Hancock County Museums

• The Kibbe Hancock Heritage Museum
  This museum, located in Carthage, IL is filled with many things you don't see every day. Some of these things - a black monkey muff, a two-headed pig, the right lower jaw bone of a whale, and an old hand crank phone that plays a recorded message - are favorites of the kids who walk through the museum.
  
  The museum began with the collection of biology professor Dr. Alice Kibbe and continued as a way to preserve items of historical significance for the whole county. The museum, located at Walnut and Buchanan, is open March to April, and October to December from 1 to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. May 1 to September 31, they are open 10-4 pm daily except for Sundays from 1 to 4 pm. They are closed January and February. For an appointment call Carthage city hall at 217-357-3119.
  
  
• Carthage Jail Visitor's Center
  307 Walnut, 217-357-2989
  Carthage, IL 62321
  217-357-2989
  The Old Jail is where Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church, was shot. Summer hours are Monday-Saturday 8am-9pm, Sunday 11am-6pm. Winter hours are 9am to 5pm Monday-Saturday and 12:30-5pm on Sunday.
  
  
• The LaHarpe Historical Society Museum
  This musuem is located on Main Street in downtown LaHarpe. The museum has several displays about families who used to live there. One is Charles Duryea who graduated in LaHarpe in 1880. He invented the first working gasoline automobile. Another family was the Royce Oakman family who were killed by Native Americans in Arizona in 1850. It is a nationally known story with a monument in Arizona.
  
  The museum has a bench from a Methodist Church in LaHarpe where Lincoln spoke in 1858 along with other Lincoln artifacts. Historical society volunteers make ornaments of historical buildings to fund the museum. The museum is open Monday and Saturday from 9-11am and 1-4pm all year. For special appointments call 217-659-3635.
  
  
• The Warsaw Museum
  This museum is located at 4th & Main, Warsaw. Hours are May 1 to October 31 from 10am to 2pm and during special town events. For special appointments call Martha Zumwalt, 217-256-4619, Diane Heisler, 217-256-3408.
  
  
• French Icarian Museum
  2205 Parley St.
  Nauvoo, IL
  The Icarians were the followers of the philosophy and writings of Etienne Cabet, Born in Dijon, Fance, in 1788. He was forced to leave France because of his socialistic beliefs, and eventually settled in Nauvoo after the Mormon exodus. The goal of the museum is to preserve the French heritage in America.
  
  Hours are by appointment. Call 217-453-2720.
  
• Rheinberger Museum, Nauvoo State Park
  Contains a large collection of furniture and other articles dating back to Native American times. It features a stone-arched wine cellar and original 150-year-old winemaking equipment. The original home of 4 rooms was build in the 1840's. Alois Rheinberger added 4 more rooms after he settled in Nauvoo in 1850, pluss the wine cellar and a pressroom. Nauvoo Historical Society
  
• Weld House Museum, Mulholland St., Nauvoo
  This building is one of western Illinois's best examples of Greek revival architecture. The Nauvoo Historical Society has worked at restoring and preserving the building. Local families have adopted rooms in the house and donated items to display. Items on display include arrowheads, agricultural implements, dishes, doll clothes, wedding garments, and items pertaining to the funeral industry.
  

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