06/22/2021
June 22, 1921
June 22, 1921
Porter County Museum
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- Valparaiso, IN
- Porter County Museum
The award-winning PoCo Muse is the oldest institution devoted to the history and culture of Porter County. The PoCo Muse engages Porter County's rich past with its evolving present to educate, enrich, and inspire our communities.
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Operating as usual
06/21/2021
June 21, 1921
June 21, 1921
06/20/2021
June 20, 1921
June 20, 1921
06/19/2021
Do you think Dr. Carl Marlow Davis used this postcard image as inspiration for his acrylic on board of the Bailly Chapel? Visit the Montague/Urschel Gallery today until 4p to view the painting and decide for yourself! #onthescene #pocomuse #montagueurschelgallery #baillyhomestead #baillychapel #carldavis #portercountyindiana #acryliconboard #nwiartist
06/19/2021
June 19, 1921
June 19, 1921
06/18/2021
Did you know our Montague/Urschel Gallery has no general admission fee thanks to the support of our members and donors? Plan your visit to see "On the Scene: Selections from the Permanent Collection" to view twenty-seven works of local art.
Did you know our Montague/Urschel Gallery has no general admission fee thanks to the support of our members and donors? Plan your visit to see "On the Scene: Selections from the Permanent Collection" to view twenty-seven works of local art.
06/18/2021
June 18, 1921
June 18, 1921
06/17/2021
June 17, 1921
June 17, 1921
06/16/2021
June 16, 1921
June 16, 1921
06/15/2021
June 15, 1921
June 15, 1921
06/14/2021
On June 10, 1939, a great windstorm passed through Porter County. This image of the storm's aftermath shows the residence of Mrs. Carrie Schenck. The home collapsed while Carrie was sleeping in the northeast corner, narrowly escaping being buried in the wreckage.
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Another victim of the 1939 storm was the Urschel hangar at the Porter County Airport. The gale destroyed at least two planes, the hangar of the Valpo Aero Club, and the home of Leslie Winder which was tipped completely over.
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This image comes from the Steve Mockler collection.
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#PoCoMuse #LocalHistory #IndianaHistory #HistoricStorm #PorterCounty #NWIndiana #indianaweather
On June 10, 1939, a great windstorm passed through Porter County. This image of the storm's aftermath shows the residence of Mrs. Carrie Schenck. The home collapsed while Carrie was sleeping in the northeast corner, narrowly escaping being buried in the wreckage.
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Another victim of the 1939 storm was the Urschel hangar at the Porter County Airport. The gale destroyed at least two planes, the hangar of the Valpo Aero Club, and the home of Leslie Winder which was tipped completely over.
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This image comes from the Steve Mockler collection.
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#PoCoMuse #LocalHistory #IndianaHistory #HistoricStorm #PorterCounty #NWIndiana #indianaweather
06/14/2021
June 14, 1921
June 14, 1921
06/13/2021
June 13, 1921
June 13, 1921
06/12/2021
Have you planned your upcoming visit to the MUG yet?
Stop by Thursday through Sunday between 11 and 4p to view "On the Scene: Selections from the Permanent Collection." Members get exclusive early access to view the exhibit from 10-11a every morning.
#PoCoMuse #montagueurschelgallery #onthescene #atthemug #permanentcollection #nwindiana #hoosierartists #downtownvalpo
Have you planned your upcoming visit to the MUG yet?
Stop by Thursday through Sunday between 11 and 4p to view "On the Scene: Selections from the Permanent Collection." Members get exclusive early access to view the exhibit from 10-11a every morning.
#PoCoMuse #montagueurschelgallery #onthescene #atthemug #permanentcollection #nwindiana #hoosierartists #downtownvalpo
06/12/2021
June 12, 1921
June 12, 1921
06/11/2021
June 11, 1921
June 11, 1921
06/10/2021
Did you know the Montague/Urschel Gallery is open to the public from 11a until 7p today thanks to a gift made in memory of Vince "Monty" and Ida May Montague? Members get exclusive early access to view "On the Scene" from 10-11a this morning as well.
Credit to Albert Photographic for the exceptional detail of the courthouse square aerial photograph, which you can see on display.
Did you know the Montague/Urschel Gallery is open to the public from 11a until 7p today thanks to a gift made in memory of Vince "Monty" and Ida May Montague? Members get exclusive early access to view "On the Scene" from 10-11a this morning as well.
Credit to Albert Photographic for the exceptional detail of the courthouse square aerial photograph, which you can see on display.
