.

In doing some research for this post, I came across yet another recent anniversary that also includes Ken Craft. On March 9, 2017, Carla Jordan posted the following blog:

Every museum director should be blessed with a retired engineer on staff.  Lynn Degenhardt has made development dream after development dream come true for our site.  Today we completed the flag gallery exhibition in honor of our research library founder, Ken F. Craft.  Ken purchased 24 beautiful silk exhibit quality flags in 2014 to represent the homeland regions of the early German-Lutheran immigrants who traveled to Perry County, MO.  We have used them in a ceremony and in temporary displays.  Today they found a more permanent home in our Main Gallery.  There are regional, national, state, and at least one city flag (Berlin.)  The flag of the USA is first in line, with the LCMS flag next.  We will soon have a German national silk flag to fit next in line (in the open spot pictured).  This beautiful, powerful, and colorful display also provides some much needed sound buffering in our Main Gallery.  I had a great time ironing all the flags, and Lynn climbed the ladder more than I was willing to count.  Thanks to Gerard, Diane, and Warren for jumping in to help.  It was a great day!  Take care, Carla L. Jordan

Thank you, Ken, for all you have done for us through the years!