Preserving History for Future Generations


 
 
Welcome to our webpage!
 Free admission to the museum!  
We are located at 112 N Columbus Ave, Golconda, Illinois
 
Our purpose is to discover and preserve important artifacts and information related to one of the oldest counties in Illinois! Formed in 1816, Pope County is in the southeastern corner of Illinois.
 
Our museum in Golconda has several different collections throughout the various parts of our building. The large front room is devoted to county history including a variety of artifacts donated by various families through the years. This room also features the work of many local artists as well as portraits of prominent Pope Countians.
 
Among the most interesting exhibits is a mammoth tusk discovered along the Ohio River, an old Studebaker wagon, an egg crate machine, and a copper still.
 
A military exhibit area with items ranging form the War of 1812 to current times and a research library make up the rear section of the museum.
 
There is a schoolroom area and a meeting area. Several exhibits in the middle section of the museum deal with mercantile businesses in the county.
 
There is a sizeable collection of tokens which were used for trading at general stores in the Pope County communities. There are also several mercantile ledgers from various businesses.
 
Pictures of various graduating classes from Pope County High School adorn the hallway and other areas. Stop by and visit with us on weekends from April to November.
 
Pope County Illinois Circuit Court Records
The indexes are available on this website. 
The records hold valuable information about your ancestors. 
Example:
__________________________________________
 
Buel House in Golconda, Illinois
Check out our new page on this website:  
 
  Free admission to the museum!  
Donations accepted.
 
 
 
The county roads have been drastically improved since 1935.
 

Upcoming Events
April 26, 2025
9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Southern Illinois Genealogy Workshop
Registration at www.ilgensoc.org

May 9, 2025
Lafayette 200th Anniversary
This will be an all-day event!      434 Main Street, Old Shawneetown, IL

May 27, 2025
6:00 pm
Illinois in the War of 1812
Presenter is Gillum Ferguson

June 17, 2025
6:00 pm
The One-Word Key to Solving Most Brick Wall Problems in Genealogy
Presenter is Rick Allen

July 22, 2025
6:00 pm
Southern Illinois Literature and Using Genealogy in the Classroom
Presenter is Krystal Wilson

Facts and Tips
The First Presbyterian Church in Golconda is the oldest continuous Presbyterian congregation in the state of Illinois. It was planted by Mather B. Derrow on 24 October 1819. The present building was built in 1869. It has survived three floods, two fires, numerous earthquakes, and even several bolts of lightning.
[Did you know?]

Pope County was created on 10 December 1816 from Gallatin and Johnson Counties. The first permanent settlement in what became Pope County was the modern-day site of Golconda in 1798.
[Did you know?]

In 1926, a steam shovel of the United Gas Improvement company which was building a dam on the Ohio River below Golconda, uncovered a two feet long piece of ivory mammoth tusk. It is currently on display at the Pope County Historical Society Museum. Come see it!
[Did you know?]