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Exhibit features pens once used by famous generals and past presidents

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Parker Pen exhibit

Photos of the Parker Pen exhibit, on display at Janesville's Helen Jeffris Wood Museum Center.

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JANESVILLE — Emerald green snake eyes pop to life as the only color in a black-and-white print of the Parker snake pen.

The print greets visitors to the new Parker Pen Room at the Helen Jeffris Wood Museum Center, 426 N. Jackson St.

The jeweled eyes appear symbolic of reawakened interest in the once-famous Parker Pen Co., whose history is now preserved in the exhibit created after a two-year effort by the Rock County Historical Society.

"The pen was part of our history," said Madge Murphy, executive director of the historical society.

She and Laurel Fant, collections manager at the historical society, spent months planning and researching for the display.

The collection features 136 pens and includes artifacts such as ink bottles, key chains, tie clasps, cigarette lighters, clocks, parts of the company's advertising displays and historic photos.

The striking entrance print commemorates the snake pen made in 1905, when it was available in sterling silver or 18K gold and sold for $8. By 1992, the pen was worth $10,000 and "probably has gone up in value from 17 years ago," Fant said.

Rising values seem to be the mark of Parker Pens and the company's history.

Parker Pen became world renowned for the pens it made after George S. Parker incorporated the business in 1892 with partner William F. Palmer. Leaders in politics, the arts, science, business and entertainment chose Parker Pens for public occasions and personal moments.

Locally, Parker Pen was a lot like General Motors.

"If we didn't work there, we had a connection," Murphy said.

That connection drove the society to create the Parker Pen Room, opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in December. Murphy and Fant unveiled the display of some of Parker's most interesting pens—writing instruments used by famous generals and past presidents—that belong to the historical society.

"It's fascinating. It all started right here," Murphy said.

The popularity of the month-old exhibit has spurred Murphy and Fant to discuss expansion, including hosting Parker Pen Days, when the public would be invited to visit the historical society and learn more about Parker Pens. The special days also might feature Parker Pen collectors, who would bring some of their pens and company memorabilia.

Murphy and Fant want to find a way to preserve the memories and stories people are willing to share about Parker Pen.

Meanwhile, visitors can browse hardcover volumes detailing the history of the company and the pens.

"People may come in and spend as much time as they want. We've enjoyed meeting people and learning their connections," Murphy said.

The society will keep the exhibit fresh, rotating its collection of Parker Pen items in and out of the display.

The exhibit, Fant said, "is an important part of Janesville and Rock County history, and it's essential to preserve that."

Murphy agreed: "It's preserving that history and gives people the opportunity to come look at the significance (of what this company did). I'd hate to think, years down the road, people forgot."

Now they won't.

IF YOU GO

Who: Rock County Historical Society.

What: Parker Pen Room exhibit.

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

Where: Helen Jeffris Wood Museum Center, 426 N. Jackson St., Janesville.

Admission: Free.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PARKER PENS

The designs and craftsmanship of Parker Pens made them the natural choice in fine writing instruments by common folks as well as the world's most powerful and distinguished individuals.

For example:

-- In 1940, Ernest Hemingway wrote "For Whom the Bell Tolls" with The Parker 51, which was introduced that same year and rated as one of the 10 best-designed consumer products of modern times.

-- In 1945, Two Parker 51 pens belonging to Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower were used to sign the surrender ending World War II on the European front.

-- In 1953, Gen. Mark W. Clark chose a Parker 51 Flighter pen for witnessing the armistice ending the Korean conflict.

-- In 1984, NASA shuttle Discovery carried Parker Classic Ball Pens into space for a series of experiments conducted by 3M.

-- In 1987, Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev exchanged their Parker Pens after signing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that signaled and end to the Cold War.

-- In 1992, President George H.W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the historic arms reduction accord in Washington with Parker's orange Duofold roller ball pens.

—Information provided by the Rock County Historical Society