Madison County Historical Society

THE MUSEUM of MADISON COUNTY HISTORY

 MUSEUM OF MADISON COUNTY HISTORY

PLANNED ACTIVITIES

ANY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY DURING 2024

from 

9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.

at the Museum of Madison County History

Operated by the Madison County Historical Society located on the corner of Meridian and 11th Street, Anderson, Indiana

The MMCH is one of the largest buildings in Anderson:  3 floors and 23,000 square feet.  Inside, everywhere you look is a story on Madison County's people, places, things, and events.

COME and EXPLORE YOUR COUNTY HISTORY.

There is no fee involved.  All events and activities are FREE of charge!!!

Donations accepted.

MADE IN MADISON COUNTY EXHIBIT

The Titanic Players

Lambert Cars Were Tested for Reliability

     With assembly complete, the cars would be driven out of the plant west on 19th street to a lot west of what is today 809 E. 19th, south across the lot to the alley, and then east along the alley to the lot east of 809.

     Turning into the lot, the drivers would run the cars up a wooden incline extending east and west near the alley.  The trestle structure was built of a braced framework of timbers with inclines at each end fitted with cleats.  At the north end of the lot was a small round track where the cars were driven, sometimes pulling weights, in the second of three tests.  That site is now the west end of 1915 McKinley Street.  Both former test sites are now fully developed, and no evidence of their previous use remains.  However, across 19th Street is a different story.

     Visible from above is a faint outline of another, much larger, flat test track that would have been directly west of the Buckeye plant.  Most likely, it was here that the automobiles were put through their final driving tests before distribution.  An old film reveals another test that was conducted to check the performance of the friction drive during what were common traveling conditions in rural 1915 -- river and creek fords and crossings.

     Cars can be seen, in the film, descending a hill and approaching a stream on a dirt road, driving through the stream, stopping momentarily and then proceeding onward.  The film also shows a car being driven into a river, turning around and heading back to shore.  The landscape conditions in the first scene are not familiar enough to identify where they were conducted.  However, the river scene reveals a clue as to its location.

Stephen T. Jackson, Madison County Historian

Elwood H. Phillips Memorial Award

The Madison County Historical Society annually honors a person or organization who is deemed by the Board of Trustees to have made noteworthy contributions to the cause of preserving the heritage of Madison County, Indiana.

PAST RECIPIENTS

Engine H6a6344

Train and Dollhouse Exhibits Open

The Model Train and Dollhouse Exhibits are open for everyone.  Please ask your guide to see them.  You, your family and friends are invited to stop by the Museum on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to visit these exhibits.  The Museum is located at 15 West 11th Street, Anderson, Indiana.

Please note that this year's "Christmas" model train and the Dollhouse exhibits will be CLOSED during the Christmas holidays from December 15, 2023 and will open again on January 3, 2024.  Thank you for your support and visiting us during this time of the year.  From our Family to your Family, Merry Christmas and a Happy, Happy New Year!

The Museum In The Classroom

by  Stephen Jackson,  County  Historian

Anna Epperly, Assistant Professor of Education, Anderson University wrote in an email the following:

"I am currently supervising thirteen EDUC 4120 and EDUC 4710 students in their senior classroom management courses.  With Covid-19 restrictions in local schools regarding visitors and volunteers, we had to think creatively in terms of providing our AU students with authentic access to mentor teachers and "real, live students" this semester.  As a volunteer at the Museum of Madison County History, operated by the Madison County Historical Society(MCHS), I was able to seek and receive approval from MCHS for AU students to virtually instruct Frankton 4th, 5th, and 8th grade students from temporary "broadcast studios" within the museum.  AU students are currently teaching live lessons virtually, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, using various museum exhibits and artifacts.  This partnership has required much collaboration among AU students and faculty, local historians, and Frankton classroom teachers and administrators, providing multiple benefits to all concerned."

During a recent Zoom meeting of Indiana County Historians, Indiana Historical Society, and Indiana Historical Bureau staff, I shared this joint project of how a successful collaboration between the two Anderson, Indiana, educational organization/institutions has overcome the Covid crisis negativity by creating a positive that benefits our local schools.  Needless to say, it was greeted with much enthusiasm and with discussion to expand to other counties with institutions of higher learning.