Unity College donates Native American artifacts to Hudson Museum

Unity College donated several dozen hand-woven Native American baskets and other artifacts to the University of Maine to be cared for and displayed at the Hudson Museum.

The items — officially called the Peter Smith Terry Collection — were bequeathed to Unity College by Terry, who taught at the college in the 1970s and died in 1977.

Hudson Museum Director Gretchen Faulkner said the objects are wonderful additions to the museum’s collections.

“They will support our work with the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance and its mission of keeping these ancient traditions alive within their communities. Pieces from the collection will be included in the museum’s Maine Indian Gallery, where audiences of all ages will have an opportunity to see them,” she said.

“We are extremely grateful to Unity College for transferring this important collection to the Hudson Museum and allowing the works to be used for research and exhibition as well as loans to other institutions, which is in keeping with Peter Smith Terry’s wishes for the collection.”

Donated items to be accessioned into the Hudson Museum’s collection include: 59 Maine Indian/Northeastern baskets; seven Ojibwe/Great Lakes quill-on-birchbark containers; a Cree Moose call and canoe model; a miniature lacrosse stick; a birchbark picture frame; and three root clubs and a crooked knife.

Thirteen additional items will become part of Hudson Museum’s education collection for hands-on educational programs, said Faulkner.

Contact: Beth Staples, 207.581.3777