Exhibits
Featured Exhibits
Notable Grundy County Residents
Main Building
An annual exhibit features a kiosk and artifacts of Board approved and selected Grundy County residents.
The 2024 honorees are:
William & Juanita Denslow
Ben & Frances Gallup Robert & Helen Gallup
Leonard Lame
Levi Moore
The Sutton Brothers - Earl Sutton & Harry Sutton
Nominations are currently being accepted for next year's Notable Grundy County Resident exhibit.
Hats Off to Women's Creations
Main Building
An exhibition celebrating the creativity and talents of women will be showcased. It will feature a collection of hats, quilts, rugs, and various other items crafted by women, including those from Grundy County.
Permanent Exhibits
Thompson House Collection
Main Building
The Thompson House stands as one of Grundy County's most ancient structures. Constructed by Dr. William Preston Thompson, a pioneer settler in the region, it lies to the west of Trenton, nestled within the bounds of Crowder State Park. Visitors can explore a visual narrative of Dr. Thompson's life through a series of photographs and an original oil painting by the local artist, Lucille Graham Power.
Patriotic & Civic Pride Display
Main Building
The exhibit features historic U.S. flags, such as the 1876 Centennial flag and the flag that draped the casket of Civil War veteran Lt. Mose Allison. It includes a program from The Trentennial, a centennial pageant from June 1957. There are collector plates commemorating the centennials of Spickard, MO, and Tindall, MO. Additionally, the display presents the original "key" and a framed photograph of the first Grundy County Courthouse, constructed in 1842, alongside a wooden gavel used by Judge Hubbell.
Trenton Heritage Collection
Main Building
Six original drawings by James Burkhart, a renowned Ozark artist and alumnus of the Kansas City Art Institute, have been commissioned by Trenton National Bank. The collection features sketches of classic Trenton buildings from bygone days, including The Old Courthouse, Grand River College, Grundy County Fairgrounds, The Hubbell Opera House, Rock Island Depot and the Old Beanery, and The Thompson House.
Native American & Pioneer Territory
Main Building
On display are relics and artifacts from various Native American tribes and pioneers, including a fur trader's dugout canoe. This canoe was unearthed in the Thompson Fork of the Grand River on Clifford Cartmill's farm near Spickard in 1962 by Cecil Persell and his son, Larry. Carved from a walnut log, the canoe was donated by Cartmill in 1974 and has been carbon-dated to be 200-260 years old.
Baseball
Main Building
The collection features a range of baseball memorabilia, with items commemorating Burleigh Arland Grimes, the renowned American baseball player and manager. Grimes, lived on a 545-acre farm in Hickory Creek near Trenton, is notably remembered as the final pitcher allowed to throw a spitball legally.
General Store, Pharmacy & Post Office
Main Building
A full-scale general store stocked a variety of everyday essentials for every household. Trenton's Fair Drug Store provided a wide range of products, from greeting cards and gifts to medicines, encompassing both over-the-counter remedies and prescription drugs. However, the highlight was the soda fountain, where spending a dime felt like a treat. The Brimson Post Office's window and mailboxes (1901-1978) provide a peek into a time before emails and instant messaging, when receiving a handwritten letter was a cherished event.
Home: A Glimpse Back in Time
Main Building
The exhibit showcases period rooms, offering visitors a window into historical living. The kitchen, dating back to the 1880s, features a wood-burning stove, antique cookware, flatirons, and kerosene oil lamps.
The dining room is adorned with a fireplace, fine china, and an assortment of musical instruments.
The parlor boasts a historic oak fireplace, alongside a pump organ and a Victrola.
The bedroom is furnished with period amenities such as a feather bed, a pitcher and washbasin, and a chamber pot.
Down on the Farm
Main Building and Courtyard
The collection features a vast array of hand tools, animal-powered devices, and various equipment, such as a small animal treadmill. It also showcases engines, including a vertical steam engine and a hit-and-miss engine. Additionally, the farm machinery on display includes a threshing machine and a 30-foot restored and operational Aermotor farm windmill situated in the courtyard.
Rock Island Railroad
Main Building and Courtyard
The collection features lanterns, signals, uniforms, keys, photographs, a railway handcar, and a genuine Rock Island caboose displayed in the courtyard. At the height of its operation, the Rock Island Railroad provided jobs for approximately 500 individuals in the county. However, on March 31, 1980, the closure of Rock Island led to the unemployment of around 125 people, marking the end of an era for local railroad employment.
East 12th Street - The Last Brick Street in Trenton
Behind Main Building
The History of Brick Streets
The stretch of E 12th Street that lies directly behind the main museum building, nestled between Mable Street and Tinsman Avenue, is Trenton's last surviving brick street. In 2022, the City of Trenton entrusted its care to North Central Missouri College and the Grundy County Historical Society & Museum.
Prior to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, streets were commonly composed of dirt and gravel. However, with the advancement of road construction and the rising popularity of horse-drawn carriages and early automobiles, there was a pressing need for roads made of sturdier materials.
In 1870, Mordecai Levi from Charleston, West Virginia, embarked on an experiment with a novel road-making material: bricks. By 1873, he had successfully paved a single block. For his innovative approach, Levi received a patent from the U.S. Patent Office on April 23, 1889.
Bricks proved to be an excellent choice for paving streets, as they permitted water to seep through, thus mitigating issues of expansion and contraction. Moreover, bricks are known for their remarkable durability and longevity.
