Media Kit

Welcome to the Putnam County Museum’s Media Kit, your one-stop destination for the Museum’s background information, news and updates, and contacts for further inquiries.

We are excited to announce that our current Native American has been extended till the end of May due to an overwhelming positive response and popularity in the community, especially among the local educators. We invite you to visit our Native American exhibit as well as check out our new permanent collection of Richard Burkett’s pottery and temporary local artist exhibits, featuring father-daughter Herrolds’ artwork this season. Stay tuned as we develop and expand our permanent collections and art and education programs at the Museum.

We hope you will find the information below useful and will check in with us on a regular basis. You are also welcome to contact us directly for more specific information, schedule interviews, or to obtain images and additional press materials.

Tanis Monday

Executive Director, Putnam County Museum

Mission Statement

The mission of the Putnam County Museum is to collect, preserve, and interpret the natural, historical and cultural heritage of the county and its people through education, exhibits and special programs.

The Museum's permanent collection of over 2,000 Putnam County related artifacts offers the county residents and visitors a historical overview of the county, including its significance during the Civil War and a glimpse into everyday life of Putnam residents in the past. The Museum also showcases Putnam County contemporary artists in revolving exhibits, featuring at least one new artist every third month.

In addition to an impressive permanent collection, special exhibits (which include items on loan) and local art exhibits, the Museum offers a number of educational programs for children of all ages and provides meeting space to many area organizations.

Since its inception in 2000, the Museum has grown in its role as the community's historic and cultural center thanks to a number of dedicated citizens who have contributed their time, efforts, talents, and resources to the Museum.

Museum History

In the late 1990's the Putnam County Historical Society began exploring the possibility of a permanent home for the collection, preservation and protection of artifacts and stories relating to Putnam County and its people. So, public meetings were held to work on the idea with Main Street Greencastle, the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as with interested community members.

From that first gathering in 2000 until 2002, when the Putnam County Board of Commissioner helped secure a location, volunteers formed a board of directors, elected officers, wrote policies, procedures, and by-laws. With the Putnam County Community Foundation's grant of $20,000 and $10,000 in community contributions, we were able to hire the first director in January 2003.

The Museum's first home was one and a half classrooms in the old Jones School, now the Putnam County Courthouse Annex. Enthusiastic volunteers helped with everything from cleaning glass cases and recording artifacts donated to the Museum, to manning the Museum during visiting hours.

In 2006 the Museum made a major move to its present location on North Jackson Street. Once again, the community stepped up with extraordinary support for the Museum, providing financial assistance, volunteering hours to move the collections from the original site, and clean and paint at the new site. In addition, donations in kind provided much of the skilled labor and materials necessary to convert the large, empty space to an attractive and functional museum.

Museum Publications

Peeler Pottery: A Retrospective

In 2009 the Museum board members and volunteers published Peeler Pottery: A Retrospective. The book is a tribute to the nationally-known Peeler Pottery. With a personal message and story written by Marj Peeler, the 342-page book is a compilation of 756 professionally-taken color photographs of the vast, impressive collection of Richard and Marj Peelers’ pottery and sculptures. In her introductory essay, Marj shares their personal story and describes challenges and rewards she and her late husband faced as they worked in their studio and raised their four sons in rural Indiana. It is an engaging story, with bits of history and advice for any aspiring artist, and the colorful photographs bring the artwork and the studio to life.

 

Our Past, Their Present: Historical Essays on Putnam County, Indiana

John J. Baughman, professor emeritus at DePauw University, wrote and compiled articles and essays on Putnam County history in Our Past, Their Present: Historical Essays on Putnam County, a book published by the Museum. The book is an engaging overview of the county’s history told through true stories, interesting facts, and personal accounts.

 

 

Marilyn Lawrence, Docent Coordinator

Mary Ann Myers, Docent Coordinator

Barbara Bates

Mariette Bargen

June Brattain

Betty Brunner

Marilyn Clearwaters

Sherry Gammon

Saraellen Peters

Sue Ryland

Doris Stoelting

Ellie Ypma

Media Contact

All media representatives, writers, and educators are welcome to use the information on this page as well as other content on the Museum’s Web site for publicity and education purposes. Please contact us for additional inquiries and/or to schedule an interview.

Tanis Monday

Executive Director                            

765.653.8419

museum@co.putnam.in.us

 

Caroline Murphy

Part-time Associate Director

765.653.8419

carolinemurphy.2010@gmail.com