“Presidential Preferences” Election Exhibit Open at Finney County Museum

“PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCES” ELECTION EXHIBIT OPEN AT FINNEY COUNTY MUSEUM

Visitors can see who Finney County voted for in past 21 national elections

People planning to mark Trump, Clinton or “None of the Above” on their ballots next month can find some common ground at the Finney County Historical Museum’s Front Door Gallery.

A new exhibit entitled “Presidential Preferences” opened there today, offering visitors the chance to view the results of U.S. presidential elections as far back as 1932, with national, state and local tallies for the candidates of both major parties, flanked by artifacts that range from early-day Finney County ballot boxes and election booths to paraphernalia from past campaigns.

The display follows “The Garden City Western Railway,” which marked the 100th anniversary of “Old Two Bits,” the vintage steam locomotive in Lee Richardson Zoo, as well as the local short-line railroad that operated her from 1916 to 1952.

The new exhibit will remain in place throughout and after the present-day contest involving Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, though it includes nothing about the current campaign. Instead, voting tallies from the 21 previous U.S. presidential contests illustrate when Finney County’s choices for commander in chief have aligned with those of the state and nation, as well as when they have diverged.

The results span the races from Herbert Hoover vs. Franklin D. Roosevelt more than 80 years ago to Mitt Romney’s challenge of Barak Obama in 2012, with emphasis on local, state and national outcomes for the candidates of both major parties

The Front Door Gallery, located just inside the museum’s front entrance, hosts displays that change periodically throughout the year. The recent railroad exhibit followed “Images of Native America,” “Signs of the Times” and “Take Your Seat,” all featured earlier in 2016.

The museum’s exhibits are open 1 to 5 p.m. seven days weekly, and admission is free. The Front Door Gallery is located just inside the entrance, and visitors can also see approximately a dozen additional temporary and long-term displays. The museum’s gift shop, offering items related to culture and history as well as creations by area artists and artisans, is open concurrently with exhibits.