As a historic woodworker at Conner Prairie, I help preserve and maintain more than 25 historic structures, teach woodworking classes, and demonstrate 19th century woodworking to visitors, among other responsibilities. Like many living history professionals, I have some difficulty defining my occupation in simple terms. “Museum professional” is too broad. “Woodworker” is too vague. My official title, “Historic Trades Specialist,” indicates the role I play at Conner Prairie, but the term “historic trades” itself is obscure to many people. I want to share what brought me to this work, what it means to me, and why I believe that the work my colleagues and I do in the Historic Trades department is crucial to how we at Conner Prairie engage with our community and our shared history.
I grew up on the bluffs over the White River southwest of Indianapolis. I was surrounded by the same trees, soil, and water that can be found around Conner Prairie’s campus. This natural environment fed my young imagination and contributed to my education as a classical homeschooler. As I studied science and history, I observed the flora and fauna of my own neighborhood and learned about previous inhabitants of the area I lived in. These stories followed me to the Herron School of Art and Design in downtown Indianapolis, where I studied furniture design near the banks of the same White River.
Becoming a Maker and Storyteller
By the time I came to Conner Prairie in May of 2021, I had already found my identity as a maker and storyteller in Prairietown. I wanted to tell stories about hand skills and hard labour. I believed natural resources were precious and individual skill was invaluable. I was drawn to Conner Prairie’s mission, remembering rare visits as a child. I knew there was work to be done telling the same stories that I heard growing up, and I was eager to be a part of that work.
In 5 years of working at the museum, I have found so much more to learn and I have come to appreciate what exactly is the unique value of the experiences that we provide. When I started out, I practiced historical skills so that I could tell stories of our shared past. Over time, I realized that I was not just telling stories, but keeping the truth of those stories alive to be told.
One important aspect of what we do as living history professionals is preserving historic resources. This includes artifacts, knowledge, and skills. In order to discover new information about the past, it is imperative that we preserve the remnants of that past. These include objects, buildings, and memories. In order to care for these artifacts, we must also protect the skills to use, produce, and maintain them.
Every history professional plays their part in this effort, but traditional artisans occupy a unique space between disciplines. We are all at once researchers, restorers, and repairers. We must have the knowledge of a collector and the skill of a manufacturer. We have to be able to spot clues in the details and articulate those discoveries to fellow professionals as well as to the public. We are in the service of truth, and we must be able to tell a story about an artifact that is both compelling and sensitive to that object’s true history. We have a unique ability to put historical realities into context for others.
Building Toward the Future
Hand skills build connections. By practicing ancient skills, we can better connect with our environment, our past, each other, and ourselves. Hand skills are gate keys to new experiences and perspectives, provoking thought and inspiring creativity. Whether as a practitioner or an observer, historic tools and techniques are more accessible than modern industrial methods. They enable individuals to take more control of small areas of their lives, to mend clothes, repair furniture, or maintain their home. In a museum like Conner Prairie, they are necessary to protect valuable historic resources like the William Conner House, or any of our other original historic structures.
I’m proud to be a part of Conner Prairie’s efforts to steward pieces of our history and guide our neighbors to new experiences. We are not just preserving our historical foundations; we are actively building on the past to make a better future. I enjoy sharing my skills and my passion alongside so many other talented people. Every new project, every interaction with guests, and every new discovery from our collection gives me more appreciation for the tremendous value of historic trades.