Special to the Independent
Photo by Jim Tate
Jennifer Andries, executive director of the Lyon County Historical Museum, sits in the SMSU display area on the newly-renovated second floor, which opened in January.
A new exhibit in the Lyon County Historical Museum features Southwest Minnesota State University as part of a number of exhibits on the newly-renovated second floor.
The SMSU exhibit includes a replica of the concrete pillar which held up the “Dome,” the most identifiable architectural landmark on campus prior to the Jan. 2, 2002 fire that destroyed Food Service East and affected every other building on campus.
The display features several glossy posters highlighting various aspects of university history. One is about former SMSU President Jon Wefald, the man credited with saving SMSU when enrollments dipped critically. There’s one about the old Student Center lounge. Another about how the university came to be located in Marshall. And another about Vietnam War protests, and racial tensions in 1969. In a display box is a charred plate from the student dining area, where the fire started, along with a mug and a piece of the original Dome. There’s an old college t-shirt, furniture which is an exact replica of the ’70s-era chairs found in the Dome Lounge, and a vintage softball uniform.