Quonset Hut Historic Site Visitor's Center and Gift Shop

In 2002 and again in 2003 in an abbreviated form for a group show, I exhibited the installation Quonset Hut Historic Site Visitor’s Center and Gift Shop.

About Quonset Hut Historic Site Visitor’s Center and Gift Shop:

My idea for this installation came from observing the way people turn various architectural and historical landmarks into objects of tourism and kitsch.  Whenever one visits one of these sites, he/she is inevitably encouraged, if not forced, to go to the site’s “Vistor’s Center and Gift Shop.”  The Visitor’s Center usually includes a selection of artifacts and information concerning the landmark.  The Gift Shop, which is often twice the size of the Visitor’s Center, bombards the tourist with a huge array of merchandise -  anything related to or with the image of the landmark that can possibly be made or sold. 

For some reason, it has become as important to go through the gift shop and buy a souvenir as it is to actually see the attraction -- almost like people need to prove or collect their experiences. I was interested in how traveling to see something of historic or cultural value has become, at least in part, a further extension of consumerism.  Also, I have noticed that even small towns try to get in on the tourist action and come up with all sorts of strange things to turn into an attraction, i.e. the giant thermometer on the way to Vegas, the Jim the Wonderdog memorial garden and gift shop in my grandma's tiny town of Marshall, MO, ... the list is endless.

The gallery space was transformed into a Visitor’s Center and Gift Shop for an imaginary historic site.  I chose a Quonset Hut as this site -- everybody has seen one at some point in their life but probably didn’t know or care about what it was.  I have written a detailed story behind this Quonset Hut and it's "emergence" as an historic site.  Artifacts and photos from this “history” are on display in the Visitor's Center section.  The Gift Shop has all manner of gift items involving the Quonset Hut, almost all of which I have made by hand: beanie babies, paint-by-number kits, snowglobes, commemorative plates, keychains, etc.  Some items I purchased and then hand-embellished using decals I created on the computer: plates, shot glasses, nailclips, mugs, lunchboxes, ashtrays, etc.  The only item I had professionally manufactured are the embroidered patches.

General view when entering the gallery.  The far wall has an oil painting of the "historic site", flanked by two corrugated metal panels (material that actual Quonset Huts are constructed with).

A free brochure was available, which included "hours, fees, info" etc. about Quonset Hut Historic Site.

  The story of Quonset Hut Historic Site begins with Terry Ligewood.  Born on December 1, 1910, Terry worked as an auto mechanic until 1940.  Like many Americans at that time, Terry anticipated the U.S. entry into World War II and volunteered for the Navy.  At the age of 30 he was considered too old for combat; so due to his prior work experience he was assigned various positions constructing and repairing vehicles, structures, and equipment.

      In March of 1941, the Navy needed a multi-purpose building that was durable but could also be shipped and assembled easily and could function well in many locations.  The Quonset Hut (so named because it was designed in Quonset Point, Rhode Island) had a frame of semicircular steel ribs which were then covered with a skin of galvanized corrugated metal sheets.  The whole unit could be built with simple tools.

      Soon after Quonset Huts began rolling out of the factory doors, Terry Ligewood was one of the first servicemen to build them.  He was stationed in many places both at home and overseas throughout the duration of the war.  He built countless Quonset Huts in addition to his many jobs in vehicle and equipment repair.  By the end of the war in 1946, 170,000 Quonset Huts had been built.

Terry Ligewood left the service and returned to his hometown of Littletown, Missouri.  He purchased a Navy surplus Quonset Hut for $1000 and started his own business as an auto mechanic.  He also bought surplus Jeep kits, put them together, and sold them at his shop.

      While Terry was away at war, his niece, Anna White, had been born on October 22, 1941.  Now that Terry was back home, he was finally able to meet her.  A lifelong bachelor, he devoted all his time and energy to his business and his niece.  He often encouraged her to pursue her dream as a sculptor.

Tragically,  in 1968 Terry died of a heart attack.  With no family of his own, Terry left everything to Anna.  After some consideration, Anna White decided that she would turn the Quonset Hut into studio space and start her own business.  She subsequently sold her uncle’s mechanic equipment and liquidated many of his other possessions.  With her interest in sculpting and gardening in mind, she began a career in garden gnomes.

 She started small by sculpting and casting the gnomes herself and then selling them directly from her Quonset Hut shop. As time passed, her fledgling business took off.  Soon Anna’s garden gnomes were being shipped nationwide and eventually internationally.  

     After years of success and hard work, Anna White rewarded herself with a trip to Europe in 1990.  Her vacation culminated in a visit to the Garden Gnome Reserve and Wildflower Garden in England.  The Reserve’s gardens were filled with gnomes, and the park also featured a museum and a design shop.  To her delight and surprise, the Garden Gnome Reserve staff were well acquainted with her work and honored that she was paying them a visit.  They immediately offered her a top position on their design team.  After a great deal of persuasion from the staff as well as a certain dashing Head Gardener,  Anna White agreed to consider the offer.

     Upon her return home, she reflected on her past 25 years in business.  While she enjoyed her career immensely,  Anna felt it would be nice to have a change of pace and to be able to work less.  She had also been corresponding with the Reserve’s Head Gardener, Charles Blashill, and it was clear a relationship was beginning to develop.  

     After a few months, Anna Wnite made her decision to sell her business and move to England.  However, she did not want anything to happen to the Quonset Hut that had had so much meaning to her.  Hence, she went to the city and volunteered to donate the Quonset Hut property to Littletown,  Missouri with the stipulation that it not be demolished.  She told the city’s managers about the Quonset Hut’s history and why it was important to her that it be preserved.  Littletown agreed to her conditions, did some further research, and as a result created an historic site in honor of this relic of American ingenuity. 

View of the counter with cash register and impulse buys. 

Some impulse buys: postcards, pens, patches, pencil sharpeners.

The central display area.  Pins, nailclips, keychains, pendants, and spoons are on the stand.

Souvenir spoons.

Pins.