Grundy County Heritage Museum

In July 2016, Yai and I visited the Grundy County Museum. There are several buildings on the museum grounds. Perhaps most impressive is the old public school. But tours start in the newer museum building, so we had to walk around the grounds to the other side of the block to find it.

On the way, we had the pleasure of seeing an old caboose, farm equipment and a little log cabin.

Proceeding further, we visited a little school house, Colfax #3, and the main museum building.

Inside, the main museum building is very spacious. Animals that once roamed the Iowa prairies are remembered.

There's also a display on the farming techniques of the Ioway Indians, as well as spearheads found in the area and a hut with animal skins inside.

 Inside this museum is sort of like a mall with storefronts and "kiosks."

There's the old general store, old carriages, a barbed wire display, a corn picker, and wagon filled with corn. There's also a mini-theater where you can relax and watch the county's story.

 The barn held a grain wagon, tools, and a blacksmith's equipment.

I most liked the little "house" built into the museum though. It had a certain charm.

 How would you like a stove like that? The museum also has a library of sorts with many record books going way back. After we finished touring the main building, the curator unlocked the school house for us to enjoy the displays inside.

 Pictured is a loom and a German court cupboard.

 In the basement, there was a small aquarium and a collection of rocks and geodes, fossils and bones. 

A note said that the disastrous winter of 1856-1857 marked the end of elk in Iowa. 

While leaving, this bank vault caught my eye. It looks to me like it could very well be in an episode of Big Valley or some other Western. 

I enjoyed visiting the Grundy County Heritage Museum, and thought it was well worth the trip.