06/10/2021
June 10, 1921
June 10, 1921
06/09/2021
"You could say the movie kicked off the 'bromance' genre before the term was coined and it may be the finest buddy film ever made."
Become a PoCo Muse member at mypoco.org/membership to commemorate what would be the centennial of the Premier Theatre and receive the review of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" by Jeff Schultz, the official PoCo Muse Film Critic, as part of his member-exclusive "Going Back to the Movie" series.
06/09/2021
June 9, 1921
June 9, 1921
06/08/2021
June 8, 1921
June 8, 1921
06/07/2021
June 7, 1921
June 7, 1921
06/06/2021
Don't forget the Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game this afternoon on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to the final question of this "base ball" quiz?
Don't forget the Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game this afternoon on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to the final question of this "base ball" quiz?
06/06/2021
June 6, 1921
June 6, 1921
06/05/2021
The Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game tomorrow (6/6) on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to question four of this "base ball" quiz?
The Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game tomorrow (6/6) on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to question four of this "base ball" quiz?
06/05/2021
June 5, 1921
June 5, 1921
06/04/2021
What do you notice in this detail of the Maxwell Farm aerial photography? Can you tell where textures and colors have been manipulated? Compare this with M. M. Mudge's "Over the Sandhills" hand-colorized photograph during your next visit to the MUG.
06/04/2021
The Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game this Sunday (6/6) on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to question three of this "base ball" quiz?
The Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game this Sunday (6/6) on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to question three of this "base ball" quiz?
06/04/2021
History isn't always inside a museum. In honor of World Bicycle Day, grab your bike and use pocomuse.org/valpo-now-then as your guide to get an early start on the weekend.
Explore downtown Valparaiso and peddle over to the spot Belva Schenkel Wright stood in the late 1940s under the neon Hotel Lembke sign near the southwest corner of Jefferson and Lafayette Streets. What do you see today?
History isn't always inside a museum. In honor of World Bicycle Day, grab your bike and use pocomuse.org/valpo-now-then as your guide to get an early start on the weekend.
Explore downtown Valparaiso and peddle over to the spot Belva Schenkel Wright stood in the late 1940s under the neon Hotel Lembke sign near the southwest corner of Jefferson and Lafayette Streets. What do you see today?
06/04/2021
June 4, 1921
June 4, 1921
06/03/2021
The Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game this Sunday (6/6) on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to question two of this "base ball" quiz?
The Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen Vintage Base Ball Club in a free game this Sunday (6/6) on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p.
Brush up on your knowledge of the 1858 rules before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to question two of this "base ball" quiz?
06/03/2021
June 3, 1921
June 3, 1921
06/02/2021
Did you know our friends at the Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen in a free game this Sunday on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p?
Brush up on your 1858 knowledge of the game before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to this "base ball" quiz or will you find yourself seated with the country club?
Did you know our friends at the Valparaiso Lookouts Vintage Base Ball Club take on the Lemont Quarrymen in a free game this Sunday on the grounds of Immanuel Lutheran Church & School at 1p?
Brush up on your 1858 knowledge of the game before you spectate what's surely to be a lively match! Do you know the answer to this "base ball" quiz or will you find yourself seated with the country club?
06/02/2021
June 2, 1921
June 2, 1921
06/01/2021
June 1, 1921
June 1, 1921
Address
153 Franklin St
Valparaiso, IN
46383
General information
The PoCo Muse (short for Porter County Museum) is located at the southeast corner of Indiana Avenue and Franklin Street (153 S. Franklin) in downtown Valparaiso, Indiana. Programs and activities (unless otherwise indicated) are now held inside the Montague/Urschel Gallery at 20 Indiana Avenue (across the street from the PoCo Muse), accessible through the Franklin Street entrance on the south facade of the building. Current PoCo Muse hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday from 10a until 4p. Occasional special hours are listed at pocomuse.org. For a complete listing of our upcoming events, be sure to click over to our events page on this Facebook site.
Telephone
Website
Products
Donate to the PoCo Muse or become a member at pocomuse.org/donate today!
