A new museum is bringing an old tradition to Middlebury residents. The National Museum of the Morgan Horse, located at 34 Main St., tells the story of the beloved Morgan horse, a breed known for its illustrious place in American history and characterized by its strength, endurance, arched neck and solid build. Excited horse lovers, many of whom also attended the yearly meeting of the American Morgan Horse Association held in Burlington, Vt., came to the museum’s grand opening celebration on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Broderick, who has an MA in Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, found out this August that the Shelburne space, which was also home to the Morgan Horse Magazine, would be sold. The organization then offered to hire her full time as a director to “help make that happen in a positive way.”
According to Broderick, the museum has benefitted from its proximity to the UVM Morgan Horse Farm in Weybridge, Vt., as people who stop by the museum can easily be directed to the nearby farm to see the real Morgan horses.
“The prospect of having live animals in close proximity to the museum is a wonderful synergy that can be developed,” said Steve Davis, director of the UVM Morgan horse program, who believes that the farm is an integral part of the museum’s mission. “It can be a win-win for both entities.”
In addition, this prime location brings in foot traffic. Whereas in Shelburne the museum was located on Route 7, the new space now allows people to stop by, even if they are simply strolling down the street.
“I thought I would drop in and get a feeling of what is displayed,” said Bristol, Vt. resident Linda Feiss, who stopped by the museum after shopping at the Middlebury Farmer’s Market. Fiess has experience with the breed, as she has purchased and driven two Morgan horses from Vermont to Alaska to help her sister.
Feiss enjoyed the exhibit, which consists of an array of oil paintings and bronze sculptures of the Morgan horse spanning from the late 1800s through to the 1960s. The exhibit’s goal is to illustrate how similar the Morgan breed has remained over time. Broderick said other horse breeds may boast a similar continuity, but one can best see how Morgan horses have retained their characteristics because it is such an old breed.
An important part of the Morgan story is its history. The museum’s website, http://www.morganhorsemuesum.org, as well as the plaques at the museum itself narrate the story of Figure, the founding sire of the Morgan breed, who belonged to Justin Morgan. After Morgan’s death, Figure took on his owner’s name and passed along valuable traits, including his strength, endurance, speed and temperate nature, to his offspring.
“They [Morgan horses] are prized for their disposition, their work ethic and their hardiness,” said Davis.
Thus, the Morgan breed has remained an integral part of American equestrian history, and it is deeply valued by many who ride.
Yet Broderick hopes to “peak interest in this collection beyond the Morgan world.”
“People involved with Morgan horses see this stuff and are exposed to it,” she said. “I would like for regular people in Middlebury to see it too.”
For the museum to achieve this aim, however, it relies heavily on revenues from its gift shop, which sells a variety of goods ranging from notepads to jewelry to chocolate to glasses with the Morgan horse emblem engraved on each. While admission is free, there is a donation box near the front of the store, and people are encouraged to support the museum through cash donations.
The museum itself is inviting and bright. The light blue walls still smell of fresh paint, and large windows at the front let in natural light. At the front of the museum, there is also gallery space. Though Broderick said the Shelburne museum was bigger, she appreciates the gallery and that the space is now dedicated solely to the Morgan horse, as the Shelburne building was also home to offices that didn’t pertain to the museum. Past the gallery, the gift shop offers visitors a chance to bring a piece of the Morgan horse history home with them.
The primary donors of the museum are Henry E.I. and Martha Verge duPont. Plaques near the front entrance honor the couples’ work and provide museumgoers with a brief history of the breed. There are also plaques with names of the various other donors who helped to fund the museum.
Andrew Wentink, curator of the Special Collections and Archives at the Davis Family Library, was approached by Broderick, and she asked him to hold the archives. This felt appropriate because of the strong connections between the College and the Morgan horse, as Joseph Battell, who dedicated much of his life to the breeding and preservation of the famous American breed, was a valuable member of the College community.
“I feel that it is very appropriate that we would hold these archives because I feel that they have great research value,” said Wentink.
Wentink also noted that the College library’s membership in OCLC, an international library consortium, “enables all people around the world to be aware of the presence of these materials.”
Broderick plans to have quarterly rotating exhibits, with materials from the College archives, as well as from contemporary artists’ work. When the current exhibit ends, Broderick and others will move the portraits to the special collections section at the College’s library, and transfer new works to the museum in town.
“Mane” Event: New museum arrives in style
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