Name/Title
Surprises Tucked Away in St. Joseph Museum, 1950Entry/Object ID
AM1994.37.4Scope and Content
Surprises Tucked Away in St. Joseph Museum, 1950.
The St. Joseph Museum housed in a mansion built in 1879 owns a fine collection of American Indian art. This collection is more complete than the Indian collection at the Nelson Gallery.
A narrow upstairs corridor houses two displays of Northwest Coast Indian objects, including a magnificent Tingit shoulder blanket and an excellent wooden mash, There is an astonishing display of clay figures from the Tarascan area of Southwestern Mexico; a case with several fine examples of 15th and 16th century Chiriqui pottery from the Canal Zone; a case full of rare Pomo Indian feather baskets in nearly perfect condition. There is a display of Eskimo ivories and masks and a carved green stone pipe from the mouth of the Yukon River with a war bonnet. A Crow Indian polychrome pictograph on deer hide is an example of art. They have a collection of about 3,000 items. There are more than 700 baskets in storage
The museum purchased part and parcel, by William L. Goetz and the M. K. Goetz Brewing company for $10,000. The collection was originally assembled by Harry L. George, a St. Joseph grain dealer, who bought it piece by piece from Indians, adventurers and traders.
In the office of Roy E. Coy, museum director, are two mammoth volumes containing the correspondence of the collector.
During the lifetime of George he attempted to establish a museum where the objects could be shown, but was unable to do so. Therefore the collection was carted off to Jefferson City, where it stayed for about 25 years.Lexicon
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MuseumsSearch Terms
Harry L. George Collection, Native American, St. Joseph Museum, Goetz, William L.Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Coy, RoyPerson or Organization
Goetz, William L.Person or Organization
Harry L. George Collection