Musings from the Director of the Porter County Museum

What a crummy day outside. The combination of cold rain and low temperatures makes me want to curl up in bed and wish for a dryer, warmer tomorrow. Oh well. Despite the less-than-ideal weather, it has been nothing but wonderful inside the Museum.

Friday and Saturday were extremely productive days within the Museum—especially in regard to spring cleaning. Mark McColley single-handedly cleaned the upstairs solitary cell of the jail and reorganized it so the county can begin building shelves this Friday. Once built, we will be moving the records from the basement of the county garage to the Museum. It should be quite the project.

Mike Spudic, Chairman of the Historical Society, stopped by Friday evening with his wife (and current Historical Society Secretary) Wanda and cleaned the basement for several hours. I honestly should have take before and after pictures. This place is starting to really get whipped into shape.

Mark returned on Saturday afternoon to continue cleaning the Museum. With additional help from Mike Shaw and Stacey Hensley, much was accomplished. For the first time in my career, the upstairs of the jail and the basement of the residence almost appear to have an organizational system going. In addition to organizing the newspapers, furniture was rearranged in the Bailly bedroom. Things are certainly shaping up. Next project is the middle room upstairs…

Believe it or not, but I have also been doing some cleaning. My office was (and usually stays) a complete disaster area since the time we reopened back in December. It does not help that I am working on five different projects at once. I am finally getting a handle on things, though. It is almost beginning to resemble a real office again. Keep your fingers crossed that it stays this way!

On Monday morning three members of the String Along Quilt Guild stopped by the Museum to help clean the quilts in our collection. The three hard-working ladies seemed to have a great time working from 9:30a until 1:30p. The entire guild has been an asset to the Museum & Historical Society. They will be returning shortly—with reinforcements—to continue their work.

Today I continued re-organizing our file system. Wait. Scratch that. There has never been any uniform file system. I am in the process of creating a file system for the Museum. It has turned out to be a bigger project than I had originally anticipated. As I take it piece by piece, it will get accomplished.

In the afternoon Ruth Johnston and her Valparaiso University education class visited the Museum for a tour. Helen Arvidson and Lucie Whitlow helped facilitate our guests. Ruth’s class is helping connect our collection with state standards in order to make it more enticing for school children to visit. The group seemed legitimately thrilled to learn about our history. After the visit the group brainstormed ideas on ways we can improve the Museum. It is very exciting to work with a motivated group that would like to help in every way possible.

I apologize for getting behind on my blog—hopefully I will catch up now. Sometimes it is tough being the only staff person at the Museum. Sometimes my schedule becomes irregular due to other commitments. Hopefully I can stay on task from here on out.

Instead of putting something in from an old newspaper today, I thought I would put in something I find very interesting—a small pamphlet on the history of the Museum and Historical Society put together in 1966 by one of the founding members of the Historical Society.

Historical Society of Porter County

A group of historically minded citizens met in 1911 at the Public Library and agreed informally to review and record the early history of Porter County. Twenty eight men and women responded and are listed as charter members. They are Mrs. O.P. Kinsey, Rev. Edward Mungovan, Rev. Robert Beer, Miss Bertha Joel, Mrs. Frank W. Amstutz, Mrs. Alfred R. Putnam, Mrs. P. J. Horn, Mrs. H. M. Beer, Mrs. Arthur C. Smith, Mr. W. E. Pinney, L. F. Bennett, Mrs. L. F. Bennett, Miss Margaret Cameron Beer, Miss Luella Porter, Mrs. H.B. Brown, Miss Catherine Corboy, M. A. Gregory, Mrs. M. A. Gregory, Mrs. W. E. Harris, W. F. Reinhardt, Miss Adeline Amstutz, Mrs. J. E. Roessler, Miss Narcissa Hammel, Miss May Stickney, M.L. Dickover, Mrs. Deborah Gay, and Hubert Skinner.

Officers elected were President, M.A. Gregory; first vice president, Mrs. L.F. Bennett; second vice president, Miss Margaret Cameron Beer; secretary, Mrs. A. C. Smith; and treasurer, Mrs. P.J. Horn.

