Starting this month, visitors to the Kentucky State Capitol can see documents, photographs and other materials from the state archives.
The Friends of Kentucky Public Archives donated two display cases outside the Capitol Rotunda to feature a rotation of artifacts from pre-statehood to the present.
State archivist Beth Shields said the displays offer a new opportunity. "We have a really wonderful rich collection of public records, documents, photographs, maps and other materials here at the state archives and we really haven't had an opportunity to display those materials in the past,” Shields said.
The items will rotate every four to six weeks and come from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives archival collection. Materials span the commonwealth, from Paducah to Pikeville, including court cases, legislatures, county courts, statistics and state agencies. Shields said she wants the displays to be timely.
On display this month are photos of the legislature from the 1950s, 60s and 80s, a House journal from 1795 and House and Senate acts from the 1819 and 1820 sessions.
Future displays will include photos of Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Frankfort and the Kentucky Derby and capitol building architectural plans.
The Kentucky State Archives will also post exhibit information on social media.
