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Pioneer Trail Museum
316 Main Street - Macedonia, IA

Explore the history of Macedonia, Iowa. The museum features various items and artifacts from the past, such as historical photographs, clothing items, fossils, and other local memorabilia. The oldest item in the museum is a loom that traveled across the ocean in a sailing ship and then across the plains in a covered wagon! Whether you have a direct tie to Macedonia or not, the museum gives you a glimpse of what life was like in a small western Iowa town throughout the decades.  The Pioneer Trail Museum is so named because it is along the route traveled by 70,000 Mormons from 1846 to 1869 starting in Nauvoo, Illinois, across Iowa on their way to Salt Lake City. 

 

The museum is currently open by appointment only. Please call (712) 486-2568 or (712) 486-2580 to schedule your visit. 

The Pioneer Trail Museum was opened in 2009 with the expansion of the west room in 2015. The Macedonia Historical Preservation Society is extremely grateful for Ruby Bentley's dedication to the museum and the numerous heirlooms and artifacts donated over the years. We are also thankful to the current and past board of directors for their efforts in preserving Macedonia’s rich history.

Macedonia Historical Preservation Society

The Macedonia Historical Preservation Society was organized in October of 2000 for the purpose of

preserving, restoring, and maintaining the area historic buildings and Macedonia area history.  The

organization’s logo is the old wooden railroad bridge that was on Main Street and was used by the

community to provide a safe passage over the C.B. & Q. Railroad tracks.  Macedonia Historical

Preservation Society’s motto is “A Bridge From the Past to the Future.”

 

The first organizational meeting of Macedonia Historical Preservation Society was held on October 15, 2000. Elected officers were Ruby Bentley, President; Joan McCready, Secretary; and Anna Bolton, Treasurer. Original Board of Directors included Eileen Adickes, Alice Allensworth, Ruby, Anna, Joan, Sue McCready, Marianne Pilling, Marilynn Pilling, Melinda McCready, Bonnie Pilling, James Braden, and Loren Cole.

The group has collected area history and has made available the first Macedonia History Book, a record of much of the area history.  Other projects that MHPS has taken on include restoring a Main Street building for the Pioneer Trail Museum and the downtown sidewalk railing project. The group helped revive Donia Day, an annual celebration that began in the 1950’s.  A huge Thank You to Ruby Bentley whose long hours and dedication made the Pioneer Trail Museum possible. The museum opened in 2009 with the expansion of the west room in 2015. The society is extremely grateful for the numerous heirlooms and artifacts donated to the museum over the years. We are also thankful for the current board of directors (Ruby is still President!) and their efforts in preserving Macedonia’s rich history.

Long-range goals include preserving area history and maintaining the museum for the area, preserving the history and heritage skills of the pioneers who traveled through Macedonia on the Pioneer Trail and those who settled in this vicinity. 

mhps logo.jpg

Contribute to the Pioneer Trail Museum

The Macedonia Historical Preservation Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that runs on a very limited annual budget.  In addition to the Pioneer Trail Museum, MHPS is also fiscal sponsor for the Painted Camel Cooperative Gallery.  Your contributions, whether as a volunteer, monetary donor, or both, are greatly appreciated and necessary to keep the organization afloat.

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