Press Release:  Event Date August 11-12, 2017

For further information contact Mary Chrastil, 260-982-0672 nmhistory@cinergymetro.net; or marygrace1066@gmail.com

Special Funfest Events at the Center for History

There’s lots to see and do during Funfest at the North Manchester Center for History.  The Center is open to the public with free admission on Friday, August 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, August 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The Center is located at 122 E. Main Street.  Free admission is the Historical Society’s thank you to our community for its support all year long.

In honor of the theme of Funfest, “Car-Toons by the River,” the Center for History is presenting a display of Mickey Mouse artifacts.  The collection is on loan from

M. A. Hire, and can be seen in the Center’s windows and inside showcases.  Items include dolls, Disney movies, lunch boxes and toys. 

Also in keeping with the theme, the Center is planning a continuous showing of early cartoons and some contemporary ones.  Titles include Disney cartoons and others.   Visitors can enjoy the Center’s air conditioning while taking a refreshing and amusing pause from the many Funfest offerings.

Visitors will be able to see the Center for History’s new lighting system.  With the help of a Heritage Support Grant from the Indiana Historical Society, the Center for History is in the process of replacing its old fluorescent lights with new, energy-saving LED lights.  The new lights do a better job of highlighting key areas of the Center’s exhibits and eliminating UV rays that are so harmful to artifacts.

The Center will repeat its popular history scavenger hunts for children and adults.  Students and their families have a lot of fun completing them together.  The games are updated every year to account for new exhibits, and because so many people enjoy them.

During Funfest, visitors can also see the travelling exhibit from the Indiana Historical Society, Auto Indiana.  Many people think of Michigan when they think about autos, but Indiana also has a long and rich history of inventing and manufacturing cars.  The exhibit will be in town for a limited time, from August 4 through September 15.  The Center hosted a well-received version of this exhibit many years ago.  An updated version is now available from the Indiana Historical Society, and the Center is enthusiastic about bringing it to town.  And of course, an exhibit about autos fits well with the Funfest theme.

The Thomas Marshall House will also be open to the public with free admission on Saturday, August 12 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Located on Market Street next to the public library, the Thomas Marshall House is the birthplace of former Indiana Governor and Vice President of the United States Thomas R. Marshall and has been restored to its original 1854 condition.  Docents will be available to provide tours and answer questions about Thomas Marshall and his family.