The extensive collections of the Jones County Historical Society relate to the early life in Jones County, Iowa, from Civil War letters to antique farm equipment.  The different historical buildings house the collections as follows:

 

(a)         Main Museum:  The collections include research materials, such as books, maps, photographs, newspapers, Jones County tax books 1850's to 1940's, family history and genealogy and artifacts, such as clothing, textiles, and objects of everyday life.  Unique artifacts include flags, African animals, Dillon furrow artifacts, plat books, school records, military uniforms, significant history newspaper copies, clothing and household items, pictures (towns, mills, bridges).

 

(b)        Small Museum Building:  The collections include artifacts, such as clothing, textiles, and objects of everyday life.  Unique items include military uniforms, Onslow newspaper, dishes, arrowheads, fossils, rocks, fraternal organization artifacts from the masons, rainbow, odd fellows, royal neighbors, Yo Ho items made in the county, wood carvings of birds and a western bar scene, old toys, and the church alter and stained glass window from the S. S Peter & Paul Lutheran Church in Castle Grove Township.

 

(c)         Doctor Office Museum:  The collection includes artifacts used in an early doctor’s office.  The unique items in this building are an early x-ray machine, two dentist drills (foot operated and electric), and pictures.

 

(d)          Veterinary Office Museum:  The collection includes artifacts used by early veterinarians.

 

(e)         Depot Museum:  The collection includes artifacts, such as a typewriter patented in the county, telegraph sets early telephones, stamps and seals, lanterns, maps, Scotch Grove Post Office counter, carts and tools used in the depot, railroad lanterns, and a message hook.

 

(f)          Church Museum:  The collection includes a working pump organ, communion sets, hymnals, stained glass windows, church bell, an altar, pews from a local church, and baptism certificates.

 

(g)        Schoolhouse Museum:  The collection includes the schoolhouse itself, maps, desks, twig collection, pictures, stove, books, and various styles of school desks.

 

(h)         Machine Shed Museum:  The collection includes a drop corn planter, a chimney cleaner patented in the county, a feather duster machine, a bolt nut counting machine, an engine driven cement mixer, an early Deering hayloader, a tile spade patented in the county, a hay tedder, sleighs, a broom  making machine, querns, one man saw that holds the log, different types of hand tools, miniature farm set - hand made, threshing machines and various other machines.

 

(i)            Blacksmith Museum:  The collection includes unique artifacts including a mandrel cone, bellows, tool displays, working forges, line shaft system, and the building itself.

 

(j)          Farm House Museum:  The collection includes artifacts found in an early farmhouse with unique artifacts including braided hair, a pump organ, TV, radio, furniture, wardrobe cabinet made from packing crate used to transport belongings.

 

(k)        Dr. Joslin Cabin Museum:  The collection includes artifacts the cabin itself, which is a building setup as house and a doctor office, pictures, and various items donated by the family.

 

(l)           The Lemmer Cabin Museum: The collection includes the cabin itself with unique artifacts, such as an early rope bed and spinning wheel, wood cookstove, dishes.

 

(m)        Jail Museum:  The collection includes artifacts found in an early jail.

 

(n)          Courthouse Museum:  The collection includes artifacts found in an early courthouse.