Story City Historical Society - (515) 460-1749

Bringing history to life in Story City, Iowa.

The Story City Historical Society consists of four museum buildings that share the community's unique history.

1. The Story City Brick Museum, formerly the waterworks plant, features displays of agricultural and wood working tools in addition to a recreated harness shop and newspaper office. The community's historic four person city jail cell has been moved into this building and visitors can step into its cramped quarters for photo opportunities. The museum is located on the corner of Hillcrest and Broad Street.

2. The 1860 Sheldall Country School was built by newly immigrated Norwegian farmers. Shortly after being built it was used as a polling place by area pioneers in the historic Lincoln-Douglas election of 1860. Soon after the vote, Story City men including the school's teacher, would enlist to preserve the Union as the southern states seceeded during the Civil War. It was moved to its current location in 1990 by the Story City Historical Society and the restored building shows how education was conducted from 1860 - 1888. The school is located at Hillcrest and Story Street.

3. The Bartlett Museum is a Queen Anne style home built in 1903 for Henry Torkel Henryson and his family. The home was purchased in 1996 by the Story City Historical Society with a generous gift from Dr. Frances Bartlett Kinne. It has been restored and furnished from the 1903 - 1920 era. The museum is dedicated to Dr. Kinne's parents, Charles M. and Bertha Bartlett and her brother Charles. The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 and is located at 619 Grand Avenue.

4. The Carriage House Museum, reflects a utility building of the early 1900's. The facility provides exhibit, storage, office and research space for major collections. It is located at the rear (west) side of the Bartlett Museum.

The Story City Historical Society was established in 1982 for the restoration of the Antique Carousel. The society owns four properties. The brick waterworks building was opened in 1985 as the Story City Museum. The Sheldall school was acquired in 1990 and the Bartlett Museum was secured in 1996. The 2008 spring opening of the environmentally controlled Carriage House Museum features the 2500 glass negative library as well as Dr. Frances Bartlett Kinne's memories and various rotating displays.

Tags: Museum