The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-12-02
PIONEER TRAIL
To Be FOLLOWED
Curator Harlan of State Historical
Department, Will Follow it in
Address at High
School.
LEE COUNTY INTERESTED
Speaker Comes Under Auspices OF
Daughters of American Revolu-
tion-Trail Starts at
Montrose.

Edgar r. Harlan, of Des Moines,
Iowa, state curator of the Iowa His
torical society, will deliver an ad.
dress on the subject, The Pioneer
Trail" under the auspices of Keokuk
Chapter, Daughters of the American
Revolution, at the high school audi
torium Saturday afternoon. December
10, at o'clock. The affair will be
free to the public.
People not only of Keokuk but all
over Lee county. should be especially
interested in this address for Curator
Harlan will try to work up as much
interest in the Pioneer Trail as in
the we'll known Santa Fe'' trail.
The Pioneer Trail starts at Montrose
and crosses the state OF Iowa through
the southern counties. Automobile
owners also will take an interest in
the following of this trail, because 1t
is expected to become part of the
good roads movement which has grown
so extensively in the last few years.
In connection with the visit of Curator
Harlan something of his work is OF
interest.
The work done in the historical de-
partment is primarily that Of discov-
ering, collecting and displaying with
in the reach of him who wishes it.,
the source materials for Iowa history
BY this is meant the material objects,
documents, books, pamphlets, prints.
photographs, daguerreotypes, maps,
weapons, utensils, apparel. tools, ma
chimes, vehicles, newspapers, trophies,
fossils and specimens that illustrate
the steps made In the development Of
the community, whether in natural
history. home life, or in public mat
tiers. Thus there is in the course oil
development a collection OF remark
able interest in library and manu-
script. gallery and museum, publlca'
tons and maps, such as are instruc
tive alike to the youth and adult, to
the amateur and the scientific lnyes-
tigator. Auxiliary to the collection OF
materials and information, both MT
Aldrich and his successor Mr.. Harlan.
have exercised their influence toward
the determination. and suitable mark
ING by tablets and monuments. OF his.
toric sites In Iowa. Mr.. Aldrich was
most profound scholar Of Iowa af-
fairs. but took little pleasure in pub
tic addresses. His spondence
was voluminous and his personal &C
ouaintance very wide, and OF immense
value. Mr.. Harlan since being call
ed by Mr.. Aldrich into the work. anc
especially since the death of Mr. Al
6rich has been giving such time as
he could spare TO personal visits tc
and public addresses at historic sites
and occasions AT such times he has
had some most pleasing experiences
Many items are reported, and gifts Il
the collection offered or promised tina
otherwise would remain in the attic!
and old receptacles of the pioneers, o.
would be destroyed and lost. Som!
very interesting and DISTRESSING
stories are told of documents especial
" of a personal nature. as letters
and heirlooms being boarded by som
tender hearted member Of an earl
family, until the death of that men
her or their removal from the home
stead has resulted in the obliteratio
of the most precious and valuabl
among them. Mr.. Harlan once foun
In trash pile a number of Frenc
autographs of 1923, which he trace
TO the homes of the immigrant lea.
ians, and nothing better than sue
objects tells Of the home life and {
the tastes of those pioneers. In a
administrators sale there was Obtain