The WVMA “Turn of The Century” Veterinary Office
The WVMA “Turn of The Century” Veterinary Office
In 1970, the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association formed the WVMA
Historical Committee. Dr. Fred J. Born was appointed Chairman of that
committee in 1976. That year, Dr. Born approached the Fond du Lac County
Historical Society and asked if the Galloway House & Village would be
interested in having a veterinary medical museum. President Don Blakely and
the Board of Fond du Lac County Historical Society voted unnamously to
approve the development of the WVMA Veterinary Museum. With a donation
of $1500 from the WVMA, the former office of the Marblehead Quarry was moved to the Galloway House & Village site in the fall of 1976. This free-standing building, 14 by 27-foot 1900-vintage, having two rooms was typical of those used for various businesses. Two such structures were still in service as
veterinary offices in northern Wisconsin in 1977, one in the Spooner area and
one near Ladysmith.
On June 4, 1977, the official dedication for the WVMA Veterinary Museum
was held. The AVMA was represented by Dr. Donald Price, AVMA Executive
Vice President and was accompanied by Mrs. Price, the WVMA was
represented by Dr. Wm. Burmeister, WVMA President Elect and Mrs. Winnie
Burmeister, Dr. Bill O’Rourke, WVMA Executive Director and Mrs. Winifred
O’Rourke. Including many prominent veterinarian leaders in Wisconsin, such
as Drs. Elmer Woelffer, Burr Nussdorfer, Quint Metzig, Bob Madson and Burke
Robinette. Dr. Donald Price, addressed the group in stating: “Veterinary
associations throughout the country should emulate this effort.” It is noted, the
dedication of this veterinary museum in 1977 was the only event of this kind an
AVMA Executive Vice President attended.
At that time, this veterinary museum would become one of five in the
United States (Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Missouri and Wisconsin) and is
one of twenty-four in the world.
In 1997, The Guide of Veterinary Museums of the World by Wijgergangs
and I. Kayic was published in Switzerland. This Guide describes in detail the
six veterinary museums in the nation, with a total of thirty-six in the world.
In June of 2012, “The World Veterinary Year” 2011 exhibit was moved to
the MSU-SVM, featuring the history of the 250th Anniversary of the First
Veterinary School in the World. This was the only exhibit that was accredited
by the VET2011 organization in Lyon, France, in describing the complete
history of the first school. In 2011, 126 countries celebrated this event. This
exhibit contains over 250 veterinary instruments, from the 18th, 19th and 20th
centuries located at MSU-SVM and are on loan from the Wisconsin Museum
of Veterinary Medicine, Fond du Lac, WI.
Then in 2016, The Guide to Veterinary and Related MUSEUMS,
HISTORICAL EXHIBITS & PRESERVATION RESTORATIONS in the United
States and Canada was published by the American Veterinary Medical History
Society. This Guide describes in detail the five veterinary museums (The
American Museum of Veterinary Medicine in Birdsboro, PA needed to close
their doors after only being established for five years) and twenty-five veterinary exhibits. Making a combined list of thirty veterinary museums and veterinary
medical exhibits in the U.S. This complete Guide can be found on the following
URL:
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