Elephants in the Reece

Exhibition Website

May 4 2017 - Jun 9 2017

Carroll Reece Museum

Johnson City, TN

The Reece Museum has an extensive collection of elephant figurines that came from the estates of our namesake, Congressman B. Carroll Reece, his wife and Congresswoman Louise Goff Reece, and Congressman Jimmy Quillen. Each of these three served Tennessee’s First District as Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. Many of the elephants in the collection were purchased by or given to one of the three donors. Some of the figurines displayed here are older than the GOP itself while, others were created to commemorate the party.
Highlighting the connection between the region and elephants by using the Reece collection, this exhibition also features articles on the tragic event that unfolded in Erwin in 1916, that took the life of Mary the Elephant as well as the contemporary reaction to that event. Beyond donor information and the local history, the exhibit will also feature interesting facts about elephants.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website

  • Sculpture
  • Various artists

Exhibition Venues & Dates