16 Apr History of the Huntington County Historical Society
The society was known to be active as early as 1926. Milo Feightner, who was acting president at the time, talked on the preservation of relics in Huntington County.
The organization became inactive for a considerable number of years but returned in 1953. It is not determined whether a lack of interest, the depression or the Second World War was the cause of the lull.
The reorganized society met on November 4, 1953 in the auditorium of the Huntington City Library on East Park Drive. The meeting was held for the purpose of obtaining certain historical sites to be preserved for history.
Moving slowly, the society’s second meeting was held January 20, 1954 in the Y.M.C.A. and the third was then held November 17, 1954 at the R.E.M.C. auditorium. At this time Walter Rusk was elected president; Mrs. Howard Houghton was chosen for Vice President; Mrs. Lloyd Couch as secretary and Mrs. Lawrence Carlson as treasurer.
There was not another meeting until November 15, 1955 in the Huntington County Court House. After that meetings were held every month or so, and established the G.A.R. room in the court house as a permanent meeting place.
After an abbreviated display in the upper floor of the City Library on East Park Drive, the museum began operations in the old Superior Court jury rooms in the court house in 1956 and then to the Women’s Christian Temperance Room on the 4th floor.
As of late 1963, Vernie Clements of Jefferson Township was the Curator and the opening hours were 10 A.M. till 2 P.M. on Tuesday and Thursday. Later, the hours were increased to 1 P.M. till 4 P.M. on Tuesday thru Friday.
The society was incorporated on June 11, 1986.
Society officers in 1994 were Casey Drudge president; Alan Pfliger vice president; Gib Young treasurer and Mary Dowden as secretary.
For 13 years while at the court house, Paul Schock was the Curator for the museum and retired in 1997. The location on the fourth floor was not a very desirable spot to encourage many visitors and was especially difficult for older persons or the handicapped.
Near the end of the 1990s, several occupants of the court house were given notice that they were being removed to make room for more government offices. Consideration was given to move the museum to the old Crestview School or possibly to the Senior Center when the museum is removed from the court house.
In 1999, the society was able to purchase the property at 315 Court Street for $170,000.00 which previously had been built for and housed Harold’s Auto Parts Store. The move was made to the new location and reopened August 20, 1999. In the earlier years of Huntington, this location was occupied by the Farm Bureau Co-Op Feed Mill and Credit Union, and still earlier, by Winebrenner and Son Feed and Grain as well as Weber and Purviance Feeds.
During this time, an agreement was reached with the county that would provide $22,000.00 per year to the museums operating expenses. This has since been reduced, for several years, to $16,500.00 per year.
In 2007 the dues for membership was reduced and established at $10.00 per person, $15.00 per family, $5.00 for student and $150.00 for lifetime. This action brought about an increase in membership from 33 to over 250 in a short period of time. The open hours were 10AM-4PM Tuesday through Friday and 1PM to 4PM on Saturday. The reduction from the county to $16,500.00 necessitated dropping Tuesday as a opening day, on or about 2010.
In 2007, the project of a 60 x 60 two story addition on the east end of the museum was undertaken. The addition was completed in 2008 at a cost of approximately $175,000.00 which has since been paid off through gifts, grants and donations.
The move in 1999, and the subsequent addition, has resulted in greater foot traffic in the museum and attendance at the open meetings.
Today’s museum board meets on the first Wednesday of every month and open meetings with a program are held the third Wednesdays of March, May, July, September, November and December.
Some of the presidents that come to mind from the beginning, aside from those already mentioned, are William Abbott, Mark Anson, Jim Bickel, Lowell Richardson, Patti Souers, Michael Howell and Gib Young. Some of the earlier presidents were Floyd Miller and Irvin Shilling.
Some of the Curators and Museum Directors were Vernie Clements, John McClintok, Paul Schock, Helen Schock, Bob McKinley, Jim Taylor, Patricia Bergdall, Virginia Miller, Deb Gardner, Sarah Schmidt,Teresa Daniels and Mark Stouder.
Submitted by:
Lowell Richardson-7/30/2016