Museum ready for season
Marion Historical Museum has been spruced up, inside and out, for the summer season.
It opens today, Wednesday. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and noon to 2 p.m. Sundays.
Director Cynthia Blount is pleased with the exterior work. The siding has been power washed, and the trim has been cleaned and repainted.
"It's been at least 10 years, so it really needed it," she said.
Inside, city crews spent the winter installing more electrical service. Outlets were few in the original building — a former church — so most display cases were unlighted.
"When we don't have to run hundreds of feet of electrical cord, we're happy," Blount said. "There's some more to be done, but this is a great improvement."
The wiring means better lighting for cases and makes it easier to rearrange things.
"We've done a great deal of labeling," Blount said. "We've found that people who want to read will take the time to do so."
Two ongoing projects are yearbooks and military patches.
A complete collection of Marion High School yearbooks is sought because of their use to genealogists. A list of missing books is available to families.
Military patches
The military patch collection will feature the shoulder patch of any military unit in which a former or current Marion resident served.
"We've had a lot of interest in our military section, particularly after Sept. 11," Blount said.
Patches from any war, or peacetime, will be accepted. Donors are asked to include a brief history of the unit.
A poignant donation is the Purple Heart received by the family of William H. Fulkerson, a Marion man who was killed in action in 1945 and is buried in Belgium. The family donated it to the museum this past year.
Blount said the museum board is looking for mannequins on which to display several complete uniforms.
The museum is popular with tourists and visitors. Its location next to Central Park draws a great deal of traffic.
"They stop to let the kids play in the park, and wander in here," she said.
Special weekends, like the car show and community-wide garage sales, also tend to bring a number of visitors.
It also is a popular place for directions. A display rack of maps and brochures is available. Since museum hours overlap lunch hours, questions about local restaurants are routine.
The museum phone is 620-382-9134. If a volunteer isn't available, a message may be left on the answering machine.
Financial contributions always are accepted, Blount said. They may be sent to the city office.
Most importantly, Blount wants local residents to be familiar with their museum. Those who haven't stopped by in the past year or so will be amazed at the difference, she said.
We're always working on something," she said.
