Open House Saturday at the museum

Homecoming is upcoming in the Chariton Community School District on Friday, so we'll be following up on that with an open house Saturday morning at the Lucas County Historical Society Museum. Hours will be 9 a.m. until noon and we'll be serving doughnuts from Piper's (until we run out) as well as homemade treats, coffee and cider.

This will be a low-key opportunity to tour the museum buildings as well as to just sit and visit for a while if that's your preference. Everyone's welcome.

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On Monday, the museum was happy to welcome members of the Lucas County Retired School Personnel Association to Puckerbrush School for that organization's annual fall get-together.

Special guest was Brad Baker, the district's new superintendent. Baker comes to Chariton from Creston, where he previously had served as elementary and middle school principal.

Kathleen and I especially enjoyed the lunch --- including killer pumpkin bars --- that the organization shared with us. Not that we didn't enjoy the superintendent's visit, too. But those pumpkin bars ....

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Thursday afternoon, we'll welcome members of the State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees who will be holding their September meeting in Chariton that day. Kylie Dittmer, one of our local board members, also serves on that board.

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There once was a time when the museum more or less closed down during what we called the "off season," but that's no longer the case.

Regular hours at the museum through the end of October will remain 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Beginning Nov. 1 and continuing through April 30, hours will be 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Visits at other times always can be arranged.

Keep in mind, however, that during the winter months tours generally are limited to the Lewis Building galleries and the A.J. Stephens House. These buildings are heated and pedestrian access to them is maintained in case of snow, ice and the like.