Stephenson County Historical Society

10/09/2026

The Stephenson County Historical Society would like to take a moment to remember Dr. Ed Finch, former director of our historical society and a longtime local historian, whose passing was announced on September 28, 2026.

Dr. Finch dedicated much of his life to education, historical research, and sharing the stories of our community. His contributions to preserving and promoting local history will not be forgotten.

Although services have already been held, we would still like to extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife of 48 years, Catherine, and to his entire family, friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Thank you, Dr. Finch, for your dedication to keeping our community’s history alive. Your legacy will live on through the stories you helped preserve. ❤️

10/09/2026

Check out what our friends at the McConnell Area Historical Society have been up to! 👀🏛️

They have some great new merchandise available, with proceeds helping support their historical society and the work they do to preserve local history.

We love supporting our fellow historical societies throughout Stephenson County! ❤️

👇 We’ll put a link to their original post in the comments so you can check out all the details!

10/06/2026

Terri Reid and her son Andrew recently shared an episode of their podcast, Voices from the Attic, all about the hauntings and unexplained experiences of the Taylor Home.

🎧 Give the episode a listen and be sure to hit subscribe!

Even better, Terri and Andrew will BOTH be joining us at Spirits of Yesteryear on October 24! 👻🕯️

Consider this your homework before visiting the museum after dark. 😉

📅 Saturday, October 24 | 6–9 PM
🎟️ $10 admission | Last admission at 8 PM

What if a house becomes haunted not because something terrible happ...

10/06/2026

In 2024, we had the pleasure of welcoming a Rolls-Royce club to the museum for a group tour, and we love seeing the different clubs, organizations, and groups that make SCHS part of their plans!

We’re now booking 2027 group tours and space use for clubs and organizations, especially larger groups of 50 or more.

Still hoping to visit in 2026? There’s time! We may be able to accommodate smaller groups of 30 or fewer yet this year.

Whether you’re planning a club outing, organization gathering, reunion, or simply bringing together a group of people who love history, we’d love to help you plan your visit.

📩 Contact us for availability and more information.

📸 Throwback to this memorable group visit from 2024!

10/02/2026

We love sharing all the interesting plant life, mushrooms, flowers, trees, and other things we discover while wandering around our property. There’s always something new to notice!

But just to be clear… when we show you something growing on the grounds, we’re inviting you to look at it, not taste test it. 😂

Some plants and mushrooms can be toxic, and we are historians, not foraging experts! So admire the wild side of the museum with your eyes and leave the snacking to the professionals. 😉

🐾 And keep an eye on your four-legged explorers too! If you’re walking the grounds with your dog, please don’t let them nibble on mushrooms, plants, berries, or anything else growing along the way.

Come take a walk, enjoy the beauty, snap some pictures, and see what you can discover. Just no taste testing, humans OR pups! 😂🌿🏛️

10/02/2026

🚧 Construction is in full swing on Carroll Avenue today, and we may not have access to our driveway at times.

Limited parking is available on the nearby side streets, and thankfully, it looks like a beautiful day for a little walk through the museum grounds on your way in! ☀️🌿🏛️

We’re still here and open today from 11 AM–3 PM, so don’t let the construction keep you from visiting.

Thank you for continuing to work around the road construction with us. We’re getting closer! ❤️

10/01/2026

We now have BOTH hardcover and paperback copies of Ghost Towns of Stephenson County available in the SCHS Gift Shop! 🏛️

With more than 300 pages exploring the forgotten rural communities of Stephenson County, it’s a great addition to any local history collection and a pretty great gift too!

📕 Hardcover | $60
📖 Paperback | $40

Stop by during museum hours and grab your copy!

Thursday & Friday | 11 AM–3 PM
Saturday & Sunday | 12–4 PM

📍 1440 S. Carroll Ave., Freeport

09/29/2026

It’s been a few days since we’ve posted, but we couldn’t resist sharing this gorgeous day at the museum! ☀️🌿

There’s so much more to see here than what’s inside our buildings. Take a walk around the grounds and you’ll find all kinds of plant life and maybe a few unexpected surprises too. 🍄

We spotted a couple little piles of mushrooms on our walk today!

Sometimes it’s worth slowing down and seeing what you can discover right here on the museum grounds. ❤️🏛️

09/24/2026

🏛️ Come spend a little time with history this week!

Whether you’re stopping in for a tour, exploring our latest exhibits, or browsing the gift shop, we’d love to see you!

Museum Hours:
Thursday & Friday | 11 AM–3 PM
Saturday & Sunday | 12–4 PM

📍 1440 S. Carroll Ave., Freeport

Come see what you can discover!