The object of the Society were stated as the collection and preservation of all records and material calculated to shed light upon the natural, civil and political history of Porter County and surrounding country, the marking of historical places, the promotion of useful knowledge, and the friendly and profitable intercourse of such citizens as are disposed to promote these ends.

The President, Mr. Gregory, was asked to secure stationery. The heading on this stationary reads:

Porter County Historical Society

Founded 1912

Public Library Building

Valparaiso, Indiana, U.S.A.

On the left side of the stationary there were printed a number of Porter County Firsts. This has been of historical value and is often quoted.

The Society voted that all who became members up to and including 1915 should be listed as charter members. A substantial book for minutes was purchased. On August 20, 1916 (Indiana Centennial Year) the Society decided to erect a marker on or near the site of the first school house in Valparaiso. This was dedicated September 27, 1916 as a part of Porter County’s observance of Centennial Week. The marker is at the northwest corner of the First Presbyterian Church.

In 1918 the Society voted to purchase articles of historical interest at the Francis Howe sale at the Bailly Homestead. In 1918 Mrs. A. C. Smith and Mrs. A. R. Putnam were appointed to see the Library Board about a permanent room. This was done and the room west of the juvenile room was so designated. During 1916 the entire lower floor of the Library was used for historical exhibits during the Centennial Week, every township having a booth. Following the exhibit many called for their articles but many donated their things to the Society. This became the nucleus for an interesting museum located on the lower floor of the Library.

Mr. Gregory felt that he could no longer function as President of the Historical Society. Mrs. Frank B. Chester, Regent of the William Henry Harrison Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution knew of the members interest in the Society. Both organizations held meetings and it was decided that the DAR would assume responsibility of the Museum but agreed that the Historical Society should not lose its identity. The DAR Chapter Regent would function also as President of the Historical Society. Those who served were Mrs. F. B. Chester, Mrs. George F. Chester, Mrs. Alfred R. Putnam, Mrs. H. J. Arnold, Mrs. Leslie Lembke, Mrs. H. Clark, Mrs. Ina Cunningham, Mrs. C. W. Wharton, Mrs. Fred Bartz, Mrs. E. H. Erler and Miss Ruth Robbins.

In 1948 six DAR members cared for the re-incorporation of the Historical Society and relinquished its responsibility of leadership. Mrs. T.O. Dillon was duly elected President of the Historical Society of Porter County, Incorporated.

The Public Library had need of its room and in April 1934 Mrs. Putnam, by letter, asked the County Commissioners for quarters in the Court House. This was granted but before the Museum could be moved to the assigned rooms there was a fire. Following the remodeling in 1937 the Porter County Commissioners offered another room. With the use of the blue prints Mrs. Putnam and Mrs. George Chester selected the present quarters which have housed the Museum since that time with the exception of when the room was used by the Rationing Board during World War II.

The exhibits were placed in the Assembly Room at that time. The Historical Society has received many valued gifts. On April 20, 1949 the three Concord stage coaches and numerous other articles were legally accepted from Mr. John Sullivan (Broncho John). The Mastodon bones were formally accepted from Mr. Myron Benedict on July 9, 1950. The exhibits vie in interest with those of much larger museums. The Historical Society of Porter County may be justly proud of what has been accomplished.

Presidents of the Society in addition to those already named were Mr. Norris Coambs, Mr. Joseph Robbins, Mr. Arthur Finney, Miss Carolyn Whitlock, Mrs. William E. Swanson, Mrs. Harry Williamson, Mr. Marvin Phares and Mr. Marion Isaacs. This history was compiled by Mrs. Alfred R. Putnam in 1966. Officers for that year were: Mr. Marion Isaacs, president; First vice president, Fred Homfeld; Second vice president, W.I. Wilson; Secretary, Mrs. Trevor Stalbaum; Treasurer, Mrs. Minnie Cooper; Museum Board, James Meagher, Lloyd Rigg and Norris Coambs; Museum Curator, Mrs. Irving Bundy.

That is all for today. I plan on adding a blog tomorrow about the mystery that surrounds the jail and Sheriff’s residence…

Best,

KMP

Executive Director

Porter County Museum & Historical Society