ROCKPORT — Nancy Kaiser recently was honored to receive the Spencer County Historian of the year award from the Spencer County Historical Society. Kaiser had been dedicated to the Lincoln Pioneer Village after getting connected with the Friends of the Lincoln Pioneer Village since 2005. She has been with the Village for 19 years. The attendance has greatly increased, and the village has improved since Kaiser’s involvement. People that visit the village often state that is their favorite Lincoln experience.
Kaiser takes her passion for history and writes articles every week. She has been doing the historical columns since 2020 for the Spencer County Leader.
Mayor Kathy Kirkpatrick wrote an eloquent tribute to Kaiser. She wrote that she wanted to celebrate the achievements of Kaiser. Her dedication and hard work had left a mark on the community. Her commitment to preserving the county’s heritage is evident in what she does at the village.
“Let’s celebrate the incredible job that Nancy has done at the Lincoln Pioneer Village. May her influence continue to inspire generations to come,” wrote Kirkpatrick.
Kaiser came up to speak and stated that she came from a family of four. Her family spent their summer vacations traveling to historical sites. Her parents were antique collectors. When Kaiser’s sister and her were young they were told they needed to find something to collect. Birthdays and Christmas’s were about exchanging antiques. This is where her interest in history stemmed.
Her first experience with the village was when she was in fourth grade. She went to school in Warrick County and took a bus to Rockport to explore the village. She always felt like she had a connection with Rockport because of the village.
“It was a hidden treasure. I wanted to get my hand on it,” said Kaiser.
Kaiser decided to stop by the village one day to get more information. She was then connected with Jane Hodges. Kaiser said that Hodges has since passed but was a tremendous person. Hodges was her first involvement with the village as a volunteer.
When they first started the clothes in the cases were nailed to the wall. Kaiser was a collector of Victorian clothes and knew that this was not a good thing. They ordered dress forms and got the clothing properly displayed. They also properly dated the clothing. Kaiser reflected on a funny memory of traveling to Indianapolis with an SUV full of dress forms and clothing.
Before coming to the village, she was an employee at Alcoa for 22 years. It was what she called a cush job.
Once Hodges became mayor, she offered the job to Kaiser to be the director of the village. She had been in retail her whole life. She wasn’t sure what she was doing as far as administration goes, so she didn’t jump at the opportunity. She eventually decided that it was a position she wanted to explore. She has now been in the director’s seat for seven years.
Her passion in the village was the displays and the cabins. The cabins were barely furnished. She wanted them to have the appearance of being lived in.
“It looks so different now that it has all been changed,” said Kaiser.
When it is closed for the season, she makes more improvements. Kaiser said that she can’t take all the credits. The city, volunteers and the community support have helped maintain the Rockport treasure.
“This award is not just for me. This is for all the people who have supported the village through the years and have supported me, giving me the kudos that I don’t need, but I do,” said Kaiser.
