Current Exhibit

Think back to your childhood. Who doesn’t have memories about going on a treasure hunt or reading a book about searching for treasures? There is something different about treasures. They are mystical and fascinating, but there is also something unexpected about them. They can appear when you least expect them. The word treasures has a different meaning to almost everyone. We treasure a relationship or perhaps a childhood Christmas toy we remember.

The Historical Society’s theme this year is Shelby County Treasures. The Society is in a unique position to tell this story. The story of our local history can be told in large part through treasures our ancestors left behind.

As the months of 2025 unfold, you will learn about some of the treasures from our past as told by different volunteers of the Society in a series of newsletter articles.

Perhaps a good way to begin is to recall the treasure collectors, or authors who have chronicled our past. They wrote of our history and their lives at just the right time to preserve the key stories without which we would have little appreciation for the legacy they left us.

R. Sutton finished his history on Shelby County in 1883. His extensive coverage of our early pioneers, government and Civil War history has proved to be invaluable for future historians

A.B.C Hitchcock was an educator and Shelby County resident who lived here in the early part of the 20th century. He penned an outstanding history composed mainly of biographies of the prominent leaders, leading families and businesses. His 1913 work is considered indispensable for current researchers.

The Society went through a dormant period but was reactivated in 1993. Since then, the Society has been blessed to have had numerous authors publish books and articles which uncovered forgotten treasures from our past. These include Dave Ross, Linda DeVelvis, Terry Lee, Rich Wallace, Sherrie Casad Lodge, David Lodge, Julie Gilardi, Faye Spangler, Jane Bailey and many others.

The Society has truly been blessed with this type of treasure. Stay tuned for future treasures in the upcoming editions of the Society’s newsletter, Historical Highlights.