Cole Camp boasts an excellent small town museum dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the community.   All exhibits  contain artifacts from the area showing its growth and development.   It provides a walk through history beginning with the earth history of the area and leading to a large display of Indian artifacts from the tribes that inhabited the area before the coming of the white man.

 

From here it moves to the early settlement with ancient tools and farm equipment.   The Civil War exhibit tells the story of the war in the Cole Camp area, including the Battle of Cole Camp.   The boom period is reflected in items from early businesses.   The cultural life of early Cole Camp is displayed reflecting the religious, educational and musical heritage of the community.    World Wars I and II are well represented by military equipment and items used or brought back by local citizens from the wars.

An authentic old barber shop has been recreated from original equipment that was in a Cole Camp barber shop.   A 1920s-1930s kitchen is on display revealing much of domestic life during that period.   A wild life and trapping exhibit tells the story of creatures indigenous to the area and the importance of trapping in the early days.    Special, often seasonal exhibits are also on display.

The museum is designed to afford the visitor a "walk" through the history of the area, from its earliest geological beginnings to World War II. The museum strives to present items from this community used by people and families from the Cole Camp area. This is to ensure the museum accurately reflects the town, the community, and its history.

Other items are included when such originals could not be found locally, or when an object is important to the overall story of a given period in history.

The museum is totally funded by individual donations and has to date received no government grants or corporate funding, other than from local corporations. It is staffed by volunteers and has been designed by local volunteers.

A Detailed Museum Tour

When you enter the museum, the first case on the left is a small display of the geologic, or earth history of the area showing minerals, rocks, and fossils which are all a part of the land mass where the Cole Camp community is located.

Next, there is an extensive exhibit of Native American artifacts on loan from the Don Luetjen collection. Many of the finest artifacts found in Cole Camp and surrounding area are to be seen here. Mr. Luetjen has also acquired artifacts from some of the best known early collectors, such as Norman "Spawn" Imbusch and Orlyn Bahrenberg. The exhibit includes artifacts from the earliest period, the PALEO, 12,000-7, 500 B.C. to include spear points, axes, blades, awls, and tomahawks. This exhibit ends with the Historic period from around 1600-1900 A.D. to include spear points, axes, arrowheads, ceremonial pipes, trade beads, and various examples of bead work, with objects from the first trading post on the Osage River.

Across the isle, is an Area Wild Life exhibit showing some of the wildlife that is common to the area. There are trapping devices with pelts of animals that can be examined and touched. Trapping was a major activity in the early days of the community, even into the 1940's.

 

The next exhibit is devoted to Ezekiel Williams, the first white settler in Benton County. He established a store, post office and stopping point for travelers and stage coaches traveling along the old Military Road, or the Butterfield Trail, about four miles west of the present Cole Camp. He later moved the post office to the present town site in 1839.

 

 

Another exhibit shows a primitive handmade loom of the type found in many early homes. A fireplace mantel is from a house built by the Blakey family, one of the first settlers, along with Hosea Powers, of the actual town site.

 

 

 

There is also a collection of early farm tools that had been used on Cole Camp area farms.

 

 

 

In the center of the museum is an actual Cole Camp Barber Shop that had been operated by Ernest Kerksiek. Many of the items shown had been used by previous barbers.

 

 

There also is a Civil War exhibit. Cole Camp was the site of one of the first battles of the Civil War. Artifacts shown here are largely those used in and around Cole Camp, both in the battle and in the ensuing bushwhacker or guerrilla war that ravaged the area throughout the war.

 

 

There is a mock-up of a house intended to be the Heisterberg home which was at the battle site. There is a melodium musical instrument which was in the Heisterberg house during the Cole Camp battle, along with a spinning wheel that was brought from Germany.

After the war came a time of growth and prosperity. There are exhibits of this era including early advertising, educational and religious items and a piano that was in the once famous Bellview Hotel.

 

 

Along the middle wall are exhibits reflecting Cole Camp's involvement in World War I. Cole Camp has always been a proud, patriotic community and involved in the Civil War, the World Wars, and the actions since. Many of the items on display were used by Cole Camp men in the service. Weapons and military equipment, both American and German, are shown.

 

A center exhibit dramatically shows a typical kitchen from about 1930. Many of the items displayed are from a much earlier date, as most things were handed down from generation to generation. You will notice there is no refrigerator, no microwave, no sink with running water, no television or radio. This exhibit has proven to be a learning experience for many who find it hard to imagine how things were many years ago.

 

The exhibit for World War II contains examples of ration books, captured enemy equipment, some weapons used in the war by Americans, as well as allies and enemy forces. There were many men from the community that went to war along with a number of local women who served in the Nurse Corps.

 

 

Immediately inside the front door is part of the old Mora Post Office, a true relic of the past. There are several artifacts that show the strong German influence in the area. Some items were brought from Germany, while others were made in the U.S. but are based on old world designs.

Click here for information on the annual cemetary walk, (Cemetery walk). sponsored by the museum organization