Creating a Museum Display

I recently visited the Ashland Historical Museum in downtown Ashland, Wisconsin. The Museum has a wonderful collection of hand made circus train cars. Before television, before radio, the Circus coming to town was a highlight of every Summer. Many circuses visited Ashland in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Barnum and Bailey, Ringling Brothers and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show were just a few of those that came to Northern Wisconsin and Northern Minnesota. In 1896 when Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show visited Ashland, an event of some historical interest occurred. Col. Cody brought together Chiefs of the Chippewa tribe and Chiefs of the Sioux tribe to permanently declare peace between these long time rivals. The Chippewa and the Siuox were long enemies. The Sioux were originally in the Lake Superior region. However, as the Chippewa expanded in the Lake Superior region the Sioux were pushed west. This understandably caused conflict over the centuries. At Ashland Wisconsin on September 11, 1896 the Chiefs of the tribes came together between the afternoon and evening Wild West Shows to declare peace, smoke the peace pipe and Pow-Wow. I have painted my take on several Buffalo Bill Wild West advertising pieces from the 1800's. The wonderful circus train car exhibit at the museum has motivated me to design a display about this Ashland event to be placed with and add to their circus train exhibit.