Blount County Memorial Museum

Blount County Memorial Museum The Blount County Memorial Museum, located in Oneonta, commemorates and preserves the history of Blount County and its residents. The museum was founded in 1970 by the Blount County Historical Society (BCHS) to honor area veterans. It has since become a repository of Blount County historical records and is open to visiting genealogists and historians seeking to discover and document county and state history.

The BCHS raised $2,600 to aid the museum in its founding and to help gather resources. Bricks from Howard College in Marion, Perry County (present-day Samford University in Birmingham, Jefferson County) were used to construct the museum’s current building. In addition to its funding from the BCHS, the museum is also one of only a few museums in the state that receives county funding.

The museum contains 11 exhibits that are rotated quarterly and contain artifacts and items from Blount County residents. Among these exhibits are sections devoted to Blount Springs, the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and a display of military memorabilia. The Blount County Quilters Guild also displays a new quilt in the museum each month. The museum contains more than 500 family books, more than 1,000 family files, and more than 500 cemetery files. Museum staff includes a curator and volunteers, including genealogists. Along with assisting genealogists and historians, the museum retains an official from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) nonprofit group to assist veterans in applying for government benefits earned through their military service and disability.

The museum hosts genealogy seminars, the quarterly meetings of the Blount County Historical Society, as well as the Blount County chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It also serves as the meeting place for Operation Grateful Heart, a program to ensure that all military personnel and their families receive support and care and is the only museum to host this organization. The museum participates in area events such as the Blount County Art and Photo Contest, Kids’ Day on the River, and the Veterans Day Parade. It sponsors summer programs for children as well as home school programs during the school year. Museum tours are led by the curator and include information about Blount County covered bridges. The museum is integral to the production and completion of the Bicentennial Edition of the Blount County Heritage Book. In addition, museum staff has been collaborating with the Blount County Office of the Probate Judge to digitize records for genealogists and historians. The museum receives more than 5,000 visitors annually.

The museum is located at 204 Second Street North in Oneonta. It is open Tuesday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.