The Grundy County Museum in Trenton will open for the season Memorial Day after a flag raising ceremony and rifle salute by Trenton VFW Post 919. The ceremony will start in front of the Baker School that morning at 10:30.
The main exhibit at the museum this year features notable Grundy County residents, including Marilyn Robbins, Tom Brown, Russell Joiner, Jo Hoffman, Doctor William Preston Thompson, and Lester Skaggs.
Grundy County Museum Board President Barb Spencer talks about the residents being featured.
Board Member Don Dalrymple reports Jo Hoffman was a journalist and owned a weekly paper called the Grundy County Gazette.
Dalrymple says Lester Skaggs was from Laredo and is his favorite person on the list of notable Grundy County residents.
Each of the Grundy County residents featured has a kiosk, a screen, or panels telling about him or her. Dalrymple notes there are artifacts for most of the individuals.
Spencer adds there are also pictures, honors, and awards.
She says the board has decided to add more notable Grundy County residents in the next few years. The board also realized there was no one in the exhibit from Spickard, and she is sure there are residents from that area who are worthy of being honored.
Museum visitors will be asked to fill out a survey to help the board find more notable individuals. Spencer comments it will only take about five minutes to respond.
Spencer hopes visitors will also share what future exhibits they would enjoy coming to and the museum preparing in the future.
Admission to the Grundy County Museum is free for veterans and children younger than 12 years old. It costs $2 for visitors at least 12 years old. Spencer says the money helps in maintaining and improving the museum.
After May 30th, the museum will be open every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 in June through Missouri Day weekend. The museum will also be open on federal holidays during that time.
The Grundy County Museum has a Military Annex and a one-room school near its main building in Trenton.
Museum Board Member Don Dalrymple explains the Military Annex has three rooms.
Dalrymple says the Military Annex is a permanent display that is modified occasionally. He explains the Vietnam exhibit was shrunk, so it only has one of the three rooms. That freed up another room to hopefully be used for a gallery or meeting room.
Dalrymple says the person who has curated for the annex is unable to do it at this time. If someone is interested in military items, the board can talk to that person about joining the board or being the curator of that area.
Museum Board President Barb Spencer says the Baker School was moved to near the museum in the “not-too-distant past.” The museum has tried to create what might be a close semblance to many country schools.
She reports country schools in Grundy County have been located.
Spencer asks visitors to let the museum know if a school was missed or if there is a mistake.
She also encourages schools to plan trips to the Baker School to learn about life as a country school student.
Dalrymple says the Grundy County Museum has closed 12th Street from Mable to Tinsman near the main building to preserve the brick street. He adds the closing of the street will hopefully allow the museum to expand physically for farm machinery.
The museum also has a caboose, a windmill, and an outhouse in that area.
Inside the museum’s main building is a children’s section upstairs. Spencer says that area includes games, what children’s bedrooms looked like, and toys. She notes there is handicap accessibility to the third floor.
The Grundy County Museum will open after a flag raising ceremony and rifle salute by Trenton VFW Post 919 in front of the Baker School May 30th at 10:30 in the morning. The museum will then be open every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 through Missouri Day weekend. It will also be open on federal holidays during that time.
Admission is free for veterans and children younger than 12 years old. It costs $2 for visitors at least 12.
The Grundy County Museum in Trenton opens the first Saturday in November each year for visiting Santa Claus.
Museum Board President Barb Spencer says something new planned for this year is Saint Nicholas Square. She mentions the display was donated by the Sager family at Pam’s request.
The museum will open for its regular season after Trenton VFW Post 919’s flag raising and rifle salute in front of the Baker School May 30th at 10:30 in the morning. It will then be open each Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 through Missouri Day weekend as well as on federal holidays.
Veterans and children younger than 12 years old will be admitted for free. Admission will be $2 for individuals 12 and older.
