Sikeston Depot Museum hosts American Indian exhibit

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A selection of unusual American Indian artifacts is on display at the Sikeston Depot Museum as part of the the Native American Heritage exhibit, which opened Thursday.

"Everyone around here has seen arrowheads and pottery but what we have here [are] ceremonial rattles, beaded peace pipe bags, children's toys, beaded moccasins," said Mike Marsh, director of the Sikeston Depot Museum. "These are Plains Indians artifacts that you only seem to see at a large city museum or on the Antique Road Show once in a while, something like that."

The historical items are on loan from the St. Louis Science Center, Marsh said.

"This is our third exhibit that we have borrowed from the St. Louis Science Center," he said. "It's the largest display that we've had on loan yet. We will also be keeping this display longer."

The artifacts will remain on display until the end of April, Marsh said.

"We want to make sure everyone has a chance to see it, especially area schoolkids," he said. "This is probably the most unique and valuable Native American display ever seen around here."

The exhibit includes more than two dozen artifacts.

"We are absolutely thrilled with what they were willing to loan us," Marsh said. "Some of [the pieces] are pretty large."

Marsh said he thinks the artifacts are from "a variety of tribes -- Sac and Fox, Sioux; I'm almost positive some of this is Cherokee.

"What's really the most impressive of all is the amount of beaded work we have," Marsh said. "There's a beaded belt that's out of this world, a beaded pipe bag that is just spectacular. It's all authentic -- no reproductions."

While the artifacts are not dated, "most of them are from the 1800s," he estimated, noting that "the bead ornamentation was one of the major trade items" offered by Europeans to American Indians.

"I also have a couple of old war clubs. They're made with rocks -- there's no steel in this display," Marsh said. "I'm really thrilled about the pipes: we have two Indian pipes. You don't see them around."

Marsh said some of the pieces he finds particularly interesting are the toys, including a doll attached to a toy cradle board.

"There's a beaded moccasin for an infant that's really cute," he said.

In addition to the American Indian artifacts, the Science Center also loaned the museum two models of horse-drawn vehicles: a Wells Fargo stage coach and a covered Conestoga wagon.

"We're just so thrilled with the cooperation we've received from the Science Center," Marsh said. "I just hope everybody in the area has a chance to come and appreciate what they are sharing with us."

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.