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Seminary Museum The Cedar Valley Seminary Museum is located at
North 6th Street and Mechanic Street, in Osage, Iowa.
Museum hours are: 1-4 pm Saturday and Sunday, Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
The Mitchell County Historical Society Museum is housed in the former Cedar Valley Seminary Old Central building.
Cedar Valley Seminary was established January 1863; and higher education was offered there until 1922.
Exhibits
- Northern Iowa's largest collection of vintage clothing
- Medical and dental display - featuring artifacts from Mitchell County physicians and dentists such as Doctors Sumner B. Chase, John Whitley, Ralph Whitley, J.A. Uran, Krepelka, Bundy, Westenberger, L. Savre, E. Allen and John Smith
- 1905 mail wagon used by John Grace, McIntire
- Large collection of historical books and records, genealogical reference materials, and photographs
- Local school exhibit
- Military display
- Music room
- Period rooms
- Covered wagon
- Vintage beauty parlor
- Future home of Conklin exhibit
History of the Cedar Valley Seminary
During the Civil War, the citizens of Osage wanted to create a quality educational institute. They worked with the Baptist association to establish and maintain such an institution. Alva Bush, former math professor at Upper Iowa University, held the first classes of the school.
The seminary opened in January 1863 in the court house basement. This was one of the very few schools for higher education north and west of Fayette. It began with 31 students and 3 teachers.
In the fall of 1869, the seminary was moved to "Old Central" on the new Cedar Valley Seminary campus where it remained until closing in the early 1920's. Soon East Hall (girls' dormitory) and West Hall (boys' dormitory) were added to the campus. A gymnasium was the last building to be added to the campus in 1916. It was used as a public auditorium. The Old Central building housed a library by 1883 with 50 volumes. This collection grew to 4000 volumes by 1919.
Several thousands of students were educated in this school in the areas of teaching, business, college preparatory, music and elocution. Most noteworthy is that Hamlin Garland attended here. In 1916, it became a junior college.
By 1922, it became apparent that the seminary was no longer filling a need for this locality. It was closed and the campus buildings were sold to the Osage Public School.
In 1966, the last remaining building of the Cedar Valley Seminary was leased to the Mitchell County Historical Society for the purpose of housing a museum. The history of Old Central and all it has meant to Mitchell County makes it a feature exhibit of the museum.
A Synopsis of a Favorite Son
Hamlin Garland
1860-1940
- Born near West Salem, Wisconsin
- Boyhood in Mitchell County (northeast of Osage)
- Educated at Burr Oak Township School and Cedar Valley Seminary
- Author, lecturer and reformer
- Wrote stories of the Midwest and Mitchell County
- Protested hard life of the farmer
- Attacked landowners taking advantage of tenants
- Advocated educating the Indians
- Attacked literary tradition
- Confidential secretary to Pres. Theodore Roosevelt
- Wrote biographies of Presidents Grant and Theodore Roosevelt
- Wrote fiction, poetry, biographies and one play
- Wrote a series of tales from his youth
- "Daughter of the Middle Border" won Pulitzer Prize in 1922
- Elected to American Academy of Arts & Letters in 1922
- Awarded Roosevelt Memorial Association Medal as social historian
The Museum's Future
This museum is the result of work by people of such vision with such names as Biederman, and Suchy and many others who in the 1960's and later collected and displayed thousands of artifacts representing Mitchell County. Challenges now face the Historical Society to maintain and improve the environment for the collection for its long-term preservation, as well as improving the effectiveness of displays and events to educate youth and adults about the past and its impact on the present and future.
The changes in temperature and humidity hasten the deterioration of fabrics and paper. Two factors prevent climatizing: lack of finances and the age and high ceilings of the building.
A second challenge is that of modern cataloging of all the artifacts. Records of artifacts as they were given to the museum are quite good. Up-to-date cataloging requires a description, donor information, condition of the item, and preferably a photograph. Such information in computerized records would enable fast retrieval of items for special exhibits or for patron requests. Complete cataloging is progressing; more volunteers would help speed processing the estimated 16,000 plus items.