Museum of the Grand Prairie facts for kids
| Location | 950 North Lombard Mahomet, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Type | History, natural history |
The Museum of the Grand Prairie is a cool museum located in Mahomet, Illinois. You can find it inside the Lake of the Woods park district. This museum has been officially recognized by the American Alliance of Museums since 1972. It used to be called The Early American Museum, but its name was changed to what it is today!
Contents
What the Museum Does
Collecting History
The museum's main goal is to gather, protect, and explain the history of nature and people in Champaign County. They also cover the history of East Central Illinois. It's all about understanding the past!
Awesome Museum Exhibits
The Museum of the Grand Prairie has three main exhibits you can explore. Each one tells a unique story about the area.
The Grand Prairie Story
This exhibit shares the big story of the region. It shows how different people lived here over time. You'll learn about Native Americans and early settlers. It also covers farmers, city dwellers, and immigrants. This exhibit gives you a great overview of everyone who shaped the prairie.
Blacksmithing on the Prairie
A Real Blacksmith Shop
This exhibit is super cool! It's based on a real blacksmith shop. The A.B. Chesebro blacksmith shop started in 1896. It was located in Saunemin, Illinois. This family shop was shown to the museum staff in 1993.
Discovering the Past
The museum staff loved the shop so much. They started researching its history. They talked to family members and people from the area. They learned that A.B.'s son owned the shop last. This was in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Back then, the shop made and fixed wagons.
Bringing History to Life
The museum staff carefully photographed everything. They also listed all the objects. Today, the museum owns 5,500 items from the original shop. You can see some of these items in the exhibit. They even rebuilt part of the shop at the museum. You can visit it to see the tools and products from that time!
Champaign County’s Lincoln
Lincoln's Early Days
This exhibit shows what Champaign County looked like. It's how it would have been when Abraham Lincoln was starting his political career. You can imagine what life was like back then.
Journey Through Time
The exhibit begins with a buggy. This shows you how people traveled long ago. Then, you move through different scenes. You'll see a tavern and a photo studio. There's also a church area with recordings. These recordings talk about important issues from Lincoln's time.
