The Clarke County Historical Society & Museum is open by appointment May through September. Free will admission.
The Clarke County Historical Society and Museum was established in 1971 to preserve and collect Clarke County historical articles. The Historical Society and Museum Complex is located on seven acres of land at 1030 South Main, Osceola, Iowa (the south edge of Osceola on Hwy 69) and is open Sundays May through September. Appointments can be arranged. Free will admission.
The Museum building contains various displays and collections pertaining to Clarke County history. Military uniforms from all branches of the service, a well-stocked general store, barbershop and various rooms of houses are featured along with the ten foot hammered zinc statue of Liberty that graced the west entrance of the old Courthouse for sixty-two years.
There is vintage clothing, school pictures, and items from the old Courthouse. A special case contains a collection of homemade quilts.
Next to the parking lot on the west is an interpretive panel of the National Park Service commemorating the Mormon Trail through Southern Iowa.
The meeting room contains books and papers for research, including the areas of country schools, transportation, churches and the various towns in the county. The museum collection also includes many pictures from all over the county, spanning the years. A copy machine is available.
A machine shed containing various pieces of farm equipment, the Museum Annex, a one room country school with items from various country schools through the county and a log cabin from the 1880's are located on the complex.
