The Smerchek Museum

By Charlotte Hinger

A  while back Michael Chandos broke my heart with his account of determining what to do with his grandfather's war memorabilia. I am so nostalgic about historical artifacts that I nearly volunteered to store them myself. 

I'm sorting through family stuff. My mother's side of the family is Czechoslovakian. Originally from Moravia. We have information going back to the 1700s although my grandparent's generation didn't migrate until the 1800s. There is a fabulous family scrapbook that has been scanned and distributed to all the descendants.


I've taken in a lot of my family's "treasures" simply because I can't stand to throw it away. I have my grandmother's wedding dress from 1900. It is exquisite and the shoulders are about the size of an American Girl doll. I've always referred to them as the "wee Smercheks"


Aunt Helen was an artist. Above is a picture she painted that I've labeled "The Path." I do love it and hung it about my sofa. Her portrait of a farmstead is above my dining room table. It's very well done and she had a great sense of perspective.

Some time ago, I posted a photo of my great-grandmother's rocking chair. A gentleman from my church refinished it and when the mood strikes us, some of my friends are coming over to help with the webbing so I can complete the upholstery. 

The picture above is that of the seven Smerchek sons who arrived from Bohemia in the 1800s. 

Michael is right. The younger generation takes a more minimal approach. They won't be troubled by this compulsion to cling to family memorabilia.