Press Release: Miller Barn & Farm Implements at CFH, Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony, April 2, 2010
You are invited to a special program at our
local museum, the Center for History, in the old Oppenheim building on Main
Street.
You have heard before about the "Miller
Collection of Farm Artifacts". This is a large collection of farm machinery
and all sorts of items common on the farm for about 150 years. Harold
Miller and his family lived on this farm (on Beckley St. a mile north of SR
13) for about four generations, some going back to 1850 or so. Harold
Miller salvaged and saved a great many of these objects on his farm. He
collected them in a special room in his barn, which he called his museum.
After the death of Harold and his wife, Eleanor, the family decided to give
this entire collection (pluse a number of valuable historical artifacts from
the house) to the North Manchester Historical Society. We have catalogued
around 1,200 artifacts from this collection.
We have remodeled a special room in the museum
for display of most of the farm artifacts. Owen Sommers and other
volunteers have remodeled this room to resemble the inside of a barn,
complete with hay mow. Steve Batzka and others have painted the inside a
mottled red and gray color to resemble weather beaten siding. Nancy, Joyce
and others have arranged the artifacts in a perfectly delightful way. My
own feeling is that this is as fine a specialized exhibit as can be found in
any small museum in Indiana.
On Friday, April 2, we will have a presentation
and ribbon cutting ceremony for this special exhibit. We will assemble at
10:00. We plan to have photographers and news people there, as well as
perhaps TV channel 21 from Fort Wayne. There may be representatives from
the Indiana Historical Society from Indianapolis.
You'all are very welcome and urged to be
present for this significant occasion. See you then.
Bill Eberly, President, North Manchester
Historical Society