ABOUT US
Mission Statement
- To collect, to preserve and display historical records and items of Cloud County.
- To encourage interest and education in the history of Cloud County.
- To encourage historical research.
History of the Cloud County Historical Society Museum
In 1957, when Cloud County was proposing a new courthouse, the D.A.R. appointed a committee to meet with the County Commissioners to see if the plans for the new courthouse could include a room for the County Museum. A public meeting was held in January 1959 with members of the State Historical Society who came to assist in the organization of a local group in the drafting of a constitution and application of a charter. This was accomplished by the end of 1959. A large room in the basement of the new courthouse was home of the Cloud County Historical Society Museum. The museum was open on Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
In 1976, the new Frank Carlson Library was finished, and the old library building was empty. Many organizations wanted the Carnegie Library building for their own use and some wanted the building razed and the area used for a parking lot.
In 1977, the City of Concordia decided to lease the building to the Cloud County Historical Society with the understanding that the Society carries enough insurance to cover the value of the property. The Society had hoped for a deed to the property, but decided to accept these terms.
The museum collection was moved to the library building in the summer of 1977 with the assistance of the VFW and Lions organizations. The building was renovated. Then in 1980, the City gave the Cloud County Historical Society the deed to the property. Since then the Society has purchased the two properties east of the museum and were razed. In 1990 the Earnest Lagasse annex was attached to the east side of the museum.
In 2001, the Wilson-Millirons house was purchased, just east of the museum, to house the Wilson Estate artifacts.
In 2003, the Everitt annex building at 130 E 6th was purchased.
In 2007 and 2008, it was decided to install a carved brick mural depicting the rich history of Cloud County. The 140 ft. long and 20 ft. high "Whole Wall Mural" was carved from 6400 Dakota Clay bricks that was fired and furnished by Cloud Ceramics for the Annex building. Catherine Magel of St Louis, MO was the artist. Her assistants were Jane Saunders of St. Louis, Mo and Mara Smith of Seattle, WA.
On Sept. 25, 2009, the "Whole Wall Mural" was dedicated.
The museum displays over 100,000 treasures for your viewing pleasure which includes: railroads, aviation, photography, documents, household items, vintage clothing, quilts, furniture, toys, musical instruments, nature, rocks/fossils, tools, stained glass, farming equipment, radio, education, medical, banking, rare coins, books, and Prisoner of War Camp artifacts.
Research records are available regarding organizations, schools, businesses, churches, funeral homes, cemeteries, census, military and POW camp, as well as microfilm of county newspapers.