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Our Museum is a Fine Old Victorian Townhouse

The headquarters of the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society are located in a 1864 Tuscan-style brick house. In addition to the Society offices, the 'House of History' contains period rooms, a research library, and collections storage. We have maintained the Victorian character of the house, in addition to exhibits from other periods. Tours of the house are available during the summer and by appointment during the off-season. The Society is caretaker to a wonderful collection of textiles, papers, books, photographs, furniture, kitchen implements, farm implements, business records, toys, medical equipment, and other invaluable materials donated by current and past residents of Franklin County. Many of these items are on display in the House of History, but many more are cared for in storage and are intended for future research and exhibit.

Original records show that the House is located on land once owned by Judge Hiram Horton. He sold the land to his daughter Adeline Holley for $500. In 1863, the land was purchased by Mr. Nathan Knapp for $800, who built the present structure in 1863-1864. Knapp, and his wife Helen, never lived in the house, however, and instead sold it in 1864 to Martha P. Soper, wife of Daniel F. Soper for the price of $3250. Mrs. Soper, who died in 1905, sold the house at 51 Milwaukee Street and its outbuildings in 1892 to John Ashworth and Fred P. Childs. Ashworth lived in the house for three years before selling it in 1895 to George W. Crooks for $2300. George's wife Flora and daughter Elizabeth (Bess) continued to live in the house after his death in 1919, even after Bess's marriage to F. Roy Kirk. The Tuscan-style brick home was purchased from the Kirk family in 1973, and has housed the Society's museum collection, records and daily operations since that time.

Our museum has many objects of interest including: