Trail End Exhibits

Permanent Exhibits We are fortunate that over the years, many of the original furnishings from the house, removed for various reasons, have been returned by members of the Kendrick family as well as the Sheridan community. Placed in their proper context throughout the historic rooms, these furnishings show what the rooms were used for, what the people who lived and worked here may have been like, and what objects were available for their use. Many of the interpretive labels and signs at Trail End discuss the advanced technology installed in the house during its construction. In fact, the elementary school tours conducted each spring and fall focus on that technology, providing youngsters with an increased opportunity to learn more about the early days of electricity, plumbing, telephones and more.
Temporary Exhibits Since 1996, Trail End has installed a series of temporary whole-house exhibits which, by focusing on the local community, take global events and show how they impacted the everyday lives of small town Americans. Each exhibit has adhered to the site's mission statement and has worked in harmony with the museum's existing room displays, thereby interpreting topical themes within the context of the historic house setting. The textual components of these exhibits are contained on this web site.
	Wedding Belles & Beaux "Wedding Belles & Beaux: Sixty Years of Wedding Costumes & Customs, 1869-1929," is an exhibit full of original materials from the Trail End vaults. Illustrated with original clothing, photographs, wedding dresses and gifts, the exhibit uses the experiences of seven Kendrick family brides - plus several others - to show what weddings were like in bygone days. Currently on display.
	Youngsters to be Proud Of “Youngsters To Be Proud Of: The Changing Nature of Childhood As Seen Through Three Generations of Kendrick Family Children,” examines the evolution of childhood from the mid-1800s through the end of the 1930s. The exhibit shows visitors how childhood has changed as well as the many ways it has stayed the same. On display March 2008-December 2008.
	Independent of the Sun Man-made power revolutionized not just American industry, but the American home as well. From food preparation to entertaining to sleeping habits, electricity changed EVERYTHING in the early Twentieth Century. Excerpts from national magazines and local newspapers help tell the story of the impact of electrical power, natural gas and batteries. On display March 2007-December 2007.
	Home Is Where the History Is Using information from hundreds of original construction-era documents, family correspondence and early photographs, this exhibit focuses on Trail End and what went into making it the historic treasure it is today. Featured are stories of the people who lived in the home, both family members and staff. On display March 2003-December 2006.
	Days of Wonder This exhibit examines some of the forces that shaped America during the first third of the Twentieth Century. It provides visitors with a close-up look at a time when Americans indeed put their pasts behind them and went boldly into an unknown future. On display April 1999-December 2001.
	Keeping the Home Fires Burning Through artifacts and photographs, this exhibit explores World War One and its impact on Americans both at home and abroad. (In 1999, the original exhibit was honored with an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History.) On display April 1997-December 1998.
	The American Wedding Using period wedding clothes, photographs and other personal items, the American Wedding exhibit examines just a few of the customs and rules of etiquette that ruled courtship and marriage from the late 1880s through the 1920s, as well as ways in which these practices affected the men and women who adhered to them. On display August-December 1996.