The Remnant Trust Comes Back Home to Indiana, Bringing Rare Printed Collection

The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is pleased to announce a groundbreaking partnership with The Remnant Trust and the Columbia Club — one that will bring an incredible collection of rare, printed materials back to Indiana.

The Remnant Trust, a 501(c)3 nonprofit and Indiana-based organization, has chosen to move its collection and base of operations to Indianapolis.

“Now is the time to ensure more people can experience the Trust’s wisdom of the ages athenaeum,” said Chris L. Talley, Chairman and CEO of The Remnant Trust. “Our return to Indiana is crucial for scaling up our education program, pursuing the mission of The Remnant Trust.” IHS will house The Remnant Trust’s collection of materials and make them accessible to the public through the IHS archives and library.

On Tuesday, April 12, media will have the opportunity to view a selection of items, including the following:

• The Magna Carta, a 1350 early English edition
• Frederick Douglass Autobiography, 1855
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriett Beecher Stowe, 1852
• Declaration of Independence, 1776 (rare printing)
• The Federalist Papers
• The US Constitution, Connecticut printing (1789 rare edition)
• Particulars of the Late Duel, Fought at Hoboken, July 11, Between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, ESQRS. In which the Latter Unfortunately Fell. Containing All the Papers Relating to that Event, Together with the Will of Gen. Hamilton, and the Letters of Bishop Moore, and the Rev. J.M. Mason (1804)
• The Institutes, John Calvin, 1536 edition
• Second Treatise on Government, John Locke, 1694

IHS will also utilize items from The Remnant Trust’s collection for exhibits, programming and other uses — which will, in turn, enrich the use of IHS’s millions of items pertaining to Indiana and the Old Northwest Territory. The first of these offerings will be Documents that Shaped America, which will open at IHS on May 21, 2022.

“This new relationship will offer Hoosiers the chance to connect with amazing pieces of history — up close and personal,” said Jody Blankenship, IHS president and CEO. “We’re excited to partner with The Remnant Trust and the Columbia Club in providing both access and context for these important works to the public.”

The Remnant Trust’s offices will be located at the Columbia Club, which will also have a display of materials and host the Trust’s programming.

“The Columbia Club has a long and storied history of promoting and protecting our Hoosier heritage, and we are thrilled to welcome The Remnant Trust collection back to Indiana,” said John P. McGoff, M.D., Columbia Club President. “We look forward to displaying books from these wonderful and rare publications of The Remnant Trust collection in partnership with the Indiana Historical Society.”

Founded in 1997, The Remnant Trust is a public educational foundation that shares an actively growing collection of manuscripts, first edition and early works dealing with the topics of individual liberty and human dignity — with some pieces dating as early as 2500 B.C. The Remnant Trust makes this collection available to colleges, universities and other organizations for use by students, faculty, scholars and the general public.

The Remnant Trust’s vision has always been to provide the opportunity for people to hold, examine, read and discuss the pieces of the collection. Collections of this magnitude and quality are infrequently accessible to the public.

The Remnant Trust’s president and COO, Kristophor Bex, sees the books in The Remnant Trust collection as a catalyst for contemplation and conversation.

“I hope people will talk about the ideas within them and why they are still relevant or not today, with the hope of getting people engaged with those ideas,” Bex said.

For media interested in viewing the selection of items on Tuesday, April 12, an appointment must be made between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Contact Tiffany Whisner at 317-343-2448 or twhisner@colesmarketing.com.

The Remnant Trust collection is available through the IHS Library during its business hours. Click here to access the catalog. Please note, some items might be on exhibit throughout the country and not available for access. Please contact IHS library staff to schedule an appointment to research and view the materials. For more information on The Remnant Trust and its collection, visit www.theremnanttrust.com.

For more information about IHS and its offerings, call (317) 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org.

For more information on the Columbia Club, visit www.columbia-club.org.

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