While this room started its life as a sleeping area, for many years now, as part of Parks-Bentley Place, it has become known as the Gallery.

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Because the Historical Society has so many objects in its collection, it is not feasible to have everything on display at the same time. For that reason, each summer, a theme is chosen and an exhibition is created to ensure that items not normally shown can be viewed and enjoyed by our visitors.

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For 2024, we expanded our exhibition concept to include vintage items that are on loan from local residents. Since one of our outreach programs focuses on antique items that are “practical but beautiful”, the exhibition showcases kitchenware that was not only useful and a part of everyone’s home, but also designed to be appealing to the eye.

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The one permanent display in the Gallery honors a former president of the Historical Society and former, local elementary school teacher Stan Malecki. Stan’s love of history and of education led him to devote all of his retirement years to Parks-Bentley Place and his large collection of nativity sets have become the basis for the Historical Society’s annual holiday display of creches from around the world.