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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
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: 1671
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| Vietnam Veterans Museum Open Now |
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| Visit the Museum on Wednesday or Saturday, from noon to 5:00 p.m. The Museum is staffed by actual Vietnam veterans, who are more than happy to show you their museum and tell their stories. Stop by, and walk the grounds of Heck Park, dedicated to the Vietnam War story., |
| Now at the Museum-- |
The main Museum is open on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
A special exhibit is on now: 75 YEARS of the MONROE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM. Located on the second floor of the museum, the display will help you appreciate one of Monroe county's gems- our great library system! (Sorry, we can't check out your books- go to your local library and read!)
Learn about the various Library branches (can you name them all, or know where they are?) and their growth into our current expansive county system.
The world is at your fingertips with a book from the Monroe County Library System!
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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.
The next class will be on Sat. May 24th from 11-1:00 p.m. at the Museum. Stop in and try it! |
| 1812 Bicentennial Logo Merchandise |
You can buy your 1812 Bicentennial Logo merchandise at the main Museum on South Monroe Street, or at the Battlefield Visitor Center on East Elm Avenue. Items for purchase include adult sizes (and extended sizes) & youth size T-shirts; sweatshirts; baseball caps; embroidered patches, glass paperweights, ceramic mugs, keychain flashlights, & kids' harmonicas. Sales benefit the 1812 Bicentennial Steering Committee which helps fund upcoming 1812 events in Monroe County.
Other merchandise available include the "War of 1812: Battles of the River Raisin" movie video in VHS and DVD formats at $20, and small Kentucky volunteer flags and holders- these items benefit the Friends of the River Raisin Battlefield, a non-profit support group of the Battlefield.
The official logo- a cannon mounted on a wooden sled, is an appropriate symbol of the battle that took place in January snow, which is placed in an arch above the cannon. The logo was designed by local artist and Museum supporter Dave Stahl.
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| Dig Camp- July 7-11, 2008 |
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© Bill Saul,
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| The teams hard at work in the Battlefield pits. |
| THANK YOU Monroe! |
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We hope you were there for the 2nd River Raisin International Muster and viewed the class acts, including 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 will be including Monroe, Michigan in their tour dates- along with Basel, Switzerland and Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. These talented boys and girls, age 10-18 years, form a nearly 100 member musical group which perform around 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. They have performed all over the United States, and overseas. For more information on the 1st Michigan, use the link included on this page.
Also present were: D3 Fife & Drums from Canton, the Great Lakes Ancient Field Music from Romeo, the Tittabawassee Valley Fife & Drum Corps from Midland, the Plymouth Fife & Drums from Plymouth, the Bellestre Fifre et Tambour group of Port Huron (all Michigan); the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment with their bagpipes, from West Lafayette, Indiana, along with the Voyageur Ancient Fife & Drum Corps also of Lafayette.
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- take a breather now Scott!
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| First Michigan Colonial Fife & Drum Corps |
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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. |
| United We Stand: Remember the Ladies! |
The Monroe County Historical Museum announces the awarding of Michigan Arts & Culture grant part two of "United We Stand: Remember the Ladies". Part one was dedicated to teaching youth to sew as the "French Town Tailors", and produced 40 black linen coats, hats and haversacks copied after those used by the Kentucky soldiers during the War of 1812. This next installment will produce over 50 women's garments from the war era, along with trade blouses, skirts and legging used by Native American women.
We are looking for local youth to sew, and adults. Those interested are asked to contact Lynn Reaume at the Museum 734 240 7780 or by e-mail lynn-reaume@monroemi.org to sign up, or for questions. Times and dates to be announced.
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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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| Bronco McKart Greets Some Young Fans |
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| Boxer Bronco McKart talks to CampFire USA fans at the Grand Opening of the Bronco Exhibit June 29th in the Museum front lobby. |
| 1812 Logo |
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| Designed by Dave Stahl, the logo graces a variety of merchandise items, available at the RRBVC and main Museum, |
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| Sign up Now for Archaeology Camp 2008! |
The Monroe County Historical Museum and Monroe County Intermediate School District are looking for this year's youth to participate in the Battlefield Archaeology Camp, Monday through Friday, July 7th to the 11th, 9 a.m. to 12 noon each day. Learn from professional adults in the archeaology field about research, history, techniques, and organizing artifacts and items from the past. Explore information on the War of 1812 and the famous Battle of the River Raisin which took place right here in Monroe (Frenchtown), on the banks of the River! Learn how to interpret clues in the "trash from the past". It's lot of fun for all, and great to be outdoors! Cost is $75 per student.
To sign up, or for questions, contact the Monroe County ISD at 242 5799, extension 1340 or 1337 or go to their website: misd.k12.mi.us and click on "upcoming events"- archaeology camp" and use their registration form online.
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| Colonial Williamsburg! |
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© Sean Terretta,
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| Hope you got to see the Fifes &Drums of Colonial Williamsburg here in Monroe! |
| Battlefield Visitor Center |
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© Lynn Reaume,
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| The River Raisin Battlefield Visitor Center, 1403 East Elm Avenue, Monroe |
| Changing Fashion |
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© Lynn Reaume,
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| 1700's to 1815 Fashion timeline shows the changes in women's clothing from multi-piece emsemble to basic one-piece gown. |
| 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 and other's- collections.
Come in now and view their stories.
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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. |
| OPEN for FAIR WEEK |
The Navarre-Anderson Trading Post and Martha Barker Country Store will be open for Fair Week, July 28th through Friday, August 1st, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Located on North Custer Road before the Raisinville Road bridge, these two sites take the visitor from the late 1700's to the early 1900's with its buildings and exhibits.
The Trading Post will introduce the visitor to the Territorial Fur Trade of the late 1780's, when the structure was built by French Canadian settler Uteau Navarre. Learn about who traded, what was traded, and how trade developed the wilderness throughout the area. Moved to this site, the Trading Post is augmented with a summer kitchen (an original 1810 building), a reproduction 2 story barn, a clay beehive oven, a raised bed garden, and orchard, all along the River Raisin.
The Country Store exhibit houses an early 1900's rural store, with everything from dry goods, household wares, farm tools, fancy work and supplies, to a small post office and lunchroom. The building is a crica 1860's red brick school house, the Papermill school, used for 100 years! Small souvenirs and nickel candy will be sold while open.
Parking is available at the Country Store lot and is free. No admission.
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Program and Design by Computer Works of Monroe, Inc.
