(April 14, 2016) Had he been actively collecting today, William Purnell would likely be classified as a hoarder, but one with some very interesting tastes.
That’s according to Dr. Cindy Byrd, who oversees his collection as executive director of the Julia Purnell Museum in Snow Hill.
“He had a passion for stuff, and was known in town for being a bit of an odd duck,” she said. A successful flower farm that produced the gladiolas and other blooms that he shipped to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, paid for his eccentricities.
He married, but never had children. The museum built to display his possessions — about 10,000 items in all — was named in honor of his mother.
“William Purnell collected many artifacts, but he didn’t always know what he had. He labeled things as best he could — he labeled what the item was, what he thought it was, or what he’d been told it was,” she said. “He did have some tourist-y things, things we’d classify as inauthentic.”
The museum exhibits some of the items with the placards Purnell himself wrote. While some items may be of dubious origin — a clay lamp rumored to be from the tomb of Nebuchadnezzar is an easy example — the placard written in Purnell’s own hand elevated the item from a possible fake to a curiosity.
The placards, she explained, were fashioned from other stuff Purnell had on hand, such as cereal boxes.
Byrd has a doctorate in Folklife and Folklore, and knows her way around stuff. She’s been the director of the Julia Purnell Museum for about two years now, and before that was the staff curator/folklorist at the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in Salisbury.
Byrd’s arrival signaled a change in the museum. She began updating exhibits and applying her skills to help separate the good things from the less-than-stellar items.
For example, the museum has a “People of the Pocomoke” exhibit. Byrd said the problem had been that not all the artifacts were what everyone thought they were. Byrd met with the Pocomoke Nation and worked with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to distinguish the local authentic artifacts from the other items Purnell collected. The exhibit was redesigned and refocused to display the authenticated items.
Joining the collection are two new exhibits this year. “American History, Local Artifacts: A Timeline to Tomorrow” is a “brief fly-through” of history beginning with Native Americans on through the European settlers to today using items from the Purnell collection, she said. The second new addition is “Snow Hill: Continuing Community Traditions.”
“It’s a Snow Hill showcase of the people, places and traditions,” also based on items from the collection as well as two new additions, she said.
First are the office sign and portrait of Dr. Robert LaMar, who practiced medicine in the town for 60 years before his death. Second are items celebrating the life of Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Waters, who passed away in February at the age of 109.
“She was an important tradition bearer, especially as a keeper of African-American oral history — particularly in the areas of civil rights and life within the Snow Hill community,” Byrd said.
Waters had been alive during the times described in many of the museum’s exhibits.
“We’re only able to see the items but she could give first-hand accounts,” she explained.
Byrd said she personally prefers the odder items.
“My favorites are the crazy things. Yes, we have quilts and, yes, we have a butter churn, but where else are you going to see a coin-operated perfume dispenser? A one-horse open sleigh? It’s just so whimsical and wild,” she said.
Next year, Byrd’s plan is to renovate the “Toy Shoppe” exhibit containing Purnell’s collection of old toys, and the mock Victorian bedroom containing all the necessities of proper living during that time.
“You should come see us at least once per year,” she said.
The museum makes it easy, as well. On the first Saturday of every month, Worcester County residents get in free. One weekend per month, the museum joins with Furnace Town for a “see more, spend less” weekend where visitors get $1 off the admission price of either site, so long as both are visited.
The Julia Purnell Museum, 208 W. Market Street in Snow Hill, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. — 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children under 12. Visit www.purnellmuseum.org for more information.
That’s according to Dr. Cindy Byrd, who oversees his collection as executive director of the Julia Purnell Museum in Snow Hill.
“He had a passion for stuff, and was known in town for being a bit of an odd duck,” she said. A successful flower farm that produced the gladiolas and other blooms that he shipped to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, paid for his eccentricities.
He married, but never had children. The museum built to display his possessions — about 10,000 items in all — was named in honor of his mother.
“William Purnell collected many artifacts, but he didn’t always know what he had. He labeled things as best he could — he labeled what the item was, what he thought it was, or what he’d been told it was,” she said. “He did have some tourist-y things, things we’d classify as inauthentic.”
The museum exhibits some of the items with the placards Purnell himself wrote. While some items may be of dubious origin — a clay lamp rumored to be from the tomb of Nebuchadnezzar is an easy example — the placard written in Purnell’s own hand elevated the item from a possible fake to a curiosity.
The placards, she explained, were fashioned from other stuff Purnell had on hand, such as cereal boxes.
Byrd has a doctorate in Folklife and Folklore, and knows her way around stuff. She’s been the director of the Julia Purnell Museum for about two years now, and before that was the staff curator/folklorist at the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art in Salisbury.
Byrd’s arrival signaled a change in the museum. She began updating exhibits and applying her skills to help separate the good things from the less-than-stellar items.
For example, the museum has a “People of the Pocomoke” exhibit. Byrd said the problem had been that not all the artifacts were what everyone thought they were. Byrd met with the Pocomoke Nation and worked with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to distinguish the local authentic artifacts from the other items Purnell collected. The exhibit was redesigned and refocused to display the authenticated items.
Joining the collection are two new exhibits this year. “American History, Local Artifacts: A Timeline to Tomorrow” is a “brief fly-through” of history beginning with Native Americans on through the European settlers to today using items from the Purnell collection, she said. The second new addition is “Snow Hill: Continuing Community Traditions.”
“It’s a Snow Hill showcase of the people, places and traditions,” also based on items from the collection as well as two new additions, she said.
First are the office sign and portrait of Dr. Robert LaMar, who practiced medicine in the town for 60 years before his death. Second are items celebrating the life of Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Waters, who passed away in February at the age of 109.
“She was an important tradition bearer, especially as a keeper of African-American oral history — particularly in the areas of civil rights and life within the Snow Hill community,” Byrd said.
Waters had been alive during the times described in many of the museum’s exhibits.
“We’re only able to see the items but she could give first-hand accounts,” she explained.
Byrd said she personally prefers the odder items.
“My favorites are the crazy things. Yes, we have quilts and, yes, we have a butter churn, but where else are you going to see a coin-operated perfume dispenser? A one-horse open sleigh? It’s just so whimsical and wild,” she said.
Next year, Byrd’s plan is to renovate the “Toy Shoppe” exhibit containing Purnell’s collection of old toys, and the mock Victorian bedroom containing all the necessities of proper living during that time.
“You should come see us at least once per year,” she said.
The museum makes it easy, as well. On the first Saturday of every month, Worcester County residents get in free. One weekend per month, the museum joins with Furnace Town for a “see more, spend less” weekend where visitors get $1 off the admission price of either site, so long as both are visited.
The Julia Purnell Museum, 208 W. Market Street in Snow Hill, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. — 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children under 12. Visit www.purnellmuseum.org for more information.