Meigs County Museum to Hold Grand Reopening

The Meigs County Museum main building (left) remains closed, but the museum will reopen Friday, Jan. 15 in the Nolan Annex (right).

POMEROY – Following a period of closure, the Meigs County Museum is set to reopen on January 15 starting at 5 p.m.

The museum has been closed during the past couple of months as maintenance to the main museum building has been ongoing. Volunteers and board of trustee members have been working to relocate offices and move artifacts for display in the Nolan Annex next door. Further, the implementation of innovative digital wayfinding systems that allow visitors to easily navigate the museum and also gain more information on the various exhibits, could come into the picture. The first exhibit is entitled “Rural Life” and showcases aspects of rural life in the county from the 1870s through to 1890s. The areas of focus include farming, woodworking and blacksmithing. There is an exhibit on the hearth and home as well. New to the museum is a children’s area which will continue to develop throughout the year.

There are special hours for the opening weekend: Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. No admission will be charged, but donations are accepted.

“It has been a hectic couple of months, but this weekend makes it all worth it,” said Carrie Gloeckner, museum co-director. “Volunteers have spent countless hours working to prepare the space and move artifacts in preparation for the opening. It has been a journey, but we are excited to reopen. It is different, but I think it will be interesting and engaging,” she noted.

Gloeckner said the regular hours will be different following the reopening weekend.

“Before we were closed on weekends and that kept a lot of people from being able to visit the museum. We hope this makes the museum more accessible and available. It is our shared heritage and history. We want everyone to feel welcome and have the opportunity to come to the museum,” she said.

The new hours will be: Wednesday through Friday from 1p.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The museum will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The museum has an ambitious plan for the coming year by featuring rotating exhibits. The current exhibit, “Rural Life” will be be expanded to include a display on the presidents in February. In March and April, the feature will be fraternal orders of the past and present in the county. For May and June there will be an exhibit highlighting past schools in the county as well as women’s past fashions. The July and August exhibits will revolve around the Meigs County Fair and will include youth programs such as 4-H, FFA and Grange. In time for the Sternwheel Riverfest in September, the exhibits will focus on the impact of river life on the county with a special focus on sternwheelers, coal and salt. Additionally in October, a section will be added on ghost stories. November’s exhibit will be dedicated to veterans past and present. December will feature a Victorian Christmas as well as history of local churches.

The Meigs County Museum and Historical Society is also home to the Meigs County Genealogical Society. Various books and information for genealogy research are available. While research will not be available during the opening weekend, it will during regular hours. While work is being completed in the main building, research may be limited at times.

“We will do our best to accommodate anyone wanting to do research. We are limited on space in the annex, but we want to be as helpful as possible concerning genealogical research,” Gloeckner said.

The Meigs County Museum and Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history and heritage of Meigs County, Ohio. The trustees are volunteers and work to promote, maintain and grow the society and museum. The current officers are: Gary Coleman, president; Jordan Pickens, first vice president; Carrie Gloeckner, second vice president; Susan Clark-Dingess, third vice president; Calee Pickens, reporting secretary; Patty Grosnickle, corresponding secretary; Vicki Hanson, financial secretary; Chloris Gaul-McQuaid, treasurer; Liz Shaw, assistant treasurer; Mary Grace Cowdery, historian.

The museum and annex are located at 144 Butternut Avenue in Pomeroy. For more information on the museum, the society and Meigs County history visit meigschs.org, the organization’s Facebook page or call (740) 992-3810.