About Us

The Miller County Historical Society began with the dreams of a few people who had an overwhelming desire to preserve the heritage of our forefathers for future generations. These people included Dewey Kallenbach, Tuscumbia; Dr. Ray Irwin, Brumley; Grace Faber, Iberia; all whom are deceased today.

A group of people interested in starting a Miller County Historical Society met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Irwin on February 18, 1979. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss rules and regulations of such a society and to see if there was enough interest to work toward getting one started. The group decided to contact as many people as possible and have another meeting in the near future.

L-R: Raymond Johnston, Evelyn Johnston, Grace Faber, Edna Irwin, Bert Faber, Joe Gass, Dr. Ray Irwin and Lorraine Gass.

A general meeting was called by these nine people on March 25, 1979. Thirty-one persons attended and all expressed an interest in getting a historical society formed. The first meeting of the newly-formed organization was held on April 8, 1979 in Tuscumbia at the courthouse annex. A nominating committee was selected and assigned the task of choosing a slate of officers and board members for the next meeting. At the next meeting on May 6, 1979, the first officers and board members were presented and accepted by acclamation…the Miller County Historical Society was then a functioning, thriving organization and destined for success in the upcoming years.

The Society established a goal to discover, collect, and preserve any material which may help to establish or illustrate the history of the area. Their first major project was to establish a Miller County Historical Museum. They acquired the former jailhouse at Tuscumbia, and the first museum had its grand opening in June, 1980.

Old jail - first museum building

When the Anchor Milling Company closed, the beautiful, native rock building on Highway 52 in Tuscumbia was purchased from the Wright family and became the home of the Miller County Museum, with a grand opening on June 2, 1991.

Miller County Museum - Home of Miller County Historical Society

As a result of continued growth and local interest, the need for larger, more appropriate quarters has become evident. During the winter of 2006-2007 additional property was acquired and plans drawn for a an addition to our present museum building. A donor has stepped forward with the offer to match building fund donations on a one to one basis up to $50,000 and a fund raising drive was launched in the spring of 2007. We will continue to track the progress of this exciting project on this web site.

The Miller County Historical Society is run entirely by volunteers. We have a few fund raising projects throughout the year but rely primarily on membership fees and donations to maintain our building, preserve our collections and pay our utility bills. We invite you to become a member and encourage your support in promoting and preserving our common heritage.