Tea, photos and artifacts on tap at museum

Barbara Jackson displays a platter from her Blue Willow ceramics collection.

To celebrate the conclusion of the exhibit of Blue Willow ceramics, the Putnam County Museum invites visitors to enjoy afternoon tea and a conversation with collector Barbara Jackson.

The Blue Willow Tea is planned for Thursday, Nov. 5 from 2:30-4 p.m. Guests are invited to bring their own unique pieces of Blue Willow to share.

Jackson's collection of Blue Willow is currently on display in the museum's "Putnam County Collects" area.

Blue Willow, popular around the world since the 1800s, led to the term "Blue Plate Special."

Next up in the Putnam County Collects area will be a collection of Chicago Cubs memorabilia.

For Veterans Day on Nov. 11, the museum will unveil a collection of World War II artifacts from Col. Floyd Miller Call.

Call grew up in Putnam County and attended DePauw University before entering the war effort in 1941. Call was discharged in 1945 with the rank of colonel. His daughter, Nancy Call Bryant, donated a large number of his World War II items to the museum, including uniform parts, helmets, mess kit, first aid kit and more.

"Photojournalism and The Road Less Traveled" is the museum's next art offering. GHS art teacher Robin Johnson took photographs along the Old National Road (U.S. 40) with a Teacher Creativity Fellowship from the Lilly Foundation.

The exhibit of 24 prints will open with a reception on Friday, Nov. 13 from 5--6:30 p.m. and a gallery talk at 5:50. Free and open to the public.