When a retired Allen County judge from Fort Wayne brought a group of people to Upland, Ind., in early September, it wasn’t just for the Ivanhoes.
12-year-olds, seniors, locals and out-of-towners have flocked to the Upland Community Building to explore Voices and Votes, a traveling Smithsonian-sponsored exhibit on the history of voting rights in America. Obtained by the Upland Historical Society, the exhibit is available 4-8 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 5 on weekends. “Voices and Votes” will call Upland home from its ribbon cutting on Aug. 22. to Oct. 4, Andrew Preston, president of the Upland Historical Society, said.
Upland is one of seven locations across Indiana selected to host the exhibit through an Indiana Humanities grant. Others included Angola, Russiaville, French Lake, Vernon, Green Castle and Columbia City, Preston said.
Though “Voices and Votes” has toured other states for the past six years, Indiana Humanities brought the exhibit to Indiana in 2026 with the bicentennial in mind, Daena Richmond, secretary-treasurer of the Upland Historical Society, said.
The timing is fitting for other reasons too, said Alex Reno, vice president of the Upland Historical Society.
“We lose it in early October,” Reno said, “and then a month later, November, we're all going to the polls for the midterms elections.”
Because the Smithsonian Institute requires exhibit hosts to add a personalized section on their local democratic history, attendees learn local politics, not just national ones, he said.
In Upland, “Voices and Votes” featured sections on the development of Clerk-Treasurer Mary Fletcher’s role, the roles various town board positions play and the historic partnership between Upland and Taylor University.
“(Preston and several interns) built out a giant four-panel display talking about some of the history of Upland and different parts of it,” Reno said.
Preston hopes “Voices and Votes” increases participation in the electoral process, knowledge of local history and confidence that residents’ voices are both needed and heard, he said.
The Upland Historical Society won’t know the full impact of the exhibit until later reflection, Richmond said. So far, the response to the viewing has been enthusiastic and the turnout diverse.
Those planning to visit “Voices and Votes” shouldn’t expect to zip through it in five minutes, Preston said. They’ll be surprised at the quality and quantity of information, and may not absorb it all in one trip. It could take up to an hour and a half, he said.
Preston is grateful for the community engagement hosting the viewing fostered.
“The people that helped put it together were all community volunteers as well, not necessarily members of the Historical Society,” he said. “So this has really been a community effort, not just ‘one organization’ effort.”
Preston appreciates the Upland residents who assembled, attended and manned the exhibit, he said. Pierce church even harbored the sixteen crates composing the exhibit, he said.
In the future, the Upland Historical Society hopes to host more exhibits, he added. They plan one on natural disasters at the Upland Depot in May 2027.
