Western Folklife Center

THE WIEGAND GALLERY AND BLACK BOX THEATER

Photo by Charlie Ekburg

501 Railroad Street, Elko, Nevada
Located in the Historic Pioneer Hotel
Open Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 5:30 pm.
Open Saturday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Closed Sundays and Holidays.

Admission:

$5.00 Adults ~ Students and Seniors $3.00
$1.00 Children age 6-12 (Free for children under age 5).
Members Free, with $3.00 charge for each adult guest.
Free admission to all ~ first Monday of every month.
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CURRENT EXHIBITION

Photo by Robert Stone

Florida Cattle Ranching:
Five Centuries of Tradition

Western Folklife Center
Wiegand Gallery
January 18 - July 24, 2010

Elko students enjoying the Florida Cattle Ranching exhibition

Photo by Meg Glaser

Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition, tells the story of one of Florida's oldest and most important cultural and occupational activities. Cattle ranching in what is now the United States began when Spanish explorers introduced horses and cattle to Florida in the 16th Century, and flourished in the hands of the Seminoles, Crackers, and other Floridians.

Photo by Meg Glaser

Today, ranching is an essential economic activity that preserves many aspects of the natural landscape, protects water resources and maintains areas used by wildlife or for recreation. Yet, few know about Florida's unique ranching traditions, which have been adapted to the subtropical climate and have influenced its distinctive history.

Elko students enjoying the Florida Cattle Ranching exhbition

Photo by Meg Glaser

The exhibition traces cattle ranching from its early beginnings in Colonial Florida through present-day cattle ranching. Some of the topics included in the exhibition are Colonial Florida, Seminole cattle ranching, Cracker cowboys, Cracker horses, cow dogs, auctions, oral traditions, rodeos and material culture.

Included in the exhibition are artifacts, archival photos, artwork by cowboy artists, cowboy poetry, audio and video components and images by guest photographers Jon Kral, Bob Montanaro, Jimmy Peters, and Carlton Ward, Jr.

Photo by Meg Glaser

Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition was produced by the Florida Folklife Program, Florida Department of State, and Florida Cultural Resources, Inc: funding was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts/Folk & Traditional Arts, Florida Humanities Council, Florida Cattlemen's Association, Florida Cattlemen's Foundation, Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, Florida Cracker Cattle Association, Lalla Rook Tompkins, Iris Wall, and Susane and Pete Clemons. The traveling exhbition was made possible by the Museum of Florida History.

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