November 2010

The society is housed the North American House, built by Mr. Thomas J. Storey in 1838. JCHS also provides a historical museum that is open to the public on a regular basis that serves as a welcome center for the county, an educational facility for adults and children with programs designed to teach and display the evolution of Jennings County.

This organization encourges both members and visitors to utilize the resources and services provided by the society. IHS believes that knowledge of the past encourages responsible citizenship, education, and inspiration for discovery. The main exhibit displayed in the Lanham Gallery is a walk through the life of Abraham Lincoln. The local history services department provides training, advice, communication channels, and other forms of assistance designed to address the needs of Indiana's historical societies, local archives, and museums.

This heritage area contains numerous sites of historical significance, including Vincennes, Corydon, New Harmony, Madison, and Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home. Forests, caves, rivers, and lakes offer scenic beauty and recreational activities.

Historic Southern Indiana (HSI) also is the name of the organization dedicated to preserving, enhancing, and promoting these resources. As a community outreach program of the University of Southern Indiana, HSI hosts workshops, produces publications, conducts visitor research, and facilitates and coordinates with many groups and agencies with the goal of creating a sense of regional identity and pride.

The house is distinctive and unusual for south-central Indiana, a blend of Federal and Georgian styles of architecture more characteristic of southwest Pennsylvania, where Wylie was born and raised. It is one of the few pre-1840 structures that remains in Bloomington. The Wylie house contains an outstanding collection of early to mid-19th century American furnishings, including many Wylie family artifacts. A large collection of Wylie family letters and personal papers are housed in University Archives.

Visitors can also partake in programs at Wylie House including many volunteer opportunities, such as guiding tours, quilting, heirloom gardening, and seedsaving.

The museum houses several unique exhibits including period clothing, furniture, portraiture, two log cabins of local origin, a genuine Conestoga wagon, a blacksmith shop, print shop, bakery, loom house, a superb collection of early Richmond made automobiles, steam powered tractors, the first Davis airplane manufactured in Richmond in 1929, and other artifacts pertaining to Richmond's industrial heritage. On display are fine art objects from around the world collected by the museum’s founder. There is also a choice collection of Native American artifacts including both modern and ancient pottery of Hopi, Zuni, Pueblo, Anasaziorigins.

Perhaps the most popular exhibit in the museum is the recently updated gallery dedicated to telling the story of Life and Death in Ancient Egypt. A 3000-year old mummy is on display along with his beautifully preserved and exquisitely painted coffin. Surrounding the mummy are 12 display cases filled with objects that were used in every day life but also preserved in tombs for their owner to use in the afterlife.

The Warrick County museum was organized in 1976 for the purpose of collecting and preserving the heritage of the county, and later opened in December 1977. The museum is located in Ella Williams School building, which served as an elementary school until 1976. Inside the museum, the original 1875 Washington Press is displayed that used to print the Boonville Standard newspaper during the early 20th century. A nursery exhibit is set up which contains a collection of vintage children's clothing, toys, and furniture. A doctor's office display has various medical and dental equipment. Different rotating exhibits can be seen inside of the the Miss Ella and Professor Clark rooms. The museum also offers different programs for school groups.

The museum has changing exhibits that all relate back to different aspects of Wabash County. The archives contain a wide variety of printed material dating back to the early 1800s. There are assorted books, records, newspapers, and photographs. Visitors are invited to come explore the vast history housed at the Wabash County Historical Museum.

The QHF has a permanent home located in Marie Webster's colonial revival house that she designed her famous quilts and operated a successful pattern business. Each year, different quilters are chosen as honorees to display their quilts at the museum. A variety of classes are offered at the QHF, including quilting for beginners, and how to make a quilted jacket.

A photo exhibit at the museum displays a variety of local churches, both past and present. The newest edition to the collection is the the South Putnam display which is part of a Putnam County sports exhibit.

Since its inception in 1981, the art center has been dedicated to honoring the vision of the founding benefactress, Elizabeth Hopkins Munce, by providing a community cultural resource that offers gallery exhibits featuring the works of emerging regional artists. These pieces represent a wide range of styles and mediums, fine art education for both and adults and children, and special events and educational outreach programs that enhance the mission of our organization.

The Sullivan Room of the library boasts the largest selection of reference material and community archival material in Boone County. In addition, the 4,000 volumes gracing its shelves are one of the largest collections housed in a privately funded genealogy library in the region.