Tank 77 Museum ready for Cornfest with new displays

TIMES Photo by Nicole Shelstad. READY FOR CORNFEST: New corn displays in anticipation of Cornfest are at Tank 77 Museum.

By Nicole Shelstad
Taber Times

Tank 77 is the rebranded Taber Irrigation Museum, now single-handedly managed by Taia DeBona. Originally a student of graphic design with a penchant for history, this Taber-born local found her way back to our small town with big dreams for the museum.

The museum has been in a state of change for the past few months, and DeBona plans to reinvent its displays and deepen its connection to the community. She has been in contact with various local associations, hoping to highlight Taber’s multicultural history and reignite the museum’s role in local events.

Currently on display: an entire exhibit dedicated to corn! A glass case—once used for storage—is now filled with quirky corn-themed artifacts. DeBona recalled with a laugh, “It was actually funny — this case was filled with a bunch of totes, and since this display is public-facing, I thought it should at least be displaying something. So I cleared out the totes, and it was just full of this collection of corn memorabilia!”

Among the artifacts is a lightly tinted yellow glass bottle labeled “Corn Huskers Lotion.” With no ingredients listed, it’s unclear whether the lotion was made from corn or just meant for dry husker hands. Either way, it fits right in with the corn phones, corn harmonicas, corn candles, and ceramic corn sculptures.

For the first time in a decade, the Tank 77 museum will be open during Cornfest. DeBona is excited about what this means for both locals and visitors. “I was actually trying to get a stand within the Cornfest grounds,” she said, “and it occurred to us that we could just open the museum on that day instead. We’re right beside the midway, and this could offer people a space to get some air conditioning and learn about the town while they enjoy the day.”

DeBona hopes that opening during Cornfest will raise awareness of the museum and bring in more foot traffic. Tank 77 is preparing to welcome curious festival-goers, and DeBona encourages any Taberites with corn memorabilia to reach out if they’re interested in donating. If the collection grows enough, Taber could become home to the world’s largest corn memorabilia display — fitting for the corn capital of Canada.

Keep an eye out for Tank 77 at the local farmers market every Thursday this summer, and swing by during Cornfest for a day that’s equal parts fun, history, and corn-themed delight.