Kibbe Hancock Heritage Museum in Carthage will open for the season on Tuesday, April 2. The free
museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Special
group or class tours can be arranged during those hours or at other times.
The museum was created around the large natural history collection from Dr. Alice Kibbe, former
biology professor of Carthage College. It has expanded to include items from homes, farms, businesses,
fashions and military items of Hancock County’s past; and relics from Carthage College, Native
Americans, and fossils and rocks of the area.
Special exhibits focus on the origins of Memorial Hospital and healthcare in Hancock County; Abraham
Lincoln’s life and death, the pioneer and Civil War eras, and his connections to Hancock County; plus
funeral customs, and much more.
There are household rooms displayed, military uniforms and gear from as early as the Civil War, toys,
and special items from towns all around the county.
The museum is closed on Mondays, and on major holidays. Sherry Harris and Don Gee will share weekly
duties as host at the museum along with volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering as a museum
host can call museum during open hours for more information.
The museum is located at 306 Walnut Street in Carthage. For information, call 217-357-9552.