Explore Global History Locally: Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College Unveils Multinational Artifact Exhibit

The Texas Heritage Museum at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas, has opened a new exhibit titled 'New & Interesting Donations Spanning over 160 Years from Several Countries.' This exhibit features a variety of artifacts from different periods and locations. One key item is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) doll from a parachute event in Waco, Texas, on March 15, 1941.

John Versluis, the Executive Director & Chief Curator of the museum, highlighted the RAF doll's background. It was part of a fundraising event by the Waco Chapter of the British War Relief Society, which included dropping three RAF dolls from an air ambulance to support the British American Ambulance Corp during World War II. The event also featured a concert that raised about $1,000, equivalent to $20,000 today, with a performance by Julius Lorenzo Cobb Bledsoe.

Of the three dolls dropped, only one was found by LaVerne Dorris. This doll was later donated to the Baylor Museum and is now a central exhibit at the Texas Heritage Museum. It represents the combined efforts of international aid and local community during the war.

Other items in the exhibit include a WWII-era Boomerang from Aboriginal Australians and a Cannon Elevating Screw from the 1860s found at Fort Velasco on the Texas Brazos River. These artifacts underscore the museum's diverse collection and its dedication to preserving historical narratives.

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