Museum Memo

Hello from the Great Bend Museum in Ravenswood! We were founded in 1972 by the Jackson County Historical Society to share the history of our county and the Ohio River’s Great Bend region through objects, photographs, and archives. In 2020, the Historical Society entrusted the museum and its collection to the City of Ravenswood, ensuring that we can continue preserving and promoting county history for generations to come.

Coming Soon: Mark your calendars for May 17, when we’re opening our new exhibit, Behind Clara’s Lens: The Life and Photography of Clara Weisheit! Celebrate with us at a 1920s-themed party in Riverfront Park from 6–8 p.m. We’ll have a live jazz band, 1920s dance lessons, food trucks, and an antique car show. The party is free; exhibit tickets are just $5 for adults. Don’t forget your glad rags—flapper dresses, fedoras, and fringe are encouraged! If you’d like to show your antique ride in the car show, we’re accepting registrations up to May 16. We hope to see you all there!

A big thank-you to Chris Fleming Landis, who gave a 1969 painting of the Great Bend made by her aunt, Helen Joan Fleming. In it, you can see both the Kaiser smokestack and Lock 22! You can see it in our “Ohio River” gallery, alongside paintings of the Great Bend by David Homer McFarland. We’re always collecting items related to Jackson County—objects, photos, and archives—so if you have something to share, let us know!

Our Photo of the Month is a bird’s-eye view of Ripley, facing east, circa 1910. You can see the courthouse, bounded by Main and North streets. To the left (south) is the large old Ripley Elementary School that doubled as the Lee Normal School for training teachers. To the right (north) appears to be the spire of a church, possibly Epworth United Methodist. In the center along Court Street, you can see the backs of commercial buildings — Pfost Drugs and Musical Goods, the Bank of Ripley and the old Lodge Hall. The back is a written postcard addressed to Mrs. Clara Hoyt Smith, whose father was a Confederate surgeon in Ravenswood and whose husband was a prominent merchant.

In other news, this will be my last column as director of the Great Bend Museum. At the end of this month, I’ll be moving on to a new opportunity, but before I go, I wanted to take a moment to reflect and thank the many people who’ve helped shape the museum into what it is today.

When I started in 2021, the museum was a quiet space with lots of potential, full of stories waiting to be told. Over the past few years, with your support, we’ve been able to tell many of them—and build something special in the process.

Together, we’ve:

Cataloged almost the entire collection, preserving thousands of objects, archives, and photographs.

Welcomed exciting additions like David Homer McFarland paintings, vintage majorette uniforms, the original safe from the first county courthouse, and much more.

Launched monthly programs, a newsletter, and this column to connect more people with local history.

Developed a popular Facebook series exploring the Civil War diary of Henrietta Fitzhugh Barre, bringing the past to life one day at a time.

And we’ve received generous grant funding—including support for our upcoming Behind Clara’s Lens exhibit, which we hope will be our first true blockbuster.

Thanks to the dedication of our incredible volunteers and the support of our city leaders, we’ve also seen the museum building itself improve. A new ADA-accessible ramp, building repairs, and better storage spaces are all signs of a community that believes in the value of its history.

To everyone who has visited, donated, volunteered, followed along on Facebook, or cheered us on from home—thank you. You’ve helped make the museum a source of pride not just for Ravenswood but all of Jackson County. With your support, we’ve earned statewide recognition and become a trusted preservation resource for museums across the region. Over the years, I’ve had thousands of conversations with community members, and one thing is always clear: Jackson County loves its history.

Though I’m stepping away, I’m so excited for what’s ahead.

The museum has a strong foundation and a bright future. I hope you’ll keep reading, keep visiting, and keep supporting this Little Museum That Could.

The museum belongs to all of us, and it’s been an honor to help care for it.

The Great Bend Museum, 220 Riverfront Park in Ravenswood, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Follow on Facebook, visit www.cityofravenswood.com/museum, call 304-273-1999, or email us at museum@cityofravenswood.com.