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Monroe County Historical Museum
Welcome to the Monroe County, Michigan Historical Museums! Our main Museum is located in downtown Monroe in a renovated 1909 U.S. Federal Post Office building. Our two floors are filled with displays with maps and images, plus special collections and displays. We house one of the largest Gen. George A. Custer collections, interpreted with artifacts, documents and photographs.
On the second floor is our Commission Archives, where researchers investigate genealogical and historical Monroe County subjects.
Main Museum Hours are currently 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday; Summer admission June, July & August: $2 adult $1 child
The main Museum is closed on Sundays for January, February, March and April.
Other Monroe County supported museums are:
the River Raisin Battlefield Visitor Center, 1403 East Elm Avenue; the Navarre-Anderson Trading Post, 3775 North Custer Road; the Martha Barker Country Store museum, 3815 North Custer Road;
the Monroe County Vietnam Veterans Historical Museum at Norman Heck Park, and the Eby Log cabin at the Monroe County Fairgrounds.
These county museums are administered by the Monroe County Historical Commission, whose nine members are appointed by the Monroe County Board of Commissioners.
Please note: Museum events may be subject to last minute changes- call the main Museum for the latest times and schedules.
Address:
126 South Monroe Street
Monroe, MI 48161
Phone: 734-240-7780 Fax: 734-240-7788 View Website
Membership:
Membership Style:
Anyone Can Join. Sign up or log in to join.
Members: 6
Join Date: 10/04/2006
Profile Views: 2017
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| ARCHIVES-Please Note |
For the next 6-8 weeks there may be possible staffing shortages in the Archives while Chris takes some time off. Call ahead before your special trip to make sure the research facility will be open, especially on Saturdays. Say "Hi" to Jim and Lynn as they move upstairs for a while, and
thank you for your understanding and patience!,
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| A Knockout Display of a Monroe Boxer |
Local boxer Bronco McKart is featured now at the Monroe County Historical Museum's front gallery. Born at Monroe in 1971, Bronco started boxing professionally in 1992 and has a record of 50 wins, 7 losses and 31 knockouts. A winner of multiple titles, including State of Michigan Welterweight Championship, the World Boxing Council's International Junior Middleweight Title, the North American Boxing Federation's Junior Middleweight Title, the World Boxing Organizations's Junior Middleweight World Championship, and the International Boxing Association's Junior Middleweight World Championship, Bronco has many belts and memorabilia to record his career.
Come in and view Bronco's exhibit which he has graciously allowed to be displayed at the Museum.
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| Image Gallery: United We Stand:Remember the Ladies |
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| Several of the "United We Stand: Remember the Ladies" dresses were shown in the Fair Parade this year. |
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| Clothing from the first "United We Stand" and the second were worn by volunteers shown here in the Fair Parade. |
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| United We Stand: Remember the Ladies |
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© Lynn Reaume,
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| Volunteer Elayn busy at work constructing a War of 1812 era gown. Money for the project was from the State of Michigan, Rural Arts &Culture; the Monroe County Historical Society, and the Community Foundation of Monroe, 1812 Bicentennial Committee, among others. |
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| Happy Holidays! |
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© Lynn Reaume,
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| Pick out your favorite tree or wreath during a visit to our 30th annual Christmas Tree Festival during the month of December at the main Museum!
Open for viewing in December Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| 30th Annual Christmas Tree Festival |
Looking for holiday tree ideas? Come to our annual Christmas Tree (and wreath) Festival held at the main Museum downtown during the month of December. This is our 30th year for this most popular and enjoyable event! Stop in while you are shopping, or visiting with friends or family. Then maybe take the group to have a hot chocolate or coffee downtown after visiting the museum.
There is still time if your Monroe County group would like to enter a tree or wreath; contact Lynn Reaume at 734 240 7780. School classes, 4-H groups, Boy and Girl Scouts, religious and civic organizations are all welcome! Trees go up around Thanksgiving and are in place before December 1st, and come down the first week of the New Year 2009. Get in the holiday spirit in a fun, creative and free event- kids love to see their artwork on a tree in the Museum!
