By DONNA BALLARD, BONITA MUSIAL

SPECIAL TO THE DAILY LEADER

On Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, the Lawrence County Regional History Museum will host an Open House to encourage the public to visit the museum. Many of the museum’s visitors are from out of the area, such as people who once lived in Lawrence County or attended school when the Civic Center was a school or had family who did. Some just see the sign on the highway and decide to check it out. With the Monticello Marketplace going on, museum members want to invite more of the public to visit that day. The Civic Center and Regional History Museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 pm. 

The building itself is on the National Register of Historic Places and was opened as a school in 1929. The architecture is remarkable for its design and function and has been lovingly restored as much as possible. Funding was obtained partially from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History for the restoration during the 1980s and 1990s. 

The upkeep and maintenance of the building is handled by the Lawrence County Civic Center. A Board of Directors manages the details and has fundraisers during the year to help keep it going. Also, the rental of the auditorium upstairs helps with funding. The Town of Monticello owns the Civic Center building and relies on the Board of Directors to oversee its operations.  

The Museum itself was imagined and planned right from the beginning of the restoration and its establishment was the main reason that funds were given by the Archives to save the building. The Museum has been managed almost totally by volunteers. 

The Museum has six downstairs school rooms converted for displays and part of the front hallway is used for the Blues exhibit. The early history of Lawrence County is featured in a central room with information about the Native Americans, pioneers, and influential people who built the town and county. There is also a room showing the tools of farming and industry, as well as model trains for young and old kids to enjoy. 

There is a Civil War collection room, which was established and is maintained by Wilson Farnham. Another room is devoted to home life, crafts, and information on early churches in the county. 

The final two rooms on the first floor of the building features the Military room which covers the time from World War 1, WW II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq wars. Special emphasis is on the Lawrence County people who served and their achievements. The School room includes large class photos of high school graduates from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as yearbooks dating from the 1940s to the present. 

The Lawrence County Civic Center and Regional History Museum is regularly open from 9 to 3 Monday through Thursday, and 9 to 4 on Friday. Admission is free, although donations are always welcome.