Baylor’s Latest Moody Library Exhibit Spotlights Significant Events from 1886, A Golden Year of Change
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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (Feb. 16, 2016) – A new exhibit in the Goodpasture Concourse of Baylor University’s Moody Memorial Library explores significant changes that occurred in the year 1886 at Baylor and around the world.
Exhibit planners chose to spotlight 1886 because it was the year Baylor moved from Independence, Texas, to merge with Texas’ other major Baptist college, Waco University.
“Uniting the Baptist General Association, the Baptist State Convention and other regional Texas Baptist Associations into the Baptist General Convention of Texas marked a historic moment in Baptist life that allowed two universities to merge into one with broad support and influence,” said Kathy Hillman, associate professor and director of Baptist collections and library advancement.
The year 1886 was full of other pivotal moments marking a global era of change. The first Texas State Fair took place in Dallas on Oct. 25, 1886, the start of an ongoing, annual tradition.
The year also marked the end of the last war between the United States and Indian tribes, as Apache Chief Geronimo surrendered to General Nelson Miles near Fort Bowie on the Arizona/New Mexico border. On Oct. 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York City, a gift from France commemorating 100 years of America’s declaration of independence from Britain.
Other events of the year include a patent for the first gas-powered vehicle in Germany and the premiere of Russian Mussorgsky’s groundbreaking musical fantasy “A Night on Bald Mountain,” which later became a significant part of Walt Disney’s “Fantasia” in 1940.
"By curating the exhibit, 1886 went from being the year Baylor moved to Waco to being its own significant point in history,” Hillman said. “So many changes were happening during a year we tend to think of as quiet. I now see the footholds of many movements and innovations made that came into full force in the 20th century. The exhibit provides a new perspective on the year; it’s not just a bygone time but one of tremendous progress."
The exhibit features several artifacts from the 1800s as well as models of Baylor’s Independence and Waco campuses.
“1886: A Golden Year of Change” will remain on display through May 2016. It can be viewed anytime the 24-hour zone of the library is open.
Moody Memorial Library is located at 1312 S. Third St.
For more information, contact Carl Flynn.
by Bethany Harper, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
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