Alerts
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Contact The Business
Send a message to Porter County Museum:
Videos
How to Make a Fossil Cast
Sometimes it's easier to show how fossils are formed with Play-dough and glue. Watch this video of a tiny mastadon making a cast of himself and then you can try for yourself! - 1. Lay some Play-Doh out on a hard surface and flatten it out a bit with the palm of your hand (or book). 2. Press a shell, small tree branch or toy into the Play-Doh to make an impression of the object. 3. Pull the object out of the Play-Doh very gently so you won't alter the impression at all. 4. Squeeze white school glue into the impression of the object, filling it up. 5. Allow the glue to dry in the Play-Doh overnight. 6. Pull the glue fossil out of the Play-Doh. - In order for a plant or animal to become a fossil, they have to go through a process called fossilization. Fossilization begins when a plant or animal dies and is quickly covered by sediments. For example, if an animal died in a riverbed and then was covered with mud and sand. The sediments protect the remains from the elements, bacteria, all the other forces that cause weathering and decay. This protection slows the decaying process down so that some of the remains are preserved for thousands of years (in most cases the parts that are preserved best are the hard parts like bone or shell). Throughout this process, the sediment layers become hard solid rock. After the hard rock layer forms water filters down through the layers of rock and washed the preserved remains away. Because the rock above is hard it doesn’t collapse into the empty space where the remains once were. Instead, this empty space is a natural mold of the animal or plant, preserving the original shape of the remains. In some cases, the water that filters into the rock carries minerals into the mold. These minerals harden and make a natural cast of the mold, just like an artist filling a mold with plaster. At this point, all of the original organic material has disappeared but in its place nature has left an exact mineral reproduction of the remains. In cases w
PreHistoric PoCo StoryTime
Welcome to #PrehistoricPoCo! We all hope that you enjoy our upcomming Prehistoric quarentine activities! Starting with reading about prehistoric mammals in a room full of PREHISTORIC MAMMALS! In this video Quinn reads Once Upon a Mastadon: All About Prehistoric Mammals (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library) by Bonnie Worth. - What questions do you have about Prehistoric Porter County? - #PoCoMuse #PoCoHistory #IndianaHistory #PrehistoricMammal #Mastadon #OnceUponAMastadon #LiveNWI #MuseumFromHome #StoryTime #LearnFromHome
Giant Squid on Flint Lake *fictional*
We know those Porter County beaches are nice 🏖, but maybe you’d rather hang out at the museum this weekend (Sat 10a-5p and Sun 11a-4p)! 🐙 Check out Up Late @ PoCo Muse on Thursday, August 8, and stay tuned for more GIFs and memes from the PoCo Muse collection. https://www.pocomuse.org/upcoming-events Original image: Early 20th Century postcard depicting fun at Flint Lake (squid added 😉).
Dick Brauer's Presentation on Historical Valparaiso Homes
Did you miss Dick Brauer's talk last week? Don't fret! Check out our recording of Dick's presentation so you can learn more about the architecture of some of the homes and buildings showcased in the 2019 Historical Valparaiso Home Tour.
We're also telling stories using robots! Stop by the Museum today before 6p to experiment and create art!
We're learning about light at the PoCo Muse! Stop by before 6 for hands-on activities exploring science, technology, and art!
Lincolnway & Franklin, Valparaiso, IN
Here's a comparison of the corner of Lincolnway and Franklin Streets from 1967 to 2016!
Lafayette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana
Here's a look at a home on Lafayette Street in 1911 and 2016!
Category
We Are Porter County
From the marshes of the Kankakee to the sands of the Indiana Dunes, a diverse people have embraced this diverse land. And though the world of today looks very different than that of the county’s founding, the land beneath our feet has remained constant, reminding us that we are Porter County.
STARTING OUT
The PoCo Muse began when the Porter County Historical Society temporarily gathered artifacts to create a display for Indiana’s Centennial Celebration in 1916. When some of the contributors did not want their objects back, the permanent collection was born. Our unique assortment of artifacts stems from the hard work, determination, and perseverance of several generations of members and volunteers.
It has been difficult to pinpoint an exact start date for regular hours of operation, but most sources show that the collection was officially showcased on a regular basis on the lower level of the Valparaiso Public Library in the early 1930s.
NEXT STEPS
When library space became restricted because of the collection’s growth, the Porter County Commissioners allowed the PoCo Muse to move into the third floor of the remodeled Porter County Courthouse. Doors to the Porter County History Museum first opened to the public on January 17, 1938.
