Exhibit showcased at Connor Museum
The John E. Connor Museum is hosting a new exhibit that highlights the impact of the Rio Grande Valley on the Civil War.
The exhibit, titled War and Peace on the Rio Grande, was created by the Community Historical Archeology Project with Schools (CHAPS) and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The exhibit shows the cultural and economic impact that the Rio Grande Valley had on the outcome of the Civil War. An academic lecture was held on Sept. 21 and was followed by a reception.
“What we hoped to accomplish by creating this exhibit was to bring to the community a wonderful representation of what occurred along the Rio Grande during the U.S. Civil War years,” Roseann Bacha-Garza, guest lecturer and exhibit development co-director, said. “And, to let everybody know what kind of interesting and intriguing history we have along the Rio Grande and South Texas.”
The exhibit consists of a collection of triptych panels containing information and a Confederate officer’s desk with a sergeant’s jacket and a letter written by an officer. The exhibit also
contains a wall of names, listing Hispanic soldiers who fought in the Civil War on both sides. There are military uniforms and weaponry on display courtesy of the Connor Museum.
CHAPS and UTRGV are working with TAMUK professors and students to create a learning experience for the community.
“What we would like to be able to do is bring more programming like this. When we bring in traveling exhibits, or even with our permanent exhibit, we are trying to foster and encourage lectures to the community, a space where faculty and students can have a hands-on learning experience,” Kathy Pawelek, interim director of administration and operation at Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s (TAMUK) Conner Museum, said. “The exhibit in itself has lots of opportunities for students.”
The exhibit has been well received. The academic lecture and reception had great attendance from both students and community members.
“Presentably, I think [the exhibit] looks really nice and well put together,” Jovanni Garcas, a student who visited the exhibit, said. “I think it lets [the community] get knowledge, like a broader perspective, especially of where they live.”
The exhibit will be on display in the John E. Connor Museum through Dec. 11. For more information, visit utrgv.edu/civilwar-trail.
