The Historical Society was organized in 1972 to preserve family histories. This group of volunteers began with several shelves of information on a bookshelf in the local library. As local interest grew, the Society expanded to a room in the county courthouse. In 1988 our museum received two gifts that dramatically changed our course. A subsequent gift by Mabel Dray allowed us to add 4,000 square feet of space, with areas for displays, collection storage.
Turns of fate take many forms in the life of a museum.
Fires, tornadoes, floods, molds, insects, thieves, and heedless visitors all affect what is available, or not available, to help the community enjoy and muse upon history. So do unexpected collections and donations. Blessed suddenly with extensive cultural and architectural assets, our museum stepped out of an all-volunteer past and into a future that would require professional direction, services, and programming. Our board realized that a future like that would also require a widening of our role in the community, so it undertook a thoroughly professional strategic planning exercise and put together a professional vision of what this county museum should be. The exhibit plan that came out of this process gave us and the community a visual representation of new, interpretive exhibits at the Museum.