There are many exhibits at the Appanoose County Historical & Coal Mining Museum that draw the picture of Appanoose County's rich heritage. The most prominent exhibit is the one about our coal mining heritage. Click here to visit our Coal Mining page. Our other exhibits include:
1833 Map of the United States: One of our most recent acquisitions, donated by Barbara and Wayne Fernkopf of Topeka, Kansas, this large map is over 175 years old. It hung on the wall of the Vermilya Hotel in Unionville, Iowa, which is located in the northeast part of Appanoose County. Barbara Fernkopf is a direct descendant of the Vermilya family. The family graciously donated the map to the museum, bringing it back home to Appanoose County.
Military Exhibit: There are exhibits featuring military items owned and used by local soldiers, including several items recently donated by the American Legion. There are flags, uniform, medals, armaments, and photographs of troops.
Theatrical Exhibit: The centerpiece of the Theatrical Exhibit is the silent movie projector used at the Cincinnati Theatre, as well as movie posters from the 1920s through the 1950s. The Drake Theatre as well as several other theaters in Appanoose County have a spot in this exhibit. Several famous residents are depicted here - Simon Estes, Corse Payton, the Spooner family, H.N. Swanson, and Robert Randolf are represented.
Postal Exhibits: With the museum being a former post office, it wouldn't be complete without showing several examples of post office equipment. Scales, cancelling machines, sorters and uniforms are among the many postal items on display.
Famous Appanoose County Residents: Appanoose County has been home to many famous names, such as Iowa Governor Francis Marion Drake, Kentucky Derby winner, Mack Garner, international opera singer, Simon Estes, and several more who you may not have known about. Carl Weeks, Armand Cosmetic giant and builder of the Salisbury House in Des Moines, James Stevens, author of Paul Bunyan, and Corse Payton, 'America's Best Bad Actor', all lived in Appanoose County at some point in their life. These are but a few of the famous names that have touched Appanoose County. One of the most famous, was our namesake, Cheif Appanoose. Click here read all about him.
Vignettes: The Centerville Rotary Club was instrumental in helping to build four vignette spaces in the museum to feature a doctor's office, a dentist's office, a school room, and a general store. These displays include many vintage items that you're sure to remember from the old days!
Cameras: There is a large collection of vintage cameras, mostly donated by local photographer, Burrell Browns. Every age and type of camera imaginable are included in this fabulous exhibit.
Textiles: Many examples of textiles and textile related equipment have their home here at the museum. A large rug loom, several spinning wheels, winders, carders, sewing machines, and thread cabinets are on display. Clothing, hats, and many antique quilts, including many friendship quilts that feature several local names are among the textiles on display.
Household Items: The drudgery of housework is not lost here! Vacuums, ironing boards, stoves, iceboxes, kitchen cupboards and a unique clothes washer - the Laundry Queen, manufactured in Centerville - are on display.
Farm Room: The Farm Room is home to a many smaller piece of farm equipment and hand tools. A cream separator, a cider press, a corn sheller and a butter churn. This room is also where you will find a prime example of a Hercules Stump Puller, a once booming business in Appanoose County, employing around 1,000 people. This is also home to 'the bear', that once stood in Hank's Bait Shop, north of Centerville. It's one of the kid's favorites!
Transportation Room: Railroads, highways, bicycles, and the Southern Iowa Railway - the interurban system that existed in Appanoose County in the early part of the 1900's are all represented in what we like to call, The Transportation Room. This room is also home to the Mormon Trail Exhibit.
Music: Centerville has a colorful musical past! From Major George Landers, to Himie Voxman, to Simon Estes, you won't want to miss this wonderful exhibit.
Research Room: The research room is chock full of yearbooks, city directories, plat books, atlases, census records, cemetery records, mine inspectorreports, area history books, family scrapbooks, and files of ephemera, photos and documents on hundreds of different topics.
And much, MUCH, more! There are thousands of items and hundreds of photographs that help paint the picture that became Appanoose County.
Organization
of Appanoose County
On February 17, 1843, the Territorial Legislature in Iowa City specified the boundaries of the new county of Appanoose. It was 24 miles east and west and about 21.5 miles north and south. By this time, the govenment surveying crews had done their work and had driven stakes to establish the location o all section corners. All was in readiness for the rush of settlers into Appanoose County.
As the momentous day approached, hundreds of families encamped along the line and their tents and wagon gave the appearance of a military expedition. John W. Clancy had scouted the area for several months and would hide himself and his axe from the Dragoons, who were trying to prevent any prior encroachment. Then on May 1, he made his claim approximately twenty miles into the county from his camp on the Missouri border. A.J. Perjue, the famous first sheriff also staked his claim the first day.
On January 13, 1846, the Territorial Legislature passed an Act enabling Appanoose County to become a functioning governmental unit on its own effective the first Monday in August. An election was to be held on that date for county officers and Justices of the Peace. They also appointed three Commissioners to establish a location for the seat of justice of this new county of Appanoose.
written by Bill Heusinkveld, as part of the book entitled, "Appanoose County Courthouse Centennial 1904-2004".