Auction by Terre Haute museum to raise funds for move

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - A Victorian armoire, a trolley change collector, antique dolls and 1970s concert posters - featuring such bands as KISS, Styx and REO Speedwagon - are among the items up for sale Sunday at an auction to raise money for the new Vigo County History Center.

The auction will take place at 11 a.m. Sunday at the planned site of the history center, 929 Wabash Ave., with the sale conducted by Pell Auction Co. The public can view the items starting at 10 a.m.

The Vigo County Historical Society is seeking to raise $3 million to renovate/rehab the former Glidden Furniture building on Wabash Avenue. Once the work is completed, the museum would move there from its present location at Sixth and Washington streets.

The larger building will allow for changing exhibits, better accessibility, additional space for programming and the incorporation of technology.

On Sunday, the auction will include a high-end collection of items that have been donated and items from the museum that are duplicates or do not pertain to its mission.

"This is another way we're trying to raise funds for the new history center," said Marylee Hagan, executive director of the historical society and museum.

According to the Historical Museum website, the auction will include a Victorian armoire, five-piece Victorian parlor set, quilts and coverlets, vintage dolls, Victorian beds, toys, tools, Coca-Cola items, framed artwork, books, holiday decorations, Wabash & Erie Canal scrip, vintage clothing and accessories.

Hagan emphasized, "We're not selling off pieces of our history, per se. These are items that are in the collection, but either do not pertain to the collection or they are duplicates of things we have," she said.

The history center will feature more than twice as much space as the longtime historical museum at Sixth and Washington streets. The third floor will feature a 130-seat auditorium, event space and research area. The auditorium and event space will allow programming and educational opportunities, and they will be available for corporate parties and events.

"We want it to be a history center for not just us, but for the whole community to use," Hagan said. "I guess I could say we're moving from the Victorian era into the 21st century."

Among the items that could be especially popular are some 1970s promotional concert posters for such groups as KISS, Styx and REO Speedwagon as well as Ozzy Osbourne; the posters are framed and include backstage passes. "They are wonderful collectibles from that era," she said.

The goal is to be in the new history center by the end of 2016 to celebrate the closing of Indiana's bicentennial year and "so we can be prepared for the next 200 years of our history," Hagan said.

The move-in "depends on how quickly we can raise the money to rehab and restore the building, bring it up to state code and get the collection moved in," she said. "It's a big undertaking. We're hoping the community will step forward and help us. We can't do this alone. We're a small organization."

Source: The Tribune-Star, http://bit.ly/1O58Ibu

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Information from: Tribune-Star, http://www.tribstar.com