Protecting the Riley Legacy
Our Mission: The Riley Old Home Society is dedicated to serve the present and future generations for cultural and educational purposes including the advancement of knowledge of the life and works of James Whitcomb Riley, Hoosier Poet. In furtherance of such cultural and educational purposes: to collect, preserve and interpret artifacts and literature which reflect the cultural era of the poet's lifetime and works.
With our mission in hand our staff at the ROHS meets every other month to plan and execute decisions that will help to preserve the artifacts that were entrusted to us back in the 1930s.
We are currently cataloging all artifacts in a museum software called PastPerfect. This will allow us to document all our artifacts with photos, dimensions, and descriptions. Also, research is greatly enhanced by this cataloging process. It will enable us to accurately and quickly locate artifacts, whether on display or in storage.
Acquisition of new Riley related artifacts, whether by donation or purchase, is a constant endeavor. We monitor various online sources to acquire rare and hard to find pieces for our collection.
RILEY GARDENS
We are more than a museum.
New acquisition
On occasion the staff at the ROHS comes across an artifact or collection related to Riley that is unique or rare. Recently we located a collection that we could not pass up.
Our decision to purchase an artifact is based on it’s rarity and how it fits within our collection policy guidelines. The collection pictured has recently been acquired by us. It consists of one of the first books Riley authored, “A Child-World”. Also, as a bonus this collection included a letter and envelope. These items are dated 1896.
Upon receiving this collection, we have been quarantining the artifacts for a short period of time. This assures that no contaminants have been brought in our buildings. Catalog records will be made and any cleaning and restoration can be performed. We hope to have these on display in the near future for all to enjoy. Stay tuned for more information!
