George Washington comes to Jefferson City

Washington mannequin to preside over new exhibit at Historical Society

Nancy Wilson tells about building out the face of George Washington by using modeling clay and sculpting it to look more like he may have looked in his younger military days. She and Kathleen Wilbers have been working hard to prepare the Washington exhibit at the Cole County Historical Society, which opens Feb. 19, 2017 with a reception beginning at 2 p.m.
Nancy Wilson tells about building out the face of George Washington by using modeling clay and sculpting it to look more like he may have looked in his younger military days. She and Kathleen Wilbers have been working hard to prepare the Washington exhibit at the Cole County Historical Society, which opens Feb. 19, 2017 with a reception beginning at 2 p.m.

A distinguished historic figure will tower over visitors to the Cole County Historical Society's museum in an elaborate recreated uniform.

President George Washington may never have visited Mid-Missouri - a wilderness at best during his lifetime - but the reach of his influence has, local artist Nancy Wilson said.

A life-sized replica of the legend will be part of the museum's new "Revolutionary Era Exhibit 1763-1789."

Past society president Kathleen Wilbers brought in Wilson's expertise of more than 20 years of costume and set design in show business from Los Angeles to Nashville.

"I love history," Wilson said. "And I love that era; there's never been anything like it. (I'll do) anything I can to further understanding of history."

The society has been the steward of several pieces aged more than two centuries; however, they had been scattered in overcrowded display cases and hidden away in storage, Wilbers said.

To remember her late husband, LeRoy "Bud" Wilbers, Wilson and her son, John, provided this new, permanent exhibit for the society. It will be unveiled Feb. 19 during a 2 p.m. champagne reception.

At that time, local historian Mike Jeffries will discuss the Revolutionary War general "Mad" Anthony Wayne, whose saber is part of the local society's exhibit.

The saber Wayne carried during the war was presented to one of his loyal, young soldiers, whose family held the piece for four generations. Mrs. Boyd Caroll donated it to the society in 1948.

Wilbers said she rediscovered the sword in storage after learning about its provenance while researching a 1639 pewter plate, also donated by Mrs. Caroll and included in this exhibit.

Also included in the display are several pieces donated in 1958 by the descendants of President Zachary Taylor. Two brass candlesticks carried by Washington were given to the Taylor family by the first president.

When the Taylor family's next generation could not decide on who would inherit the heirlooms, they were donated to the museum, Wilbers said.

"It's spectacular for our museum to have articles of this caliber," Wilbers said. "The fact is people gave them to us for safekeeping."

The Taylor donation boasts other Washington artifacts - portable inkwells, a small set of dishes and a tablecloth embossed with Washington's seal.

The final artifact in this exhibit is a blue glass pedestal bowl, donated by the Blair family.

Although this is the first time all of the same-era pieces have been displayed together, Wilbers felt an extra visual was needed.

That's when the idea of a Washington mannequin developed. He will be the first male mannequin in the museum, the others being for the first ladies in the DeLong Gown Room.

Disappointed with the available manufactured costumes for the first president, Wilson and Wilbers decided they would make an authentic ensemble.

"If the Smithsonian can do it, so can we," Wilson said.

Drawing on her experience in the show-biz world, she was able to track down rare items. Pieces of the coat and pants are wool and cashmere, the cuffs are camel hair, and the buttons are gilded gold.

After significant research, she's trying to make every detail perfect, including the silk ascot, ruffles, riding boots and gold shoulder pads.

Once the uniform was decided, Wilson turned her attention to the generic mannequin, which would wear the elaborate and time-intensive recreation.

"I wasn't happy with the face," she said.

For starters, she had to change the brown eyes to blue.

Then she took out her sculptor's clay to raise the brow ridge and jawline to reflect the man in his middle years, she said.

The final Washington mannequin will be on display for the reception in the gown room, then permanently set with the Revolutionary War exhibit on the lower level.

"We have these artifacts because of the original (society) founders, people of integrity who were trusted with these artifacts," Wilbers said.