W. H. Over Museum

W. H. Over Museum

The W. H. Over Museum building in Vermillion
Established	1883
Location	1110 N. University Street Vermillion, South Dakota, U.S.
Coordinates	42°47′30″N96°55′30″W / 42.7918°N 96.9250°W / 42.7918; -96.9250
Type	Natural and cultural history
Collection size	Over 80,000 objects
Board President	Lynn Muller
Public transit access	Vermillion Public Transit
Website	whovermuseum.org

The W. H. Over Museum, in Vermillion, South Dakota is the oldest museum in the state of South Dakota. ^[1] The museum is dedicated to preserving and displaying South Dakota cultural and historical objects. ^[2] One of the objectives is to develop educational programs. Another objective is to maintain an inventory of research works and files. ^[3]

History

The museum was founded in 1883, established by the University of South Dakota. ^[1] It is named for W. H. Over, who is credited or blamed for excavating the Ludlow Cave, an archeological site of great importance, probably the most significant in the state, which had a wealth of projectile points and much more. It was excavated with poor methods, including possible accidental mixture of projectile points from other sites/cultures/eras into its collection. Between 1926 and 1948, the director of the museum was W. H. Over. ^[1]

Collections

The museum contains exhibits of archaeological artifacts; exhibits of geological objects, such as minerals and rocks; and exhibits on the different ethnic groups that inhabit South Dakota. ^[4] The museum contains artifacts from the Lakota people. ^[5] The museum also contains photographs of the Dakota Territory. ^[6]

See also

• Paleontology in South Dakota

References

1. Riva Sharples (September 10, 2018). "W.H. Over Museum Celebrating 135th Birthday Sept. 16". Vermillion Plain Talk.
2. Annie (March 14, 2020). "Experience Millions Of Years Of Natural History During Your Visit To South Dakota's W.H. Over Museum". OnlyInYourState. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
3. "Support Friends of the W. H. Over Museum on A Community Thrives". A Community Thrives. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
4. Talk, Zach Wetzel For the Plain. "The Art of Vermillion: W.H. Over Museum". Vermillion Plain Talk. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
5. "W.h. Over Museum | AMERICAN HERITAGE". www.americanheritage.com. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
6. "W.H. Over Museum of Natural and Cultural History - Vermillion SD | AAA.com". www.aaa.com. Retrieved August 10, 2021.

External links

• W. H. Over Museum, official site