Previous Artifacts - January 2007

 

 

Burns/Rieper Collection

In 1980, the Siouxland Heritage Museums received an enormous donation, second in size only to Pettigrew's original collection.  Over 4000 items were accumulated by Roy David Burns and his wife Lorene Byrnes Burns and were then given to the Museums by their daughter Robin Burns Rieper.

The Burns/Rieper Collection is made up of both unique and staple household items: Christmas ornaments, artwork, silver, postcards, candlesticks, doilies, and nearly every other small effect that could make a house a home.

 

Roy David Burns became a South Dakota Circuit Court judge in 1950 after having been in private practice and serving at various times as City Attorney and on various boards of directors including the Red Cross and Sioux Valley Hospital. His wife Lorene was involved in the Girl Scouts, American Association of University Women, and Daughters of the American  Revolution.   Some of the artifacts from their collection deal with these clubs, positions, and interests.

 

One of the most significant contributions on behalf of the family was a set of diaries kept regularly by Lorene.  Born in 1896, the earliest of her diaries donated to the Museums is dated 1910.  She then filled one book after the next for nearly half a century.  She died in 1982.

 

Her entries gloss over the events of her day in a sweet, animated style.  Looking through the diaries, one learns about Lorene's school days, going to the movies, the weather, chores, gardening, and motherhood.

 

Forty-one books contain almost her entire personal history, but don't expect to read many of her personal secrets.  Robin confirmed in a recent conversation that Lorene burned her and Roy David's young love letters many years ago to prevent just such an invasion.

 

The diaries do, however, provide a compelling look into the life of a significant and incredibly creative woman living in Sioux Falls and of her domestic pursuits.  Robin has said that she donated the diaries knowing their value as a historical document and hopes someday that they will be read and appreciated by someone wanting to know more about the time in which her mother lived.