May 1, 1895
About
This project for the Gallipolis Journal’s special silk newspaper was developed for the course “Cultural Heritage Informatics” as part of Kent State’s iSchool MLIS program.
This exhibit is dedicated to showcasing an 1895 silk newspaper commissioned by the Thursday Club of Gallipolis, Ohio. Each page of the newspaper is displayed in our gallery, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the history and culture of the time.
The silk paper, as it is more commonly known by the people who are familiar with it, is a special artifact of Gallipolis, Ohio. But even more so, a very important part of the history of the Dr. Samuel L. Bossard Memorial Library, which is proof of the hard work and efforts made by the Thursday Club and other sponsors in the late 1800s.
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Thank you for visiting the exhibit of The Gallipolis Journal: Woman's Edition, I hope you enjoy your visit!
A Brief History
The Thursday Club of Gallipolis, Ohio sponsored a fundraising event to help fund and establish Gallia County’s first public library. One of their efforts involved commissioning the Gallipolis Journal to print a special ‘Woman’s Edition’ of the newspaper, which was printed on May 1, 1895. This edition was printed on white silk taffeta, and each page is decorated with hand-painted flowers. The newspaper sold at auction for $100 dollars to George House. Mr. House later donated the silk newspaper back to the Thursday Club. A total of $800 dollars was raised during the auction and large donations of books were given by supporters. As a result of the Thursday Club's efforts, the first public library of Gallipolis, Ohio opened in 1898 in the Lupton block building.
