Historical Buildings

HISTORICAL BUILDINGS

This page is long, please scroll down to see all of it.

OVERVIEW OF THE MUSEUM AND DISPLAYS

The Grundy County Museum is composed of three physical facilities, the Main Museum Building, the Baker School Building, and the Annex Building remodeled in 2007. All the Museum buildings are in close proximity and face Tinsman Avenue. Another Historical Building in Grundy County area is the Thompson House.

Ground Floor - lower level

Indian Territory - Relics and artifacts from Grundy County sites
Dugout Canoe - Over 15' in length, this dugout wooden canoe found buried in the Thompson River, is carbon dated over 300 years old.
Weaving Loom
Country Store - typical items in a country store are displayed
Parlor Room with historic oak fireplace
Country Post Office
1880's kitchen with period furnishings
Bedroom - typical period furniture
Music Room - instruments and record players
Farm Machinery - hand tools, plows, corn slicer, grader, drill, chore sled, cultivator, cradles
Cavalcade of power - small animal treadmill, vertical steam engine and hit and miss engine
Railroad (Rock Island) items - lanterns, signals, uniforms, keys, photos
Yearbooks and photos from Grundy County schools
In the Courtyard - accessed from the east door...
- Rock Island Caboose
- Aermotor 30' restored functioning farm windmill
- Dinner Bells
- Farm Equipment - mill stones, blacksmith's forge and bellows, sulky rake
- Farm Machinery - hand tools, plows, corn slicer, grader, drill, chore sled, cultivator, cradles

The three-level Main Museum Building was built in 1895 by William McVay where several businesses sold feed, seed, hardware, buggies, and farm equipment. The building was donated to the Grundy County Historical Society in 1974 by Bert and Rose Hoover, dedicated as a museum in 1976, and remodeled in 1981-85.
The Main Museum building features three floors of items and displays reflecting the history and heritage of Grundy County and the activities and achievements of the county's citizens.

First Floor - Middle Level

The Middle Level is used for rotating exhibits, displays and special programs.
Permanent displays include...
- The Heritage Collection - six original drawings of Trenton's past and classic buildings.
- Letter written by Felix Grundy
- Doll Collection
- Historic Roll Top Desk
- Thompson House - oil painting, photographs, and history.
- Patriotic Display Case - with historic US flags

Second Floor - Upper Level
The second floor (upper level) features a Children's Exhibit designed to convey to today's youth the kind of childhood their grand- great-grandparents experienced. This is a great starter for multi-generational discussions.

THE BAKER SCHOOL BUILDING

The Baker School Building, Grundy County School #49, was closed in 1956 and moved to its present location in 1995. Baker School, Grundy County's last remaining one-room school, has been totally restored with period furniture and teaching equipment. This school building is a favorite site for many school trips where both teachers and students can step back in time and experience the atmosphere of our rural school heritage where the curriculum was reading, writing, and arithmetic and no child was left behind because they were all in the same room.

ANNEX BUILDING

Acquisition of the Annex Building, formerly known as the Barton Building, was made possible by a donation from Nick and Cherri McHargue. This landmark flat iron building is unique by its shape and the variety of businesses that have occupied this century old historic site. The military collection is now located in the south room of the Annex Building.

THOMPSON HOUSE

An Oil Painting of the Thompson House by Lucille Power

The home, built in 1834 by William and Sallie Thompson, is the first permanent residence of a Caucasian family in Grundy County. William Thompson served the citizens of the area as a medical doctor and a judge of the county court. Before moving to Missouri he was elected as a legislator in Virginia and served as a Brigadier General during the War of 1812.

The Thompson House Today

One hundred and eighty years have taken their toll on the once stately Thompson House. The house is now owned by The Friends of the Thompson House. Visit the Friends of the Thompson House website for more information.