from left: MCHS Board President Bill Vondrell, Commissioner Rick Muhlenkamp, Executive Director Cait Clark, and Commissioner Brian Miller

On Friday, January 31st, two of the Mercer County Commissioners took a tour of the Mercer County Historical Society’s Riley House (Commissioner Dave Buschur was unable to attend). They were shown the progress that has been made within the museum since its reopening in July of last year and learned about the future plans of the MCHS in the coming months. Cait Clark, the museum’s director, even presented special artifacts to them which the museum has never put on display before! These artifacts, she told them, will be displayed in the coming months of 2025 in both temporary and permanent displays.

The commissioners also heard the story of the Riley family and their involvement with the ending of slavery in the United States. Future projects concerning repairs to the Riley House were also shared by Clark and the MCHS board, as well as the museum’s unique plan for community outreach which is in its beginning stages (stay tuned!). New interpretive signage inside the museum was also presented to the commissioners, along with an updated version of the museum’s brochure.

The Riley House and Mercer County Historical Society will reopen to the public on February 3, 2025, after its scheduled closing for the month of January. Please contact us about becoming a member. We can’t wait to give you a tour!