CURRENT HOME
After 36 years, the collection once again needed a larger venue. With much debate, the collection moved to the former Porter County Jail and Sheriff’s Residence on September 17, 1974. The Old Jail Museum officially opened its doors to the public on May 11, 1975—59 years after the collection was first publicly displayed in Porter County. On June 23, 1976, the jail and residence was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In May 2007, the Old Jail Museum officially changed its name back to the Porter County Museum. The Board of the Historical Society of Porter County felt the name was more representative of the collection. On March 1, 2008, Kevin Matthew Pazour was hired by the Porter County Commissioners as the first full-time Executive Director of the Porter County Museum.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
On May 12, 2010, the Porter County Heritage Corporation, an independent non-profit tasked with planning for the Porter County Museum’s future, was created by the Historical Society of Porter County. During a special meeting on June 18, 2010, the Board of Directors of the Historical Society signed over the entire collection of artifacts to the newly formed Porter County Heritage Corporation. The re-branded Porter County Museum of History re-opened to the public in September 2010 with expanded public hours, revitalized exhibits and programs, and a sharpened focus on local history.
THE POCO MUSE ERA
It was early 2012 when the Porter County Museum adopted the PoCo Muse moniker. On December 17, 2012, the Porter County Heritage Corporation officially became the Porter County Museum Foundation. The PoCo Muse is dedicated to engaging Porter County’s rich past with its evolving present to educate, enrich, and inspire our communities.
Header image is a detail of the Blue Willow Serving Platter on display in From a Bailly Point of View at the PoCo Muse. This piece belonged to the Bailly family and is transfer printed earthenware that dates from 1830-1915 based on the pattern.
Nearby government services
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Porter County Stormwater Management
155 Indiana Ave, Suite 311 -
Victim Assistance Unit Porter County Indiana
16 E Lincolnway, Ste 527 -
PO Box 11
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Drug Free Partnership - TEST PAGE
118 Lincolnway -
16 E. Lincolnway
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4 Monroe St
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Law Office of Andrew L. Bennett, PC
105 E Lincolnway Suite #213 -
Charles Pratt American Legion Post #94
4 Monroe Street -
212 E. Lincolnway
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355 S Washington St
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Purdue Extension - Porter County
155 Indiana Ave, Ste 301 -
Admin. Office: Porter County Government Center, 155 Indiana Ave. Ste. 314
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Porter County Health Department
155 Indiana Ave -
Porter County Recorder's Office
155 Indiana Ave, Ste 210
Other Government Organizations in Valparaiso
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155 Indiana Ave -
Porter County Emergency Management Agency
1995 S State Road 2 -
599 W 300 N
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Porter County Recorder's Office
155 Indiana Ave, Ste 210 -
Porter County Veterans Service Office
155 Indiana St. Rm 103 -
355 S Washington St
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Admin. Office: Porter County Government Center, 155 Indiana Ave. Ste. 314
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Indiana District 1 Firefighter Training Counc
4203 Montdale Park Drive -
16 E. Lincolnway
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Porter County Soil & Water Conservation Distr
2602 Chicago St., Ste. 300 -
Valparaiso Composite Squadron CAP
4207 Murvihill Rd -
1995 S St Rd 2
Comments
These are builder's photographs of Gary & Valparaiso Railway Company car #1.
Malden is still here
Next time you drive on Bullseye Lake road about 1/4mi west of the lake, see if you can pick out the house I grew up in. The house has been beautifully enlarged .
Piece of local history.
Today in History
***157 YEARS AGO***
On November 19, 1863,
President Abraham Lincoln delivered remarks, which later became known as the Gettysburg Address, at the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, on the site of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War. Though he was not the featured orator that day, Lincoln’s brief address would be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history. In it, he invoked the principles of human equality contained in the Declaration of Independence and connected the sacrifices of the Civil War with the desire for “a new birth of freedom,” as well as the all-important preservation of the Union created in 1776 and its ideal of self-government.
GETTYSBURG ADDRESS TEXT
The full text of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is as follows:
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Thank you for opening the Union Street Cemetery. It was a great day to be out remembering the early community of Valparaiso. FYI: images of the cemetery and other sites in Valparaiso are available from Wikimedia commons.. They are available for public use with the caveat that the image must be listed as from Wikimedia and the contributors name listed.
Thanks again for sponsoring the public day at Union Street Cemetery.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Union_St_Cemetery,_Valparaiso,_Ind
Washington Twp high school 1930.
El
This is amazing things about PORTER COUNTY, INDIANA!
Early 1950’s. Left (Ted Griffith), Center (Marie Griffith), Right (Phil Griffith); car is a Studebaker. (Just a guess, Ted is about 7, Marie is about 11, and I am about 5)
In an antique shop in KY. I do not have a connection. Just sharing in case some one is interested
Family violin in my possession after not knowing for sure where it was for over three decades. A hand written note inside that was put there by my father sometime before his death in 1979 says that this violin was given to my Great, Great Grandfather for a wedding gift about 1832