Museum's first two floors almost done

A 16-foot-tall monster lives on the second floor of the former William Mayfield College.

Carefully crafted from fiberglass and two tons of clay, the Tyrannosaurus rex frames a long wall of windows overlooking Marble Hill.

While the building at 207 Mayfield Drive is no longer a college, it's still a place of learning.

Five years after opening, the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History has made great strides in revamping the former college. Last year, it received its National Register of Historic Places designation.

The first two floors of the building are nearly complete now. There are displays of life-size dinosaurs and numerous prehistoric fossils and bones found from the nearby Bollinger County dig site.

But there are more recent historical artifacts on exhibit as well, including American Indian and Civil War-era pieces.

The museum operates on the volunteer spirit of people like Eva Dunn, who started out as a willing helper and was soon roped into the role of museum board president.

"I just thought it was a wonderful opportunity for this area," said Dunn, who is also the Bollinger County librarian. "It opened up a lot of interest in not only dinosaur natural history but some regional history as well."

The museum survives on donations, grant money and fund-raisers. The museum received a grant to purchase equipment for an in-house lab, which is used by scientists working at the nearby dig site.

Dunn said dinosaurs are the big draw, though there are people interested in Bollinger County history as well. Right now, the museum is preparing for exhibits on the Shawnee and Delaware American Indians. There are also education-related pieces from the building's original tenant.

"It's amazing to me how many people have ties to the old college even though it closed over 70 years ago," Dunn said.

The museum is open from noon to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and by appointment for group tours.

-- Southeast Missourian