Author: Steven Varble

The Jacksonville Area Museum will host two events related to its J. Capps & Sons exhibit, including a hands-on ornament making activity with a sewing theme, on Wednesday, November 16.

“J. Capps & Sons Indian Trade Blankets, Buffalo Bill Cody and Really Nice Threads” will be presented in the Jacksonville Area Museum’s west gallery at 5 p.m. on November 16 by Donna Cody and Terry Maggart. Cody researched the Capps Indian Trade Blankets and the connection between Buffalo Bill Cody and J. Capps & Sons for a program she presented to the Household Science Club. She will share the information she gleaned and will have examples of the blankets. Maggart, who worked at J. Capps & Sons in the mid-1970s and was there when the company closed after more than 130 years, will talk about the specific techniques of J. Capps & Sons suit construction and the impact the popularization of polyester fabrics had on the company. The presentation will last about 30 minutes.

“Spools of Fun” ornament-making will also be held at the museum on Wednesday, November 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. The museum’s 2022 Christmas Tree will have a sewing theme in honor of the museum’s J. Capps & Sons exhibit that opened earlier this year. Spools of Fun participants will make ornaments for the tree using wood thread spools. The event is designed for people of all ages, adults and children, crafty or not. All supplies will be provided. The only thing participants need to bring is creativity, and they may stay for a few minutes or the entire two hours.

“My sisters and I made a couple dozen ornaments as examples and had a blast doing it,” said event organizer Laura Marks. “What’s great about it is the possible designs are endless and there’s no right or wrong way to create an ornament.”

Both events are free and open to the public. Reservations can be made by calling (217) 408-1197 or emailing manager@jacksonvilleareamuseum.org.

The November 16 events supplement “J. Capps & Sons, Ltd. A History of NICE THREADS!,” a new major exhibit featuring the history of Jacksonville’s first manufacturer that opened in July. “NICE THREADS!” traces the history of the company from 1839, when Joseph Capps started his wool carding business in Jacksonville, through the company’s closing in 1975. Many original artifacts are included in the exhibit, including men’s suits, topcoats, military uniforms, and the company’s famous Indian trade blankets that Buffalo Bill endorsed. Also featured are original fabrics, tools, company records, photographs, and Capps employee reminiscences through the years..

The Jacksonville Area Museum is located in the old Post Office building at 301 E. State Street, and its regular schedule is Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. There is no admission fee but a donation of $5 is suggested to keep the museum operating.

The Jacksonville Area Museum will celebrate its one-year anniversary with a special open house during the museum’s regular hours of operation on Sunday, September 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. The open house will feature photographs of the old Post Office building before it was transformed into a museum, a brief program at 2 p.m., and refreshments on the museum’s outdoor porch.

“It seems like just yesterday when we opened our doors, and in one short year we’ve become a destination for visitors from near and far,” said Museum Board Chairman David Blanchette. “Our museum members, donors and supporters are the reason for our success, and with their backing this first year is just the start of a long and exciting journey into the area’s unique heritage and culture.”

More than 1,500 visitors have toured the Jacksonville Area Museum during its first year of operation. The museum hosted the prestigious Smithsonian “Voices and Votes” exhibit late last year, and launched a new exhibit, “NICE THREADS! A History of J. Capps & Sons” this summer. Several important artifact donations have occurred during the institution’s first year of operation, a museum manager was hired to oversee the museum’s day-to-day operations, and the Jacksonville Area Museum Foundation was formed to raise money to expand and improve the museum.

Plans are underway for Phase Two of the museum’s development, which will transform the large, open central area of the building into additional exhibit and gallery space.

The Jacksonville Area Museum uses original artifacts, storytelling exhibits and the building itself, as well as items from the MacMurray College Foundation and Alumni Association collection, to show people of all ages and backgrounds why the Jacksonville community has been and continues to be one of a kind.

The museum is located in the old Post Office building at 301 E. State Street, and its regular schedule is Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. There is no admission fee but a donation of $5 is suggested to keep the museum operating.

“Nice Threads,” a new major exhibit featuring the history of the Capps Clothing Company, will officially open to the public on Saturday, July 16 at the Jacksonville Area Museum in downtown Jacksonville. A special preview for museum members only will be offered on Wednesday evening, July 13.

“Nice Threads” traces the history of the company from 1839, when Joseph Capps started his wool carding business in Jacksonville, through the company’s closing in 1975. Many original artifacts are included in the exhibit, including men’s suits, topcoats, military uniforms, and the company’s famous Indian blankets that were a prominent feature of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Also featured are original fabrics, tools, company records, photographs, and the reminiscences of Capps employees through the years that can be accessed via podcast.

“Capps Clothing Company was Morgan County’s oldest manufacturing firm and the products it produced for more than 135 years were world-renowned for their quality,” said Jacksonville Area Museum Board Chairman David Blanchette. “Many current Jacksonville residents either worked at Capps or knew someone who did, and the factory’s impact on the community’s history is profound.” 

At its height, Capps employed 450 workers and made clothes that were sold in more than 800 retail establishments in 40 states. 

The Jacksonville Area Museum uses original artifacts, storytelling exhibits and the building itself, as well as items from the MacMurray College Foundation and Alumni Association collection, to show people of all ages and backgrounds why the Jacksonville community has been and continues to be one of a kind.

The museum is located in the old Post Office building at 301 E. State Street, and its regular schedule is Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. There is no admission fee but a donation of $5 is suggested to keep the all-volunteer museum operating.