County Historical Society and Museum undergoes remodel

Stacey Hendricks reaches up Saturday to paint the walls and ceiling of a room at the Cole County Historical Society and Museum. The museum has been closed since early March due to the coronavirus pandemic and does not know when it will open its doors again. So, it is taking advantage of its own closure by renovating and cleaning some rooms.
Stacey Hendricks reaches up Saturday to paint the walls and ceiling of a room at the Cole County Historical Society and Museum. The museum has been closed since early March due to the coronavirus pandemic and does not know when it will open its doors again. So, it is taking advantage of its own closure by renovating and cleaning some rooms.

With donated materials and help from volunteers, the Cole County Historical Society and Museum is working on some redecoration in one of its display rooms.

While the museum is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, volunteers are working to paint and clean up in the DeLong Room, where gowns worn by Missouri's first ladies are displayed.

"While we've got plenty of time, you know it's the perfect time to do it," Cole County Historical Society President Mark Williams said.

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Williams said all of the materials, including a new chandelier for the room, have been donated by members of the society or others who want to support the museum.

All of the work is being done by volunteers, including local painter Stacie Hendricks, who is volunteering her time.

Most of the noticeable work will take place in the DeLong Room, but Williams said they are taking the time to do some general maintenance and cleaning throughout the building.

"It's pretty inconvenient for us to be open anyways because of COVID," Williams said. "You'd have to be wiping stuff down all the time, and some of the antique stuff in there is not friendly to being wiped down with disinfectants."

Taking displayed paintings out of the DeLong Room to paint was a process on its own. The antique oil paintings have to be handled carefully, with white gloves, so the paint and frames aren't affected.

Williams said they also hope to move records of the museum's items into a computer program. Currently, the index card system is difficult to search when needed.

They hope to reopen the museum by October.

When the museum reopens, the first ladies' gowns on display in the DeLong Room will be those of Geraldine Dalton, Laurie Holden and Carolyn Bond.