Future Events and Current Exhibits
Virtual Exhibit: Winthrop Memorabilia Exhibit Video
The Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University contain thousands of artifacts related to Winthrop's History, South Carolina History, and beyond. This video highlights some of the Winthrop related memorabilia and artifacts housed at the Pettus Archives with historical images from Winthrop's past.
Virtual Exhibit: Winthrop University History Chronology
This video includes a chronology of Winthrop University's history through 2017. The slideshow highlights some important milestones and events in Winthrop's History in chronological order with images from Winthrop's storied past.
Past Events and Exhibits
Exhibit: When The Past Meets The Present: The Businesses That Shaped Rock Hill
Dates: September 3, 2019 - December 13, 2019
Exhibit Location: Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
The Pettus Archives at Winthrop University has created an exhibit highlighting a multitude of businesses that once served the Rock Hill community primarily between 1920 and 1960. It even showcases a few businesses that are still in operation today. From familiar businesses like The Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company to unfamiliar businesses like The Farmer’s Blacksmith Shop, viewers will be surprised to see the diverse services Rock Hill businesses have offered over the years. Viewers can expect to see a wide variety of artifacts in this exhibit including advertisements for local businesses, colorful advertisements illustrating products once sold by these businesses, and actual products sold by these businesses such as soda bottles, food product containers, etc. There is even a display of artifacts highlighting Winthrop University and its role in the Rock Hill community.
Art of the Book Exhibit
Sponsored by the Fine Arts Department and Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University
Dates: May 1, 2019 - August 1, 2019
Exhibit Location: Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Dr. Laura Dufresne and Dr. Laura Gardner teach a class every other Spring semester called the Art of the Book. The class creates artwork that is inspired by their study of the creation and artistic rendering of books throughout history. Earlier in the semester, the class met in the Pettus Archives to view the numerous types of books housed in the Archives. Using the knowledge they gathered during their class, the students created beautiful, interesting, and clever art pieces which are currently on display in the Pettus Archives. Among the works are books with creative bindings, commonplace books, book plates, illustrated books, handmade papers, zines and other works. The exhibition will be available for viewing during regular Archives operating hours from May 1 through August 1. Summer hours are Monday-Thursday 8:00-5:30 and Friday 8:00-Noon.
Artist Corner Exhibit: Matt Christopher: Inspiring Generations of Young Minds
Date: May 1, 2019 - August 31, 2019
Location: The Louise Pettus Archives 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC
World renowned children's book author Matt Christopher has been inspiring young readers for generations and is the subject of this edition of the Artist Corner Exhibit. Beginning with his first sports themed book, The Lucky Baseball Bat, published by Little, Brown and co. in 1954, Matt Christopher has built a legacy of inspiring young children to read through his more than 130 novels. He also wrote more than 300 short stories and articles that were published in magazines, comic books, and newspapers. The exhibit features his writings as well as artifacts, memorabilia, drafts, and manuscripts related to his writings which are part of the Matt Christopher Papers (Accession 1092) which are housed in the Pettus Archives.
Exhibit: A House of Many Stories: Famous Writers from the Archives
Date: April 1, 2019 - May 31, 2019
Location: The Louise Pettus Archives 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC
The Pettus Archives is home to the papers of quite a few writers including Nathan Asch, Matt Christopher, Louise Pettus, John Hammond Moore, Pat Conroy and others. This exhibit features books, manuscripts, galley proofs, letters, photographs and other items from these collections.
Exhibit: One More Round of Applause: Celebrating Winthrop's Greatest Guests
Date: April 1, 2019 - May 31, 2019
Location: The Louise Pettus Archives 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC
Winthrop has had a host of historians, political scientists, sociologists, writers and other lecturers over its 132 year existence. The new Pettus Archives exhibit documents some of the marvelous speakers that Winthrop has hosted over the years including Helen Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, and Ogden Nash.
Cultural Event: Winthrop Day-by-Day: Relive the Winthrop Experience through the Portal of Time
Date: November 13, 2018
Time: 11:00-12:30 am
Location: Dinkins Auditorium
A look toward campus life nearly a century ago, the 1919 film “Winthrop: Day by Day” shows scenes of student activities and the atmosphere of the early campus. The film "Winthrop: Day-by-Day was commissioned in 1919 by Winthrop's founder and first president, David Bancroft Johnson and sent by request to theaters across the country to advertise Winthrop College to prospective students. The film depicts nearly every aspect of the Winthrop experience. Relive the traditions that define Winthrop with narrated reviewing of the 1919 film on November 13th at 11:00 AM in Dinkins Auditorium. Mrs. Gina Price White ’83, the director of the Louise Pettus Archives, will be narrating the film. Afterward, a short Q&A will address campus history and the growth of campus within the last century.
