Madison
County Genealogical Society
Minutes of the Meeting - May 9, 2015
The May 2015 meeting of the Madison
County Genealogical Society was a trip to the Old Six Mile Museum on Saturday,
May 9, at 1:00 pm.
GIFT
MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE
Do you have a family member that is
interested in (or even obsessed with) genealogy? A membership in the Madison
County Genealogical Society would be a very thoughtful gift. A gift card will
be sent to the recipient of any gift membership.
The following memberships are available:
Individual/Family Annual Membership $20.00
Patron Annual Membership $30.00
Life Membership $250.00
Contact our Secretary, Petie Hunter, at petie8135@att.net, about a gift membership.
May Meeting
Old Six Mile Museum
The May 2015 meeting of the Madison
County Genealogical Society was a "field trip" meeting. On the rainy
afternoon of Saturday, May 9, 2015, ten members or friends of MCGS met at the
Old Six Mile Museum at 3729 Maryville Road, Granite City, Illinois. Yours truly
was a little bit late, having gotten lost (even using a GPS unit) - it appears
the street numbers may not be consecutive.
The museum is located in the Emmert-Zippel House which dates from about 1837. The items on display in
the museum are numerous and varied. There are handmade quilts, handmade toys,
including a dollhouse completely furnished with handmade furniture, historic
photographs and newspapers, military uniforms, 1830s furniture, including a
beautiful rectangular grand piano. (Ed: I didn't know such a piano even
existed.) There are also examples of everyday household items from earlier
times: early electric toasters whose looks belie their use, kitchen utensils,
food packages, etc.
Like many such establishments that are privately owned, the Old Six Mile Museum
has fallen on hard times. Most of its books have been given to libraries to
ensure their protection. The building itself is much in need of repairs. One
can see that once this was a grand home and it is very disheartening to see how
much it has deteriorated. It appears that those people with an interest in
preserving the history of this locale may be letting part of it slip away.
Several of those in attendance had
visited the museum many years ago and they commented that the museum was today
only a shadow of its former self.
This visit was interesting but sobering.