| The museum's Tuscola sesquicentennial exhibit opened during the sesquicentennial festivities
on the weekend of July 6-8, 2007. Thanks to an influx of volunteers who stepped forward to help prepare
the exhibit, the exhibit opened with an Open House on Saturday, July 7. Although the 150th anniversary of
Tuscola festivities are over, life in Tuscola from the time of its founding until now continues to be
celebrated and reflected through artifacts on display in the Douglas County Museum’s new exhibit, “Tuscola –
150 Years of Memories.” The exhibit will remain open until December 31, 2007.
“What a rich and fascinating history this town has had,” notes museum director Lynnita Brown. “This exhibit
features everything from Jarman Hospital bed pans to delicate sterling silver rosaries, from Sheriff Sid
caricatures to a solemn salute to Illinois’ fallen heroes of the war in Iraq, clothing made of everything from
taffeta to paper to satin, and much, much more. It is a reflection of the diversity of life in this town.”
Among the items featured in the exhibit are formal and informal attire worn by Tuscolians through the
decades, business memorabilia, girl and boy scout uniforms, sports items, hundreds of photographs, items from
secret societies, a bathing suit worn by Tuscola’s first Miss Tuscola of 1932, dental equipment, souvenir
plates, Tuscola Journal picture pages and old newspapers, Miss Tuscola gowns, the wedding gown of Mary Louise
Weber – bride of Paul Jones in 1950, Tuscola High School pictures from 1898 to 1955, TCHS cheerleading
outfits, and a picture and letter T of high school track stars Wayne & Blaine Rideout.
Included in the more unusual and rare items on display are a traveling secretary desk originally owned by
the famous Uncle Joe Cannon, a quilt made of Civil War uniforms, and two ironing boards from the Illinois
Specialty Company ironing board factory made prior to the Great Depression, as well as a Laundry-Kar made by
William F. Meyer and Sons 1934-40. There is a one inch to one foot scale model barn made by Bruce Teeters in
1916-17; a china doll originally owned in 1865 by Hebe Catherine Sands Maris; a Mergenthaler linotype machine
first produced in 1886 and used in the Tuscola Journal until the 1970s; a replica of a millinery shop filled
with hats originally worn by Lois Moulden and Alice Seibold; and a paper dress from the 1960s. There is also a
religious showcase filled with beautiful artifacts from area churches, including a replica of the United
Church of Christ, a Last Supper “by number” painting with stone and braiding, a crucifix from the altar of the
original Lutheran church, ornate priest robes from the Forty Martyrs Catholic Church, an embroidered quilt
made by members of the Earnest Workers of the Congregational Christian Church circa 1900, baptismal gowns
loaned by Lucille Murray and Kathy Sapp, and a chalk drawing of Christ by local artist Sue Hahn.
Tuscolians survived the fads of the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s, including some items on display in the exhibit
such as Ben Casey blouses, Beatles albums, transistor radios, a leg lamp, choo choo bag, Whitman books, and a
Nehru jacket. A favorite artifact on display is a spiral permanent machine, which sent 110 volts of
electricity to metal tubes that fit over metal permanent rods in the hair. The machine was used in Mrs. Flinn
Stevens barbershop in Tuscola from the 1930s through 50s.
Bringing back a tremendous amount of memories for Tuscola residents are three of the four horses from the
Tuscola Drive-In merry-go-round, and an extensive display of WDZ radio artifacts. Among the latter are
clothing, accessories, and musical instruments originally owned by WDZ personalities Tom VanVoorhis, Denver
Dan (John Spurrier), Georgia Renner, Chickie Hopkins, and Red Proffitt. Also featured in the WDZ display area
is an exhibit about Smiley Burnette, who got his start on radio at WDZ in Tuscola.
Remnants of history on display include terrazzo flooring from the South Ward school, tin work from the Dunn
Building, a piece of the Soldier and Sailors monument once located on the court house lawn, and a brick from
Alexander Cleaners.
Since the City of Tuscola grew and prospered as the result of the railroad industry, central to the exhibit
is a huge display of railroad memorabilia, including photographs of depots long since gone, the tracking map
and switches from the interlocking (TY) tower, and dozens of railroad memorabilia loaned by collector Marvin
Smith, who began working on the B&O railroad in 1956.