The introduction of synthetic asphalt in the 1920s slowly phased out the use of bricks for constructing new streets, leading to the gradual disappearance of old brick streets beneath layers of asphalt.
The History of Purington Bricks
The Purington Brick Co. in East Galesburg, IL was once the largest producer of brick pavers in the world, employing 800 workers to transform blue shale and yellow soil into more than 150,000 bricks daily. The company's signature 4″x4″x8″ paving brick was produced until 1949 when it switched to making 2″x4″x8″ facing bricks for exterior walls. The brickyard closed in 1974, but today, Gavin Historical Bricks has revived the old brickyard, reclaiming brick from the interior kiln walls and staging areas with unique textures and vibrant colors.
Children's Exhibit
Main Building
This exhibit is crafted to show today's youth the type of childhood their great grandparents had. It features representations of a girl's and a boy's bedroom from a time when batteries or electricity weren't necessary, just a vivid imagination. The display is rounded out with a sewing room, a playroom, a parlor, a chapel, and an outdoor area, all adorned with toys and items that provide a window into the lives of children from a bygone era.
Rural One-Room School House
Baker School Building
Baker School, also known as Grundy County School #49, was the final one-room school in operation in Grundy County until 1966. It remains a popular destination for school excursions. The authentic period furniture and educational apparatus provide an immersive experience, enabling teachers and students to journey back in time and explore the essence of our rural educational legacy.
The Chapel
Main Building
Military Collection
Annex Building
An extensive collection of military war memorabilia, spanning from the Civil War to modern times, is on display. Highlights of the collection include General E. Crowder's sword and desk, alongside uniforms, combat medals, assorted gear, photographs, and documents. This exhibit pays tribute to the valor of Grundy County's heroes, encompassing both military members and first responders.
Previous Feature Exhibits
- Notable Grundy County Residents - During the 2023 season, the exhibit of Notable Grundy County Residents included Max & Maradyn (Webster) Oyler, and Clyde Tolson.
- Downtown Trenton Businesses - During the 2023 season an exhibit to honor downtown businesses located in Trenton featured Belle's Cafe (Eat More Cafe), Fair Drug Store, National Bank, Penney's, Stein Clothier, Trenton Hardware.
- Notable Grundy County Residents - During the 2022 season, the exhibit of Notable Grundy County Residents included Tom Brown, Jo Hoffman, Russell Joiner, Marilyn Robbins, Lester Skaggs, and Dr. William Preston Thompson.
- Photography: Then and now featuring various photographs and camera collections, a "walk-in" pin hole camera, a simulated 1970's darkroom, and photos taken by Grundy County 5th grade students - 2020.
- Scramble the Seawolves a documentary featuring the story of the US Navy's first and only dedicated Attack Helicopter Gunship Squadron. Two Grundy County soldiers, pilot Eric Alexander and mechanic Larry Huffstutter, served in the highly decorated volunteer Navy helicopter squadron - 2019.
- Chairs: The Stories They Could Tell a display of novel, unique, and historic chairs associated with Grundy County's families and businesses - 2019.
- Smithsonian Hometown Teams featuring a Smithsonian traveling exhibit and local exhibit highlighting people and sport experiences in Grundy County - 2018.
- Collections of Grundy County featuring an accumulation of beloved objects gathered by locals including a unique collection of ammunition, McDonald's happy meal toys and Matchbox toy vehicles - 2017.
- Grundy County Commemorates WWI a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the First World War and tribute to Grundy County's own Company D. The exhibits features a Maxim German machine gun captured during the war by Company D - 2017.
- Grundy County Artist & their Art an outstanding exhibit of over 250 pieces of art by Grundy County artists of all ages working in various mediums including a 100-year-old woven rag rug. - 2016.
- Grundy County Remembers Vietnam a multimedia exhibit to communicate the experiences of our local citizen soldiers in Vietnam and mark the 50th anniversary of the war - 2015.
- Electronics in Grundy County the impact of electronic technology on our lives of Grundy County residents both at home and at work - 2014.
- Grown in Grundy County emphasizes the tools and technologies employed in the 1850 to 1950 era to grow and harvest a wide range of crops in Grundy County. Exhibit includes interactive stations for shelling corn, processing apples and observation of an animal powered gristmill. - 2013
- Made in Grundy County an exhibit displaying the many products produced in Grundy County including stories about and histories of the manufacturers - 2013.
- The Civil War and Grundy County an exhibit recognizing the sesquicentennial of the Civil War featuring weapons, technology of the era, uniforms, letters and diaries, photographs and more than 65 stories about local citizens and their experiences during the Civil War - 2012.
- The Railroads of Grundy County includes many photos, tools, collectables, and interactive displays including a telegraph station, photo booth and an authentic Rock Island caboose - 2012.
- Coca-Cola Memorabilia Exhibit includes an expansive array of bottles, advertising posters, imprinted merchandise, vending machines, production equipment and unique products including a can designed for consumption at the international space station - 2011.
- Grundy County's Medical Experience presents the county's doctors, hospitals, and history through photographs, displays of surgical tools, dental and optometry equipment and videos about medical discoveries and procedures - 2011.
- Children's Exhibit an exhibit designed to show the "growing-up" experiences of children of previous generations in Grundy County - 2011.
- Smithsonian New Harmonies a national traveling exhibit by the Smithsonian with a local exhibit featuring the roots of music in Grundy County and area musicians - 2010