Browse Exhibits (1 total)

Click the link above ("Learning from the Bosley Trunk") to view the exhibit.

This exhibit aims to show what you can learn from the "stuff" hidden in a family trunk, your grandparent's attic, the basement, or even a shoebox. Most likely these items are held by a family packrat. This is the person who likes to hold onto items that have special significance to them.

Many families become overwhelmed when there is a family packrat and it's time to go through or get rid of the items that have been kept for decades.

There is much to learn from these items. Encourage your family to look through the "stuff", because it is bound to reveal new information about the family. This is a great activity to get the whole family involved in: researching their history.

Whatever you do, don't throw it away.

If you cannot take the time to look through it and learn from it, then donate it to your local historical society or museum. Someone there, perhaps a student, can do research. Many students working on their degrees can benefit from the experience gained from a research project. There may be documents with historical significance hidden in your family packrat's collection. There may be information about your family that no one living knew about.

This exhibit is the story of what I have been able to learn thus far from the stuff kept by previously family packrats. I became the newest family packrat, after my grandfather and great-great-grandfather before me. My family is curious about the items I have acquired from our ancestors, and many of these are items that no one knew existed. At first I wanted a way to share the items and knowledge with my family. Then I decided that I wanted to share my discoveries with you, to give you examples of what you can learn from all of that "stuff" hidden away somewhere.

This exhibit highlights just a few items that were kept in the Bosley Trunk. The Bosley Trunk belonged to my great-great-grandfather, J. Otis Bosley. He lived from 1889 until 1970. The trunk was passed on to my grandfather, Bernard I. Grady Jr., who was born in 1937 and is still living. Now the trunk has been passed on to me, and I have decided to research its contents.

The items in this exhibit are only a small fraction of the overall contents of the Bosley Trunk. You can learn about individuals, cultures of the past, changes in technology, historical architecture, the evolution of cities, and so much more.

Join me on my journey, and prepare for your own!