Just a few blocks from the Warwick County Courthouse is the Warrick County Museum. For 75 years, from 1901 to 1976, it was a school named after Ella Williams.
While museum exhibits have taken students’ place since 1977, it retains its historic former architecture from days gone by. There are three levels to explore. Former classroom doors open to a treasure trove of Warrick County history and an old auditorium that echoes class plays and recitals from the past. This is the Warrick County Museum.
Let’s start with the basement collection and work our way upstairs. In the basement, you are greeted by a Civil War-era cannon. While these cannons may not look big, they could have a devastating impact. There’s a section about Warrick County Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and their positive impact on the community. They were scouting and building confident young people who became community leaders. This gallery has everything from antique tools to wildlife exhibits. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck? Ask this guy. A common theme throughout the museum is Warrick County professions, with a section about mail carriers. There’s even a soda fountain from the glory days of diners.
The first-floor collection starts with a beautifully restored 19th-century piano.
Then, it presents you with four doors and four exhibit rooms. That’s the fun part of this museum – unpretentious. Behind every door is a complete surprise. One room covers the Civil War, as well as first responder careers. If you grew up in Warrick County, you’ll recognize familiar names as you read the details from the many exhibits. Another gallery covers women’s suffrage or the right to vote. While many take it for granted today, there was a time when women could not vote in local and national elections. Brave women had to fight for this right and often encountered a lot of persecution. There’s a gallery covering beautiful glassware and things used around Warrick County homes of the past. The following section covers early technology, fears from days gone by, and many more Warrick County professions. There’s a doctor’s office. I bet you don’t know what this is. This is an eye doctor’s kit to determine if you need glasses. Is this one better or this one? Step right up for your next exam or not. There’s an early pharmacy window as well as a dentist’s office. Just give me the gas. I don’t want to know what comes next.
The second floor has an impressive auditorium from when this was a school. It’s easy to imagine the countless plays the kids did here or the choirs they sang in for Christmas. The stage is beautifully decorated like a 19th-century parlor. One door opens to a gallery dedicated to fashion. Another door opens to one of the original classrooms, exactly how it was when this was a school. In the classroom is an impressive collection of insect specimens and seashells. This is perhaps the one room with the most irony – this was the former principal’s office, now a room filled with antique toys. This eclectic room houses memorabilia from high school bands, churches, and the arts.
The final gallery covers military history from World War One onward, including this impressive hand-built boat.
The Warrick County Museum is a fine example of local history preserved for future generations and those who enjoy a step back in time.
