The Monroe County History Center

Overview

In 1994, the Historical Society bought the building for $1
The 1830s log cabin was an actual pioneer cabin
The center cares for over 50,000 items
The building is one of few in the area that is constructed of solid-block limestone

History

Built in 1854, the Center School was an integrated school that opened in 1863. However, it was turned into a colored school just 10 years later in 1873. It remained a colored school until 1915 when the building was demolished to make space for the Carnegie Library. To replace the previous school, the Benjamin Banneker School was created and had three teachers as well as 93 students. The school ended their segregation in 1951 despite some protest from Bloomington citizens. Andrew Carnegie, a businessman and philanthropist, donated money to make over 2500 libraries across the world, 150 of them being in Indiana alone. In 1970 the library was retired and was put on the National Register of Historic Places. In May of 1973 the Monroe County Historical Society was created and in 1980, the space was leased to them, foreshadowing the start of the Monroe County Historical Society.

Role in the Community

The Monroe County History Center loves to connect with the community! They offer a variety of products and services to their customers, their most popular being their museum tours! The museum contains a large variety of different, interesting, and historical items. Descriptions of the origins from certain pieces are offered in each exhibit, giving the customer an expanded look as to what life would have looked like years prior. The History Center also encourages people to research and donate items to their facility! Recently, a woman whose family member immigrated from the Philippines in 1962, donated several pieces of their belongings to the museum which are now on display! This just goes to show how invested the center is in preserving and educating citizens on the history of Monroe County! One of their main values as a business and historical center is including groups of people that may have been skipped over in history. The center is especially interested in expanding their exhibits on POC (people of color) and LGBTQIA+, showing the diversity and importance of minorities in Indiana.

"Monroe county library book mobile- circa 1920-1935"

"1840s pioneer replica cabin exhibit"

"9'4 1,200 pound Kodiak bear hunted in Alaska by Roy H. Schmalz"

"1800s one room school house exhibit"

WORKS CITED

Thanks to Ms. Mcdonald at the Monroe County History Center
“Our History: Building and the Historical Society - Monroe County History Center.” Monroe County History Center - a Place for Learning - Monroe County Indiana, 2 Oct. 2015, monroehistory.org/brief-history/.

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