Each Sunday we will feature a project going on within the city, happenings within a department or someone or agency which works hard to provide services to the community. This week we look at the Alton Goin Museum and the Portage Community Historical Society.
Many may consider Portage a young city as Region standards go. Yet, the city and Portage Township are steeped in history.
And thanks to the Portage Community Historical Society, much of that history has been saved, archived and is on display at the Alton Goin Museum located at Countryside Park, 5250 U.S. 6.
The museum was shuttered in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but will reopen to visitors each Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. beginning the first weekend in June. The museum is operated by volunteers from the Portage Community Historical Society.
Those who cannot visit during the regular hours are welcome to contact the museum to arrange a private tour.
In addition to the large, red barn, the society also maintains the Trager Homestead. The homestead was the site of the first museum, opened in 1988.
The society's three events, it's June picnic, historical tea and Christmas festival, were also canceled last year. The picnic and tea will also not be held in 2021. There has been no decision on this year's Christmas festival.
The museum is packed with items tracing the city and township's history, from Native Americans to the township's first settlers with special displays on police, fire, schools, government/politics, home life and farm life for visitors to take a step back and see how far the area has come.
The mission of the museum and historical society is to bring people together to get them interested in Portage Township history.
However, the society and museum are in need of volunteers to maintain the displays, create new ones to keep the museum a living, breathing entity and to share the history of the township.
Presently, there are only five or six volunteers who maintain the museum, said members Val Roach and Kathy Heckman.
"If we had 10 volunteers, who would give three hours a week, we could get so much done," said Heckman.
Weekend volunteers are needed to help with visitors on Saturdays and Sundays.
Volunteers are needed to help maintain a museum display.
There is a need for a volunteer to upkeep and clean the 1927 LaFrance Fire Engine as well was volunteers to help with the Trager Homestead, a volunteer who knows how to work on a rag rug loom and volunteers to help with cleaning the museum and various other projects.
Anyone interested in visiting or volunteering at the museum may call the museum at 219-762-8349 or Roach at 219-762-3722 or message the museum/society through its Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/PCHS88.
