Ruthmere Museum

The Ruthmere Museum Campus is comprised of the 1910 Beaux-Arts home of Albert and Elizabeth Beardsley and the 1848 home of Elkhart's founder, Havilah Beardsley.

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Check out the newest blog post from House of History - "The Mousleys: A Museum Children's Book" by Ruthmere's Outreach Curator, Andrea Barbour! https://t.co/oyY6aQGuZI

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Check out yesterday's Gallery Talk on The Women of Tiffany Studios here: https://t.co/I4LapcT75S
Docent Marty Weber takes us through the exciting story of Clara Wolcott Driscoll and the other women who worked in anonymity at the stained glass studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany!

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Check out the newest blog post from House of History! https://t.co/yhQ9I5arPv

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Our concert coordinator, Mark Doddington, has started a series of blog posts about the Robert B. Beardsley Piano Competition and all of the cool behind-the-scenes info! Check out the first installment here:
https://t.co/jPgYne2yOv

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With our opening day coming up, Ruthmere is looking for new volunteers! We offer a number of great volunteer opportunities for lovers of history, art, gardening, music, and teas. Visit https://t.co/wJbgWReK3G

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Among this list is Helen Beardsley, a member of Elkhart's founding family and former next-door neighbor of Elizabeth and Albert Beardsley of Ruthmere.
https://t.co/QhRBnHxx3u via @SBTribune

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In compliance with "Indiana Back on Track", we will remain CLOSED for public tours through June 13, 2020. Ruthmere will hold its 2020 Opening Day in grand fashion with a Special Flag Day Free Family Sunday from 1-4pm on June 14th. For details, please visit https://t.co/0RbYUSP74s

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https://t.co/IOjgusEmKK

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https://t.co/2GxISSVdbX

“It’s easy sometimes to forget the simple things that give us pleasure. If we open our eyes, life is marvelous.” -Seward Johnson

Johnson, the artist behind the exhibition of 57 sculptures featured around Elkhart County in 2017, passed away on March 10th.

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Click the image to read our announcement re: Ruthmere Museum closure and postponements.

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In 1912, the Rileys were the only African American family in Bristol, Indiana. There were 8 members: Amy Jane and Sumpter and their 6 children, Mary, James, John, Sumpter Jr., Isie, and Burt. This photo was taken after Mary passed away.

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By 1900, there were 16 African American families residing in the city of Elkhart. We'll be exploring the stories of African American families in Elkhart in the early 20th century, focusing specifically on the stories of women.
Photo: unnamed couple. Source: @ECHistoryMuseum

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Happy African American History Month! We're sharing the stories of African American women in your family important to you - if you would like to share the story of a woman in your family, email [email protected] or call [phone].

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Gertrude Hruba (pictured here with Elizabeth’s dog) worked for the Beardsleys from the time the house was completed until the year Elizabeth and Albert both passed (1924). Her sister, Marguerite (also pictured) may have served as governess for another Beardsley home nearby.

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Elizabeth Beardsley, among her other roles, was a suffragette. She consistently worked at empowering women, whether that was by joining the League of Women Voters, funding education for local women, or providing a place for young women musicians to perform in her own home.

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Elizabeth Baldwin married Albert Beardsley in 1872 in a small, secret wedding. Upon return from their honeymoon in New York, they moved into their new home at 311 W. High St. (still standing today, as pictured), which was a gift from Elizabeth's father, Silas Baldwin.

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This is the only image we have of Elizabeth Beardsley's brother, Frank Baldwin, who died at approx. 18 years old during the Battle of Stones River of the American Civil War. Many believe his death is what led to Elizabeth's passionate patriotism later in life.

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Ruthmere's Lady, Elizabeth Baldwin Beardsley, was born in Elkhart in 1850. This image of her, a collotype, is rarely seen by guests, as it hangs in our third floor storage. She was one of four children born to Silas and Jane Baldwin, but outlived the other three by many decades.

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As the 100th anniversary of women getting the vote, 2020 is the year of the woman - and Ruthmere has a lot in store to celebrate women's history. Stay tuned for info about our monthly topics in women's history. This month is Elizabeth Beardsley!

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2019 was a great year, and we have some exciting things in store for 2020. 🎉 Thank you all for your continued support - we couldn’t do it without this fantastic community.