Co- Sponsored by the Louise Pettus Archives and Phi Alpha Theta.
Cultural Event: ARMISTICE & ANAMNESIS: Remembering the Great War, 100 Years Later
Date: November 9, 2018
Time: 11:00 am
Location: The Louise Pettus Archives 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Fritz Hamer, Curator of History and Archivist of the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum, and editor of the collected essays, Forward Together: South Carolinians in the Great War. Dr. Hamer will speak about his his research on World War I and speak about the significance of the upcoming 100th anniversary of Armistice Day. This event has been approved as a Global Learning Cultural event. Refreshments will be provided.
Cultural Event: Interwoven: Winthrop, Weaving, and the Archives
Date: October 25, 2018
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: The Louise Pettus Archives 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC
Textiles, from wearing to weaving, have been a part of the Winthrop experience from the very beginning. The story is filled with moments of discovery, creativity, and treasures from the Pettus Archives. Join us to learn about Winthrop’s textile connections, including the Winthrop University tartan design, and stick around to try your hand at weaving!
Weaving and textiles have had a great influence on Winthrop since the 1890s and on the surrounding area since the 18th century. This event will introduce students who know little about the history of weaving and textiles at Winthrop and in the upstate to the subject as well as offering additional information to those who have a working knowledge of the topic. The event will also introduce the resources available for research that are located in the Louise Pettus Archives at Winthrop University.
Presenters: Beth Melton, Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts at Winthrop University and Renee Holliday, Master of Fine Arts candidate at Winthrop University.
Exhibit: Woven In Our Roots: Agricultural and Domestic Arts in South Carolina
Date: October 15, 2018 - February 15, 2019
Location: The Louise Pettus Archives 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC
Textiles, from wearing to weaving, have been a part of the Winthrop experience from the very beginning. The story is filled with moments of discovery, creativity, and treasures from the Pettus Archives. This exhibit will introduce visitors who know little about the history of weaving and textiles at Winthrop and in the upstate to the subject as well as offering additional information to those who have a working knowledge of the topic. Visit the Archives to learn about Winthrop’s textile connections, including the Winthrop University tartan design, and stick around to try your hand at weaving!
The exhibit is available for viewing during regular Archives hours: Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00.
Exhibit: ARMISTICE & ANAMNESIS: Remembering the Great War, 100 Years Later
Dates: October 15, 2018 - February 15, 2019
Location: The Louise Pettus Archives 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC
This Veterans Day marks the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, which signaled the end of World War I. Thus, our exhibit is showcasing our World War I materials, such as a WWI U.S. Navy uniform, photographs from the Allied front lines taken by Cpt. Charles Caldwell (Rock Hill native), German postcards, and an audio station with portions of an interview with Cpt. Francis Murray Mack in which he talks about his experiences in France during WWI.
The exhibit is available for viewing during regular Archives hours: Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00.
Art of the Book Exhibit
Sponsored by the Fine Arts Department and Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University
Dates: December 6, 2017 - February 28, 2018
Exhibit Location: Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
The Art of the Book exhibit highlights art projects by students in Dr. Laura Dufresne and Dr. Laura Gardner’s Art of the Book class. Throughout the semester course, the students study examples of books and writing throughout history (including examples from the Pettus Archives) and interpret their findings in art projects that in previous installations have ranged from illuminated manuscripts to children’s books, from sculpture to collages and other art forms. It always is a fascinating exhibit.
The Finer Things: Dining and Dishware at Winthrop
Dates: October 9, 2017 - December 4, 2017
Exhibit Location: Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, 700 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
The Pettus Archives at Winthrop University has created an exhibit of china, silverware, dishes and other material highlighting dining at Winthrop 1890s-1960s. Over the past several years, the Archives has received into its holdings various dining accessories that have been housed in numerous places all over campus. The beautiful china, silver and other pieces have never been displayed in one place. The Archives has brought together this fascinating collection of objects to showcase the “finer things” used by students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests in their dining experiences at Winthrop. Also included are photographs of students in the dining hall, clips from the 1919 film “Winthrop Day-By-Day," and information about Mrs. Sarah McBryde, Winthrop Dining Hall manager and dietician from 1919 through 1945 and her management of the dining hall.
The exhibit is available for viewing during regular Archives hours: Monday 8:30-7:00; Tuesday-Friday 8:30-5:00. The exhibit will be available two Saturdays November 18 9:00-3:00 and December 2, 9:00-1:00