Union County Museum in Cobden set to reopen

The Union County Museum in downtown Cobden is scheduled to reopen at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 4.

The museum, which is located at 117 S. Appleknocker, has been closed for the winter season. Several new exhibits are planned at the museum.

A Log Cabin tied quilt, jewelry and other items from the Lockard-Fitch collection will be displayed.

Recent acquisitions of paintings from artists Maurice Metzger, Charles Winn, Jesse Wright and C.A. Clemens will be presented. All are local artists; each had a unique artistic style.

Six items will be featured in an exhibit titled “What is the Story?” Each artifact has an interesting story. One of the pieces is a hand-carved elephant.

A new window exhibit illustrating the history of King Neptune will be featured. 

King Neptune was a locally raised pig that was used to raise funds for the war effort during World War II. 

The museum notes that King Neptune raised several million dollars and his story is unique to Southern Illinois.

The museum features a variety of permanent exhibits that includes Anna Pottery, Native American artifacts, Civil War history, and local history. 

The museum has been a popular tourist attraction for over 50 years and is an important part of Union County history.

The Shop for the Benefit of the Museum also is scheduled to be open. 

The shop offers a variety of merchandise including flower arrangements, glassware, collectibles, Easter decorations and much more. 

Proceeds from the shop go to the operation of the museum.

Regular hours for the museum and shop are scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, along with Friday afternoons by chance. 

The museum has a Facebook page under Union County, IL Historical and Genealogy Society & Museum. The museum’s phone number is 618-893-2865.