The talents of several Tuscolians are showcased in the exhibit, too, including china painting by Ruth
Coffey Korte, wood carvings by Earl Watson and Orin Ruby, a pillow doll crocheted by Carroll Jones, soda can
art by Sam Lake, hand-decorated goose eggs by Harold Seip, violin and bow made by Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Scott,
cookie cutters made by tinsmith Cecil Peck, rosaries by Paul Jones, artcards by Patricia Hart Avellano, and
jewelry collages by Floriene Barber. “Our visitors have especially been delighted by a scale model of the
Strand Theater and a replica of the United Church of Christ made by Dale Mooday,” noted Brown.
There are thousands of items on exhibit that tell the story of life in Tuscola, and touring the exhibit is
free. Museum hours are Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is also open on the last Sunday
afternoon (1-4 p.m.) of every month. The museum staff is also always willing to open the museum to individual
or group visitors after hours by calling Lynnita Brown at 217-253-4620 or 217-253-5171 at Aldridges. The
museum’s telephone is 217-253-2535 and its website is www.docomuseum.org.
Photos of the exhibit can be viewed by clicking on the link below:
Tuscola - 150 Years of Memories
Recent Past Exhibits
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Motorcycle Madness II (2006) - see photos
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Toys through Time (2005)
News Releases
"Toys Through Time"
The museum is now filled with hundreds upon hundreds of toys from all eras in Douglas County history.
Walking from showcase to showcase, our visitors see the myriad of toys that have been invented through time to
entertain young and old alike.
Displayed are all types of games from pick-up sticks to Password, Tinker toys, board games, Jack in the
Box, and a huge assortment of Fisher Price. Bonnie Chesnut brought in some unique crepe paper dolls made by
her grandmother. There are also "Dorothy Dolly Dresses" on exhibit. These dresses are displayed with the
Shirley Temple doll that Dorothy McIntyre of Newman used as a model to make them for Marshall Fields.
There are kites, cars, trucks, tractors, trailers, and fire engines. Children's dress up clothes are on
display, and include military uniforms and even one of the locally-treasured Bruce Williams coon skin caps. A
display of "soakies" from the 1960s and candy containers from the 1980s show that even merchandising packages
were used as toys by children in need of entertainment. There are miniature guns, toy soldiers, and even a
Scott SARB (Six-shootin' Automatic Rubber Band) gun made by local artisan, ____ Scott. Yes, folks--this unique
spring-loaded weapon shoots six rubber bands in rapid-fire succession. It was made and donated to the museum
by Mr. Scott, who, at the age of 84, has made several of them to while away the hours.
The dolls in the exhibit are many and varied. There are Madame Alexander, Chatty, milk filter, Kewpie,
Michael Jackson, porcelain, bisque, rag, and rubber dolls. In addition, there are doll buggies, paper dolls,
miniature household pots and pans and dishes and furniture, tea sets, baby beds, and high chairs. There are
musical instruments, puppets, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Orphan Annie, McDonald's Happy Meal toys, and a
mechanical monkey.
Visitors will see books and blocks and photographs, Black Americana, trains, pull toys, riding toys, Hoola
Hoops and Rolla Hoop sticks sold by Rosie Cler. There are lawn toys, boats, ships, model cars, and a huge
collection of metal construction toys. Included in the exhibit are also modified John Deere toys, and vintage
rabbits and other stuffed and wooden toys from the past. The museum staff has gathered up all the Raggedy Ann
and Andy items and put them under "one roof", so to speak. They are exhibited in the museum's "House" display.
(You've got to see it to appreciate the wonder of it.) There are Raggedy Ann banks and clocks, swings and
radios, books and dolls, and much, much more.
 Highlighting the exhibit is an
Oscar Mayer Wienermobile pedal car. On each side of it are smaller Oscar Mayer items such as banks, plush
toys, and vintage Li'l Oscar rings. Our visitors are encouraged to sing the Oscar Mayer wiener theme song to
one of our staff members. If they can sing it, their names are entered into a drawing for one of the smaller
Oscar Mayer toys.
The display is cute and fun, and could not have happened without the diligent, hard work of Jean Aldridge
Copas. Generally the museum exhibits are put in place by Jean's daughter, museum director Lynnita Brown.
However, this year has been a hectic one for Lynnita (who holds two jobs as well as supervises the museum's
daily operations). So this time, Jean put the display together and Lynnita assisted by making labels and
offering technical advice. Visitors will see that their teamwork was a winning combination, because "Toys
through Time" is bringing back a lot of childhood memories for our visitors. The museum's hours are Monday
through Wednesday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. To see the display after hours, contact the museum to schedule a time
that is convenient for you, or call Lynnita in the evening at 217-253-4620. |
