307 East Market St.
Salem Indiana 47167
Phone: 812.883.6495
E-Mail: The
John Hay Center
Map to The John
Hay Center
The Stevens Memorial Museum
Images
this page courtesy of The
Depot Railroad Museum
The
Stevens Memorial Museum was built in 1970 to preserve
community history and heritage. A major expansion was
completed in 1995. The beautiful two-and-one-half story
brick building is built of native brick from local old
historic buildings. The museum features old-time law
and dentist offices.
There are hundreds of native historic relics.
Many Civil War mementos are included along with tools,
agriculture tools and items, beautiful furniture, clothing
and other displays. Visitors will find it historically
educational and fulfilling in developing an association
with the lifes of our ancestors.
Genealogy and Historical Library - The Stevens
Memorial Museum also houses the Washington County Historical
Society Genealogy and Historical Library. Many researchers
from all over the United States come here to work on special
projects. A small library staff is available to work with
researchers. The library not only contains Indiana and
local records but also maintains data and records from
other states. Types of data included are: family histories,
church records, cemetery records, obituaries, census records,
marriage records, newspapers, state and county histories
and antique photographs.
Old Settlers' Days is
an annual event held each September that attracts thousands
throughout the region. For two days, the community adopts
the look and lifestyle of its predecessors from previous
decades representing Indiana's early history. Much of the
activity is centered around the John Hay Center Complex.
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The Pioneer Village is an extension of the
Stevens Memorial Museum and has been reconstructed
as a "living village" during the 1840's
era. Visitors find a visit to the village a challenge
to their imagination of the way of life for early
settlers.  Thomas
Hopper is credited with being the first settler to
what is now Washington County. George Brock was the
first man to settle in the immediate vicinity of
Salem. From early settlements came men and women
who prominently figured in the development of Washington
County.
The John Hay House was built in 1824 and
was the birthplace of John Hay, private secretary
to President Abraham Lincoln ,1861-1865, Writer/Author,
1870-1890, Life of Lincoln and many poems. Mr.
Hay was also Ambassador to England; and Secretary
of State under President McKinley, 1898, and President
Roosevelt, 1902.
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 The
Depot Railroad Museum
The
Depot Railroad Museum stands as a tribute to and
reminder of Salem’s role in organizing the railroad
that served much of Indiana for 125 years.
Sections or the line continue to serve
as key segments of the CSX system. It is one of the newest
additions to the John Hay Center.
The Depot contains antique furniture from
railroad stations, including the original waiting room
benches from the Salem station that was torn down in
1982. Also, there are displays of railroad equipment
and tools, signs, advertisements, signals and lanterns.
A worker’s motor car and a station’s baggage
wagon are on display.
Cases are filled with railroad china and
glassware, timetables and advertising pieces.
The Depot’s basement contains an
HO scale model railroad that depicts Washington County
as it was in the 1950s and 1860s. A team of volunteers
is rebuilding Salem, Pekin and Campbellburg as they were
a half century ago.
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The
Depot
206
South College Ave.
Salem Indiana 47167
Phone: 812.883.1884 --
E-Mail
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Hours
of Operation
April
through December
Tuesday through Saturday, 1 PM to 4 PM
January
through March
Saturdays, 1 PM to 4 PM |
Both The Stevens Memorial Museum and The
Depot provide scheduled tours with ample prior notification.
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