Historical Society to have grand opening of museum
The grand opening of the historical museum and genealogical reference library of the Historical Society of Walworth and Big Foot Prairie will be at 6:30 p.m. July 28 at 101 Maple Ave., Walworth.
The event will begin with a ribbon-cutting, which will be followed by tours during an open house.
People who go through the building will see the first major exhibit – McElwain quilts. They are from the former Mary A. McElwain Quilt and Gift Shop that was on the north side of the square in downtown Walworth from 1912 to 1952.
The 2,400-square-foot museum at the corner of Maple Avenue and South Main Street is the former Walworth Memorial Library building, which was purchased Sept. 30 from the Village of Walworth for $120,000. The structure had been empty since the library moved in January 2015 to a new 10,000-square-foot facility in the West Lake Center on the east side of the village.
Society president Nancy Lehman, of Walworth Township, has called the museum “a big step” for the society, which was started in 2001.
Museum items came from a second-floor office and display space formerly used by the society at Walworth Town Hall along Brick Church Road northwest of Walworth. Items also were moved from Lehman’s home and other locations including Golden Years Retirement Village along Ridge Road in Walworth.
For more information, call Lehman at (262) 275-2426.
