Museum Objects
Indigenous, free, and enslaved people who lived in the First American West left behind artifacts that were part of their everyday lives. These objects were shaped by physical and social needs as well as available resources and technology. These items provide insight into complex cultural traditions, physical environments, labor structures, and socio-economic systems. By examining a bed linen made in the Kentucky frontier, insight can be gained into the types of crops cultivated, gender roles, domestic life, the market economy, and free and enslaved skilled labor on the frontier. It is important to consider whose items were kept, why they were preserved, and how they came into the collection.
