Donor Spotlight – Dan Maier

Why do you support the Geneva History Museum? I have a keen interest in American history and I was raised in Geneva. My involvement with the museum started after I attended a program about the State Girls School.  A friend in high school dated the assistant superintendent’s daughter.  When we double-dated, I would get cleared…

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2nd Tuesdays @ 2 PM

Starting in September 2024, the Geneva History Museum will offer monthly programs “2nd Tuesdays @ 2 PM” in place of the former Brown Bag Programs. The format of the programs will remain the same, with a 45-minute presentation on a different topic each month, just the time of day has changed to 2 PM instead…

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GHM Updates Code of Ethics

Ethical codes evolve in response to changing conditions, values and ideas. A professional code of ethics must, therefore, be periodically updated. It must also rest upon widely shared values. Although the operating environment of museums grows more complex each year, the root value for museums, the tie that connects all of us together despite our…

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Donor Spotlight

Nancy Bell & Pat Kessler “Never were there such devoted sisters…” Sisters, Nancy Bell and Pat Kessler grew up in Geneva. They volunteer weekly at the museum and are G.E.M.s – Giving Every Month. Nancy is a former board member and helps in the archives. Pat assists with the inventory of the collection. Why do…

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The Joshel Silos

If you were in Geneva before 1995 you recognize this photograph of the former Joshel silos along North River Lane. They were built in 1917 by Mayer Joshel for his coal and feed business on Hamilton Street. The coal dropped from “Hopper Gondolas” into a pit. From there, the coal was taken by bucket conveyer…

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Work at old Geneva cemetery uncovers headstones from city’s early history

CREDIT: By Linda Girardi, For Beacon-News It takes some hard labor and detective work, but volunteers working at the West Side Cemetery have discovered pieces of Geneva history that have not been seen for decades. For instance, Geneva History Museum volunteers recently uncovered an 1850s gravestone at the cemetery of a young girl named Kittie…

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Introducing Freya

The Geneva History Museum is pleased to announce the name of the dragon head from the 1892 Viking Ship is Freya. Freya is a girl’s name of Scandinavian origin, derived from Freyja. It means noble lady and shares its namesake with the mythical Freya, goddess of fertility, love and beauty. The name Freya was submitted…

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NEW! Play a video game on an Apple IIe Computer

Did you know that the first apple graphics software was created in Geneva? Penguin Software was the company started by Mark Pelczarski in his Geneva home. They were the creators of early gaming software such as Transylvania, Magic Paintbrush, Pie Man, and the Complete Graphics System. Our main gallery exhibition, Geneva’s Story was recently updated…

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Geneva History Museum Receives Highest National Recognition 

Awarded Accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums  The Geneva History Museum has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. The Geneva History Museum is the first in Kane…

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TinyToy Doll House Furniture

Visit our new display in our Cabinet of Curiosity where each shelf includes a display of TinyToy Doll House Furniture that belonged to Jean Overton Wyatt. Jean was a buyer in the China Department of The Little Traveler for many years and had a passion for miniatures that may have started by playing with this…

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