The Sheridan Historical Society has purchased a new museum site at 315 S. Main St. and is remodeling the site for its collections and genealogy services that will provide two-and-a-half times its present space for heritage exhibits and family archive services. The society, founded in 1969, had been gifted its present location at 308 S. Main St., by late industrialist Kenneth Biddle who had used it for an office during retirement. It opened in 1972 and collections assembled were acquired and managed by volunteers.
“In essence, we have a museum that captures pioneer life, artifacts from an Indiana community that expanded from a hill-top log cabin in 1828,” detailed Ron Stone, president. “We have a story to be showcased, and that includes our 1908 Black motor buggy and a restored Civil War American flag carried by a Sheridan resident in Tennessee battles.”
“Members joined the board and officers to pool funds for the $40,000 real estate acquisition,” explained Stone. “And we have a capital campaign underway. To date, the society, a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization, has attracted a total of $60,000+. We anticipate $100,000 in total needs to handle purchase and repairs in the new facility projected to be open next summer. After years of patchwork and some replacement, we came to a crossroads: if we repaired where we are, we would not be producing enough cost/benefits to justify investment and the expansion of space for exhibits pushed us in this new direction.”
“In small communities, maintaining heritage is a duty of citizens,” Stone pointed out. “Sheridan has a rich history to capture the interest of both former and new residents. The society sponsors many heritage-oriented events every year and we need good headquarters to house such operations. Over the last decade, our membership has grown and we are still attracting new interest so we can actively keep our young people informed.”
Parvin Gillim, local architect, produced a working draft of the schematic to guide interior redevelopment of the building – a structure which used to be the home of Sheridan’s Hippodrome movie theater. Society members are pursuing plans to replace the HVAC system, electrical, front windows and ceiling/insulation. Dedicated spaces can be named for a contributor’s families or sponsored by corporations and businesses. Museum exhibits offer naming opportunities, including the pioneer kitchen, school displays, and the future. New exhibits are now being considered.
Serving on the society are: Ron Stone, president; Steve Martin, first vice president; Phillip Pearson, second vice president; Connie Pearson, secretary; and Vicki Remsen, secretary. Board of directors include: Wilma Bush, Roberta Huff, Donna Jessup, David Ogle and Ginny Tackitt. Other staff includes Jim Pickett, executive director; Brenda Bush, renewal strategist; Susie Browning, corresponding secretary; Connie Mossburg, historian, and Laura Stapleton-Robbins, membership.
Contributions to the museum project are welcome as well as tax deductible. Those interested in participating should contact Ron Stone at 317-758-5170, by cell at (317) 306-5058, or by email at rmstone@ndwave.com. Checks for the new museum are to be mailed to the Sheridan Historical Society Inc., 308 S. Main St., Sheridan, IN 46069.