The Cole County Historical Society Museum is on tap to reopen in February with fresh paint, an adjusted layout and a brand new exhibit.
The museum has been closed since the United States went on lockdown at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, coming up on three years later, the museum is set to reopen to the public with some changes and new features.
Natalie Tackett, former Historical Society president, said the society has been doing work on the museum throughout the pandemic. The museum itself is housed in a historic mansion, meaning there is always maintenance to be done.
This is especially true for the Upschulte House, which is nearly 200 years old. Tackett said the society actually applied for a grant to secure funding for repairs.
Despite its age and wear, the house is still available for weddings, birthday parties, luncheons and other events.
The reopened museum has received some fresh coats of paint, as well as a re-arranging. Tackett said a technology room has moved to the third floor, while the children's room has taken a spot on the ground floor where the society's office used to be located.
Additionally, the museum will be opening a new exhibit dedicated to Osage Native Americans.
Tackett said the exhibit is really a community effort. None of the pieces going into the exhibit, such as animal skulls and a mortar and pestle, come from a professional collection. They have all been sourced from local residents who have found the artifacts.
That local aspect, Tackett said, is what sets the exhibit apart.
Dale Verslues, also a former president of the society, said many of the relics came from a local donor who found them on their land.
"It's a nice exhibit with lots of pieces. We welcome everybody to come and check it out," Verslues said.
The society originally hoped to reopen the museum Jan. 1, Tackett said, but that got pushed back to Feb. 1.
Verslues said the current plan is to open March 1.
This is due in part to the need for docents. Docents are volunteers who act as guides at places like museums. Tackett said she's currently training and recruiting new docents to be guides at the museum.
Delays and staffing shortages aside, Tackett said, the reopening will be great and she hopes people will come for tours.
"I don't think many people understand that we're completely voluntary. There's nothing that supports us. It's our memberships, our Christmas ornaments and when we have things like our golf tournament in the spring," Tackett said.
She said she's tried to do fundraisers in the past, but they didn't get much attention. She said maybe it's because the society doesn't have a cause other than keeping a record of the county's roots.
"It's really pretty important. I think everybody likes us, and we have every fourth-grader, every year, in the county come through," Tackett said. "I think that's a good time for it. I think that's why the Native American (exhibit) is good. I think children like Native Americans anyway, and I think it's good to know they were here before we were."
Julie Smith/News Tribune
Longtime artifact hunter Terry Allen points out some of the more rare items Friday as he talks about the display being pulled together for viewing at the Cole County Historical Society. All of these items were found in Cole County and have been determined to be from multiple eras. Organizers are working to get displays updated so that after being closed to the public in 2020 during the pandemic visitors will be able to see new pieces of interest when the CCHS reopens to the public in the near future.