Matheson History Museum
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The Matheson History Museum is a history museum in Gainesville, Florida, Alachua County, Florida. It includes a local history museum, the historic Matheson House, and the Tison Tool Museum.
Museum Complex
Matheson History Museum
The Matheson History Museum building, formerly an American Legion Hall and officially opened as a museum in 1994, houses the bulk of the museum complex's historical records, collections and displays.[1] The front of the building has a gift shop and a recreation of the Matheson Dry Goods Store that used to exist on Alachua Avenue (now University Avenue). The main gallery consists of a permanent display of Florida history along the east wall, with the remainder of the space devoted to a temporary exhibition that changes every few months. The back of the building contains the Helen C. Ellerby Library, where visitors can conduct research into the history of Alachua County with a wide collection of books, periodicals, photographs and oral histories.[2]
Matheson House
Originally owned and built by the Matheson family, from which the museum takes its name, this house was built in 1867 and is one of the three oldest houses in Gainesville. It was home to Christopher Matheson, Gainesville's longest serving mayor. It was deeded to the museum in 1996 upon the death Christopher's widow, Sarah Hamilton Matheson, who was also one of the original board members and founders of the museum. The Matheson House contains funiture from various eras of Alachua County history, most of which are original possessions of the Matheson family.[3]
Tison Tool Barn
Donated to the museum in 1993, the Tison Tool barn houses the extensive tool collection of John Mason Tison Jr. Originally located on Tison's property, it was entirely deconstructed and rebuilt on the museum grounds. It displays historic tools from various industries ranging from lumber to electrical engineering.[4]
Sweetwater Park
Located directly behind the museum and maintained jointly by the Matheson History Museum and the City of Gainesville, Sweetwater Park is a botanical garden with an alphabetized display of native plant life. The park is free and open to the public.[5]
Matheson History Museum Archives, Library and Meeting Hall
Purchased by the museum in the summer of 2014, this building was originally a tabernacle church built in 1935. From 1976 to 1980 retired cardiologist and Matheson co-founder Dr. Mark Barrow and his wife Mary operated an antique store in the building. In 1982 they sold the building to Orlando investors, and from 1982 to 2009 it was a Melting Pot fondue restaurant. The Matheson History Museum recently received a $300,000 historic preservation grant from the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources. The museum will transform the building into an archive, library and community meeting space. [6]
See also
References
- ↑ “Matheson Museum”, Alachua County Historic Trust Matheson Museum Inc., October 26, 2014]
- ↑ “Research”, Alachua County Historic Trust Matheson Museum Inc., October 26, 2014]
- ↑ “The Matheson House”, Alachua County Historic Trust Matheson Museum Inc., October 26, 2014
- ↑ “The Tison Tool Museum”, Alachua County Historic Trust Matheson Museum Inc., October 26, 2014
- ↑ “Sweetwater Park”, Alachua County Historic Trust Matheson Museum Inc., October 26, 2014
- ↑ Anthony Clark, “Matheson Museum Brews Up New Uses for Old Melting Pot Building”, The Gainesville Sun, October 26, 2014