Museum to be open on OSD
A curtain from the Canada Band Hall, which was in operation from 1928 until 1963. Civil War displays — uniforms, photos, etc. An old-time dentist's office.
These are just a few of the items on display at Marion Historical Museum, 625 East Main, Marion, as museum personnel anticipate a large number of visitors on Saturday, Old Settlers' Day.
Cynthia Blount, museum director, said the Canada Band Hall was moved into Marion and is now an occupied home here.
The curtain had ads for various Marion County businesses displayed on it. There were two telephone companies, Bell and Mutual. Jack Swain, Blount's father and a volunteer worker at the museum, said if you had to make a call involving a transfer between Bell and Mutual, it would cost you a nickel.
Mutual's own phone number was 52, Bell's 2.
There is a drum (sans skin) from the American Revolution and photos of Grand Army of the Republic (Union Army) veterans from Marion County.
Fast-forwarding 140 years to the present, there is a full set of "Iraqi Most Wanted" playing cards, on loan from U.S. Marine Cpl. Chris Holub, stationed in Iraq.
There are uniforms worn by Americans in the various wars in which the U.S. has been involved.
A total of 936 from Marion County served in World War II. Thirty-four died.
New copies of old photos in the museum's collection will be displayed Saturday. There are many of the courthouse, Central Park, floods, mapsand others.
The original photos are now in protective Mylar envelopes.
There are many "firsts," from the first families to settle in Marion County, to the first sewing machine and the first piano.
There are documents and genealogical files. There are items representing Wolf's Creamery, the county's largest employer at one time.
Group pictures of Marion High School graduating classes from 1884 to 1980 are on display. There are pennants and trophies from championships earned in sports, debate (1911 and 1915) and other competitions. There are old yearbooks, medals won for scholarship and leadership.
There is a photo, with text, of the 1921 MHS Warriors football team, who went 9-0 and never allowed foes to score a point. The tally for the year was Marion 450, "them" 0.
And there is the steamer trunk of cowgirl Mabel Kuhn, who died in 1990 at the age of 93. She was in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show age the age of 22.
The steamer trunk is not a new item, but the photo display accompanying it is, Blount said.
The museum was dedicated in 1861, Blount said.
The museum is not heated or air conditioned, but the City of Marion intends to take care of that lack by 2006, Blount said.
Her mother, Ella Swain, also serves as a museum volunteer.
The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Normal hours, May through October, are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon to 2 p.m. on Sundays.
Admission is free, but "we accept donations," Blount said.
