Collections
Collecting Lansing of the 19th and 20th Centuries:
Ordinary Objects from Ordinary People
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Items from Lansing schools (both public and private), including both public and private - yearbooks, band uniforms, sports uniforms, varsity jackets, spirit items, varsity letters, medals, trophies, text books, report cards.
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Items from Lansing businesses, with a focus on downtown (including Old Town) Boxes, shopping bags, memorabilia, hangers, advertisements, credit cards, vintage clothing with labels purchased at these stores, S&H Green Stamp stamps/books.
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Items from Lansing fraternal organizations, clubs, and civic groups - Pins, Programs from events, awards, uniforms, badges.
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Items from Lansing places of worship – Sacred building furnishings (pews, carpet pieces, pulpits, stained glass windows, interesting lights), liturgical robes/vestments, sacred writings/books/hymnals.
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Items from the different levels of government seated in Lansing, including local and state - artifacts from two Lansing capitols, city government, mayor's belongings, artifacts from city hall buildings, Lansing police uniforms, Police car pieces, fire department uniforms, fire department equipment, fire & police fraternal organizations.
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Items related to eating and dining in Lansing – restaurant signs, menus, plate, glassware, silverware, advertising, cookbooks, local cooking show memorabilia, iconic table and chairs/booth from area restaurant.
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Items from Lansing's many entertainment venues - Lake Lansing ride items, movie theatres, arcades, games, local sports teams, local music scene, the zoo, bowling alleys, vaudeville theatres, acting companies, community choirs, dance troupes, community bands, city parks.
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Items related to medicine in Lansing - hospital items, doctor's diplomas, hospital beds, hospital equipment, doctor's office furnishings, doctor's coats, nurse uniforms, nurse training school items.
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Items from special Lansing celebrations, including holidays and anniversaries - Holiday displays, items from special anniversaries and commemorations such as city centennial, sesquicentennial of state, annual celebrations like Silver Bells.
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Items from Lansing soldiers who served in the armed services – military uniforms, draft cards, weapons, war memorabilia, letters to/from soldiers.
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Items from Lansing buildings now gone – the City Club, houses torn down for 496, old schools/places of worship/businesses, old factories, old hotels, old fire/police, old bridges, old City Hall, old Lansing post office, old capitol building.
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Items from Lansing's unions – union badges, union newspapers, union picket signs, union apparel.
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Items made in Lansing, or invented by people from Lansing – Hurley Smith's pocket protectors, Hugh Lyons' hat conformator, etc..
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Items from local businesses such as, but not limited to – Lansing Home Dairy, Silver Lead Paint Company, Lansing Board of Water and Light, Quality Dairy, Lansing Ice and Fuel, Knapp's, Kewpie's, Arbaugh's, etc.
