Union County Museum (Ill.) Opens

The Union County Museum, 117 S. Appleknocker, Cobden, Ill. will reopen after being closed for the winter season on Saturday, March 4, 1p.m. Several new exhibits will be conducted.

A Log Cabin tied quilt, jewelry and other items from the Lockard-Fitch collection will be displayed.

Recent acquisitions of paintings from the following artists will be presented: Maurice Metzger, Charles Winn, Jesse Wright, and C.A. Clemens. All are local artists and each has their own unique artistic style.

Six items will be featured in an exhibit titled “What is the Story.” Each artifact has an interesting story. One of the pieces is a hand carved elephant.

A new window exhibit illustrating the history of King Neptune will be featured. King Neptune was a locally raised pig that was used to raise funds for the war effort during WW II. He raised several million dollars and his story is unique to Southern Illinois.

The museum features a variety of permanent exhibits that include Anna Pottery, Native American artifacts, Civil War history, and local history. The museum has been a popular tourist attraction for over fifty years and is an important part of Union County history.

The Shop for the Benefit of the Museum will also be open. The shop offers a variety of merchandise including flower arrangements, glassware, collectibles, Easter decorations, and much more. Proceeds from the shop go to the operation of the museum.

Regular hours for the museum and shop will be Saturday and Sunday, 1-5p.m. and Friday afternoons by chance. The museum has a Facebook page under Union County, IL Historical and Genealogy Society & Museum. The phone number is 618/893-2865.