Between Fences weaves the history of fences into the story of America. Whether it is barbed wire, white picket, post rock, split rail, electric wire, or a patio privacy fence, America’s fascination with fences is evident along any highway, county road, or city street.

How do we build our fences? What materials do we use? Where do we place them? The answers to these questions tell us about where we live, how we define our space, and who—or what—we fence in and fence out.

Starting with the most widely built fence, the worm fence, Between Fences explores the settling of the United States, battles between farmers and ranchers over barbed wire, and the introduction of the picket fence to represent “the good life” in our rural and suburban communities. The exhibit also looks at how fences influence human relationships, both between neighbors and countries.

Through a selection of artifacts, photographs, and illustrations, visitors to the Between Fences exhibit will walk through and around five kiosks, all defined by a different fence type and featuring fence-building tools and hands-on activities. The exhibit may even surprise visitors with its exploration of the multiple meanings behind this everyday icon. What other “fences” in our lives— language, heritage, religion, education—separate us from our neighbors?

Adults and children will enjoy a wide variety of special events at each exhibition site. Local community exhibits, speakers, film festivals, book discussions groups, and fence-building activities are all part of the Between Fences statewide tour through Kansas.

Between Fences is a one-of-a-kind cultural project that serves small town museums and residents of rural America as part of Museum on Main Street, a program that highlights Smithsonian collections, research, and exhibitions.

Between Fences tour schedule.

Lucas
October 20-December 3, 2006
Grassroots Art Center
213 S. Main St.
785/525-6118
lucascoc@wtciweb.com

Wamego
December 8, 2006-January 21, 2007
Wamego Historical Society Museum
East 4th Street in City Park
785/456-2040
wamegomuseum@wamego.net

Winfield
January 26-March 11, 2007
Winfield Public Library
605 College
620/221-4470
sbirney@wpl.org

Paola
March 16-April 29, 2007
Miami County Swan River Museum
12 E. Peoria
913/294-4940
mcsrm@micoks.net

Larned
May 4-June 17, 2007
Santa Fe Trail Center
2 miles west of Larned on K-156
620/285-2054
trailctr@larned.net
www.santafetrailcenter.org

Oakley
June 22-August 5, 2007
Fick Fossil and History Museum
700 W. 3rd St.
785/672-4839
fickmuseum@ruraltel.net

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