Museum - Exhibits

Visitors can explore the history of the Southwestern Michigan College district (Cass County and Keeler and Hamilton townships) in the Museum’s four exhibit galleries. They can view hundreds of local history artifacts and interactive exhibits such as a model railroad set. The “permanent” exhibits are constantly changing, so plan to visit often to see the changes.

"Dowagiac: Fifty Years of Growth"

All aboard the SMC Express as the Museum transports visitors to Dowagiac as it appeared in 1870 and 1920 in the permanent exhibit Dowagiac: Fifty Years of Growth. Done in HO scale (1:87.1), this model railroad set accurately depicts downtown Dowagiac so visitors can see how the city grew over the fifty years as Dowagiac grew from pioneer town to industrial small city. Founded in 1848 when the Michigan Central Railroad came through the area, Dowagiac was a small village with rural roots in 1870. One foundry operator, Philo D. Beckwith, introduced Dowagiac to the world with his Round Oak heating stove. By 1920, Dowagiac was a small industrial city with several large factories. The changes are there to be seen in this two-sided railroad set featuring two trains-- visit Railroads, Mills and Drills to ride the rails!

"Railroads, Mills and Drills"

Explore the early history of the College District in the new permanent exhibit, Railroads, Mills and Drills. The exhibit explores the history of the Potawatomi Indians, the first white settlers, the establishment of villages along railroad lines and takes visitors to the first major manufacturing in the College District—P.D. Beckwith’s roller grain drill. Included in the exhibit are several interactive displays, including a photography studio, a working mill model and a model railroad set (see Dowagiac: Fifty Years of History). Visit the Museum to see what shaped the area’s development!

"Small Town, Big World: Locals Who Made History"

Every town has one—the person who left town to make an imprint on the world. The College District has many hometown heroes who have gone onto influence the world and the exhibit Small Town, Big World: Locals Who Made History will celebrate some of these individuals’ achievements. Opening in June 2008, the exhibit will also include include area men and women who answered the nation’s call to duty during wartime. Some of those featured include:

• Leigh Wade piloted one of the airplanes in the first Around the World Flight in 1924
• Edward Lowe made life easier for cat owners with his invention, Kitty Litter
• Thomas Shelhamer created some of the finest rifles of the 20th century
• Charles Smith marketed his Smith Hoist to construction people across the globe
• Captain Iven C. Kincheloe broke the altitude record as a test pilot in 1956
• James Heddon revolutionized the fishing industry with his lures
• Eleanor Colby’s art delighting thousands across the country
• Webb Miller wrote dispatches from across the world for the United Press

"Beckwith’s Round Oak Stove Works"

When Philo D. Beckwith moved to Dowagiac in 1854, he did not know that his business venture would influence the town more than any other in its history. Find out how his Round Oak Stove Company’s successes and failures influenced the history of Dowagiac in the permanent exhibit Beckwith’s Round Oak Stove Works. The exhibit features twenty stoves and hundreds of rare artifacts that help tell the Round Oak story.