Previous Artifacts - May 2008
Silver Megaphone Trophy
"Soon to be seen in the upcoming hallway exhibit - The Legacy of Silver - is an impressive trophy in the shape of a megaphone. The trophy, a donation to the Pettigrew Museum in 1935, was awarded to a Sioux Falls volunteer hook and ladder company in 1885. In that year Sioux Falls hosted the Territorial fire tournament. These tournaments were held to help the untrained volunteers develop their firefighting skills. This particular trophy was awarded by the Insurance Company of Dakota of Sioux Falls to the "best equipped Fire Department at the June Tournament in Sioux Falls."
The Industrial Revolution was hinged on the competitive spirit of the Victorian age. Men and companies raced against each other to be the first with a new invention or product and families competed to have the most impressive home with the most luxury goods. That spirit resulted in a huge number of different competitions and tournaments during the era, which are evidenced in the extraordinary number of trophies which exist from the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The trophies range from small loving cups for flower shows to more elaborate examples that reflected in their shape or decorative detail the theme of the competition. The megaphone-shape of the trophy reflects a common piece of equipment for a firefighter, and its body is covered with engraved images of fire pumps, helmets, axes and hoses. The status associated with silver still existed in the 1900s, and a silver trophy matched very well with the prestige associated with winning a tournament.
However, almost none of these trophies were sterling silver. Most, including the megaphone trophy, are silver-plate, which gave the prize the status of silver, at a much smaller cost.
Come see the trophy and other beautiful silver objects in The Legacy of Silver - opening soon on the 2nd floor of the Old Courthouse Museum.
