The
Murfreesboro Historical Association has an eclectic collection of hand fans,
originally owned by the Brown family. This collection was
given by Dorothy B. Shoffner in memory of her
mother, Dorothy Heath Brown, and her sister, Hannah Brown.
The fans are on display on the upper
floor of Hertford
Academy
, one of the historical association’s historic buildings. This
seems a fitting location for them, as they were collected by someone who
believed in the value of preserving and restoring buildings of historical
interest, in particular,
Hertford
Academy
.
There is
a wide variety of styles and periods represented in the collection of thirty-six
hand-held fans. Some are hand-painted silk with ivory or
wooden ribs. Others are made of feathers, hand-painted wood, pierced wood or
printed-paper stock. A number of the fans had been mounted in
beautiful frames before they were acquired by Mrs. Brown.
The Fan
Association of North America (FANA) awarded the Murfreesboro Historical
Association a grant, which was used to further enhance the display and
management of this collection.
This
exhibit can be seen by calling MHA’s office, 252-398-5922, to schedule an appointment.