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| Lantern Tours were Sold Out! |
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© Bill Saul,
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| Our 2008 Lantern Tours along the River Raisin were a sold-out success! Thank you new, and returning, supporters! |
| Image Gallery: 2008 Archaeology Camp |
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| Former Director Ralph Naveaux talks to students about Peter Navarre, War of 1812 scout in the Museum. |
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| As a field trip, students visited another War of 1812 site- Fort Meigs in Perrysburg, Ohio. Here the new recruits to the American army are sworn in at the fort classroom before being put to any tasks. |
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| War of 1812 soldiers explain and drill the new recruits outside at Fort Meigs, Ohio. |
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| Soldiers had to do their own laundry, as demonstrated here. Camp students got to try their hand at laundry and carrying water. |
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| When all else fails, form a bayonet charge! |
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| Back at the Museum, many hands clean the dug artifacts in the Archaeology lab during final days of the camp. |
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| Students learned about compiling the final artifact data input into a computer program in the lab. Teaching was done all week by ISD & Museum staff and dedicated volunteers. |
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| At the end of the week camp boys and girls got to view and understand real War of 1812 era artifacts from previous Monroe County dig sites. |
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| THANK YOU Monroe! |
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We hope you were there for the 2nd River Raisin International Muster and viewed the class acts which included the Williamsburg Fife & Drum Corps, from Williamsburg, Virginia. These musicians have served as musical ambassadors for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation since 1958. As part of their 50th Anniversary tour, they included Monroe in their tour dates. Williamsburg's historical area nearly 500 times a year! They also performed during Jamestown's 400th Anniversary celebration, and for the visit of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
The host group for the Muster is the 1st Michigan Colonial Fife and Drum Corps, which was started by Mark and Mary Logsdon in 1974, after their visit to Colonial Williamsburg. Since that time the 1st Michigan has become renown for their high levels of musicality and professional presentation. For more information on the 1st Michigan, use the link included on this page.
Sponsors for the River Raisin International Muster were the 1st Michigan Fife & Drum Corps, the War of 1812 Bicentennial Steering Committee, the Monroe County Historical Society, and the River Raisin Battlefield, and the Monroe County Historical Museum. Thanks extend to the Monroe County Convention and Tourism Bureau, the City of Monroe and a host of others who helped bring this great musical event to the public- all free!
Plans are underway for next year's event, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, June 19-20th, 2009. BIG HUZZAHS to Organizer Scott Lonsdale, staffperson of the Monroe County Historical Museums for his unflagging enthusiasm in bringing quality historical music to Monroe!
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| First Michigan Colonial Fife & Drum Corps |
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| MAECO Exhibit |
Did you think that Monroe Auto Equipment only made shock absorbers? Well think again, and come in and see MAECO and MAECO retiree Jerry Wittkop's exhibit on other items that MAECO made in its past- it may surprise you!
This special display is up for December, so come in now and see what's new!,
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| The '40's |
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© Lynn Reaume,
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| A 1940s era-inspired tree, with wartime Christmas cards (originals and reproductions) with some nostalgic artifacts. |
| MONROE and THE WAR |
In conjunction with the premier of film maker Ken Burns' THE WAR, we present Monroe's contribution, through its men and women, to this critical time. The front gallery is full of World War II artifacts, (featuring two large artillery pieces), uniforms, personal items, and era war posters, plus much more.
Local historian Dave Eby's published news articles on Monroe men are presented throughout the gallery. Many veterans have articles on loan amidst the Museum's collection. New items have been added.
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| World War II Exhibit |
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© Lynn Reaume
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| Lest We Forget the men from Monroe County who gave all during World War II. |
| Battlefield Visitor Center Closed for 2008 Season |
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© Lynn Reaume,
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| The River Raisin Battlefield Visitor Center, 1403 East Elm Avenue, Monroe
We are now closed for the 2008 season, but tours are available by reservation. Call the main Museum for info.
Outdoor grounds are open year round.
Next year's Annual Commemoration is set for Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at the battlefield and River Raisin Battlefield Visitor Center. Mark your calendar now. |
| Vietnam Veterans Museum Closed for the Season |
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| The Museum's Vietnam veterans Thank You for a great season! Though the building is closed, you can still walk the grounds of Heck Park, which is dedicated to the Vietnam War story., |
| Former Director Publishes War of 1812 Book! |
Former Museum Director Ralph Naveaux has just published his book on the War of 1812 and the Battles of the River Raisin, called "Invaded On All Sides". A comprehensive and thorough work, combining local knowledge with years of research, this is definitely a book you will want for your library! Copies available now at the main Museum. Book signings by the author to follow. For information, call 734 240 7780.,
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| Weaving Class |
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© Lynn Reaume,
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| Weavers try their "fingers" at finger weaving during the first class at the Museum, as part of the second United We Stand: Remember the Ladies. Completed woven garters and sashes will be used on staff and volunteer clothing. |
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Program and Design by Computer Works of Monroe, Inc.
