Thursday, March 5th, 2015
Work under way on St. Marys museum update
Project designed to better inform public of city's past
By Shelley Grieshop
Photo by Shelley Grieshop/The Daily Standard
The Mooney Museum in St. Marys is undergoing renovations to expand displays and its focus on the history of area residents and businesses. The museum is closed and expected to reopen in June.
ST. MARYS - Those aren't ghosts making a racket at the historic Mooney Museum.
Contractors several weeks ago began tearing up flooring and working on walls to renovate the former, two-story home at 223 S. Main St. (state Route 66) in St. Marys.
The project - estimated to cost about $35,000 - will give the public more information on the city's rich history, according to Auglaize County Historical Society Vice President Chris Burton.
"The Mooney Museum currently does not do a great job of telling the whole story of the city of St. Marys," he said.
Besides work on the aging floor coverings and walls, officials are expanding exhibits on the city's strong industrial heritage, constructing a special Wall of Fame for local residents who've achieved greatness, designing an area with cases for temporary/traveling exhibits and more.
"We're hoping for a grand opening by the middle of June," historical society administrator Rachel Barber said.
The museum has been closed since mid-February.
Funding for the project is through the St. Marys Community Foundation's capital improvements account.
The former home of Daniel Mooney - an attorney, Ohio state senator and ambassador to Paraguay under President Woodrow Wilson - was the first building ever acquired by the county's historical society.
The structure was built in 1876 for Maj. Charles Hipp, a Civil War officer and former St. Marys mayor and postmaster and purchased by Mooney in 1922. His widow, Minster native Carrie Mooney Bettelini, bequeathed the home to the historical society upon her death in October 1978.
In 1980, the organization opened the house as a museum. The most recent extensive remodeling was in 1995-96.
Burton said the museum will continue to display in-depth history about the former homeowners.
"But we'll do a much better job of telling the overall story of the city," he said. "Industry and transportation are a big part of St. Marys history."
Officials said they hope to enhance the museum so it appeals to new generations of visitors.
The museum houses artifacts from Fort St. Marys and Fort Amanda, a model oil derrick, county schools' exhibits, photos of Gordon Amusement Park on the shores of Grand Lake and the Miami Erie Canal and numerous other displays.
Submitted Photo
Work continues on the walls and floors in the two-story Mooney Museum on South Main Street in St. Marys.
