Matheson History Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1994 |
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| Location | 513 East University Avenue, Gainesville, Florida |
| Type | History |
The Matheson History Museum Complex is a cool place to explore in Gainesville, Florida. It's more than just one building! The complex includes the Matheson History Museum, the Matheson Library & Archives, the old 1867 Matheson House, and the Tison Tool Barn. It's a great spot to learn about local history.
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Explore the Matheson Museum Complex
The Main Museum Building
The Matheson History Museum building used to be an American Legion Hall. It officially opened as a museum in 1994. This building holds most of the museum's exhibits and activities.
When you walk in, you'll find a gift shop. There's also a cool display that looks like the old Matheson Dry Goods Store. This store used to be on University Avenue.
The main gallery has a permanent exhibit about local and Florida history. This display is along the east wall. The rest of the space is used for temporary exhibits that change often. In the back, the Mary Ann Cofrin Exhibit Hall shows even more temporary exhibits.
Step Back in Time: The 1867 Matheson House
The Matheson House was built in 1867 by the Matheson family. The museum is named after them! It's one of the oldest houses in Gainesville. Only the Bailey House (1854) and the Haile Homestead (1856) are older.
James Douglas Matheson and his wife, Augusta Florida Steele Matheson, lived here. Augusta's father, Augustus Steele, was a Florida pioneer. He founded Hillsborough County and Cedar Key.
Their son, Christopher Matheson, was Gainesville's mayor for a very long time. His wife, Sarah Hamilton Matheson, later gave the house to the museum. Sarah was a founder of the museum. She also helped start the Alachua County Historical Society in 1967.
The Matheson House is filled with original furniture and art. You can see artifacts from early Florida, including items from the antebellum and Victorian times.
Discover Tools at the Tison Tool Barn
The Tison Tool Barn was given to the museum in 1993. It holds a huge collection of tools from John Mason Tison Jr. The barn was carefully taken apart from its original spot. Then, it was rebuilt right on the museum grounds.
Inside, you'll see historic tools from many different jobs. These include tools used in lumber work and even electrical engineering.
Relax at Sweetwater Park
Right behind the museum, you'll find Sweetwater Park. The Matheson History Museum and the City of Gainesville work together to take care of it. The park is free to visit and open to everyone. It's a nice place to relax after exploring the museum.
Learn More at the Matheson Library and Archives
The museum bought this building in 2014. It was built in 1933 as a church. Later, from 1976 to 1980, Dr. Mark Barrow and his wife, Mary, ran an antique store there. Dr. Barrow was a co-founder of the Matheson Museum.
From 1982 to 2009, the building was a Melting Pot fondue restaurant. It was one of the first Melting Pot restaurants in the country!
The Matheson History Museum received a big grant to fix up the building. They also got help from private donors. This allowed them to turn it into a library and archives. The Matheson Library & Archives was finished in 2017.
It now holds the museum's collections. These include artifacts, books, and files about local and Florida history. You can find images and information on many different topics here.
See also
