Roseville, IL – Monmouth will be the new home of Warren County's Museum. The Warren County Historical Society rents the current museum building for $1 a year.
The current museum is housed in the former Roseville high school building. But Warren County Historical Society Board Member Fred Jenks says the building is not in good condition. "It's a multi-floor building with no access for handicapped or anything," Jenks says. "Right now, in the very top floor you can see the sky and watch the clouds go by through about a foot-and-a-half hole in the roof."
Jenks hopes all of the artifacts can be moved into the new location by the end of next year or early in 2011. He says some work needs to be done to the new building before the artifacts can be moved in. "We are trying to take it slow and do it right rather than just throw things together and throw it in a room," Jenks says.
Jenks says the new museum will have themed rooms, such as a school room, a farm and tool room, and an Indian artifact room. "Some of the stuff is not from Warren County, but we have a political room we are hoping to set up since Ronald Reagan lived in Monmouth for a short period of time," Jenks says. "Of course Lincoln being from Illinois, he was here in Monmouth several times speaking at different things. We are just hoping to evolve into rooms to acknowledge those facts."
The museum will be located on South Sunny Lane, near the Monmouth High School football field.