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Jackson History Gallery

A History of Jackson

Two Tiffany stained glass panels welcome you to a sweeping look at the history of the Jackson area through the Museum's collection of objects, photographs, and documents. The resolution table used during the 1854 founding of the Republican Party "Under the Oaks," a restored 1916 Marion-Handley automobile, and a Michigan State Prison woven coverlet are just a few objects from the Museum's collection.

From the pre-historic jawbone of an area Mastodon through early artifacts from the Jacksonburgh settlement, through the Civil and World Wars, into the age "the world takes what Jackson makes!" to the recent past - this chronological exhibition of Jackson's story takes up residence in one of the Museum's new galleries. And don't miss the special "kid's eye view" of growing up in Jackson throughout the past 175 years.

Just as the definition of Jackson History is forever changing, so is this gallery because there are so many stories to tell, so many objects to show and the future past to incorporate too!

A History of Jackson

Take a walk through the distant and recent past in this exhibition of earlier Jackson. Settlement, industry, and society are examined through artifacts from the Museum collection.

From the Collection: Filling the Gap of the 20th Century

The Museum Collections and Exhibits Department is charged with the collecting, care, and keeping of the thousands of objects in Museum storage and on exhibit. These items range from the large (historic buildings, the Marion-Handley automobile) to the tiny (buttons, military medals), fragile (Ella’s 1881 wedding dress) to the awkward (canoes). In the past months, the C&E department has been diligently working on moving the collections into the new storage areas created as a result of the capital campaign. “It’s been a huge task,” says Jim Zuleski, Director of C&E, “But an extremely rewarding task as it has allowed us to see where the ‘gaps’ in our collection are.” Zuleski notes that while the mid-late 19th century is well represented (with minor gaps), the 20th century has some serious voids—a common problem with a century so recently experienced. Want to add to the Museum collection? Contact the Collections and Exhibits Department at the Museum at (517) 787-2320.