Make Your First Stop the Sweet Vale of Avoca Museum . . .


See this wonderful drawing of the Museum by Ethel Peters along with other area artists' work.
See one of the recent donations to our collection ~ Charlie Ronnfeldt's Barber Chair.
See the shovel from when ground was broken to build the Museum in 1992.
You'll think you're in the Arctic when you see the Musk-Ox and Arctic Wolf in Combat. (Schultz Collection)
Two of the beautiful quilts in the Museum's collection.

     1986 was the year a committee was appointed at the Newtown-Avoca Historical Society to start looking for a site for a Museum.  Many, many fund raisers were held to help finance the project.  By 1991, assets totaling nearly $60,000 had been secured.  So the Society voted to proceed with the building of the Sweet Vale of Avoca Museum.

     Plans were drawn for a Museum building and on September 10, 1991, the Board of Directors voted to accept the low bid of Martin & Son for $95,936 for a 48-foot by 116-foot building.  It would be built on a 395-foot-long lot at 540 North Elm Street.  Ground breaking was held on March 22, 1992.

     The Sweet Vale of Avoca Museum dedication was held on September 27, 1992.  The Museum stands as a monument to "Our Heritage of the Past, Our Labors of the Present, and Our Legacy to the Future."

     We are honored to have on display an extremely large collection of animals donated by local retired veterinarian Dr. Roy Schultz from his world-wide hunts.  See his Sheep Grand Slam display, an amazing Combat Scene with a Musk-Ox and Arctic Wolf, and numerous other trophy game animals he has successfully hunted. 

     We have so many, many things for your viewing pleasure.  Some things you are sure to enjoy are our Native American artifacts, farm and kitchen items, clothing/sewing  items and old quilts, school items including the 1925 time capsule from the old Avoca School, numerous Avoca advertising items, a 1925 Chevrolet car, and so many, many more things way too numerous to mention.  We also have a nice Research Area of compiled binders related to Avoca's community history and the people who live/lived here.  You'll just have to come in to see it all.

     The Sweet Vale of Avoca Museum is open weekends from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day.  During the off-season, the Museum is open the third Sunday of the month.  (The Historical Society hosts special programs during some of the months, so keep checking the EVENTS link.)  Visits can be arranged at other times by calling Barb at 712.343.2173, Mary at 712.307.6279, or Sandy at 712.343.2578.