History of the PoCo Muse

Starting Out

The Porter County Museum began when members and volunteers of the Porter County Historical Society temporarily gathered and displayed artifacts from every township during Porter County’s celebration of Indiana’s Centennial, starting on September 24, 1916. When some of the contributors did not want their objects back, these pieces became the nucleus of the museum’s collection.

It has been difficult to pinpoint an exact start date for the museum’s regular hours of operation, but most sources show that the collection was officially showcased on a regular basis in the basement level of the Valparaiso Public Library during the early 1930s. 

Next Steps

When library space became restricted, the Porter County Commissioners allowed the collection to be moved into the third floor of the newly remodeled Porter County Courthouse.  Doors to the Porter County Historical Museum first opened to the public on January 17, 1938.

Headed to Jail

After nearly 40 years, the collection once again needed a larger venue.  With much debate, volunteers and staff began moving the collection to the former Porter County Jail and Sheriff’s Residence on September 17, 1974.  The Old Jail Museum officially opened its doors to the public on May 11, 1975—59 years after the collection was first publicly displayed in Porter County.  On June 23, 1976, the former jail and residence were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

What’s Old is New

In May 2007, the Old Jail Museum officially changed its name back to the Porter County Museum. The Board Directors of the Historical Society of Porter County felt the name was more representative of the collection. On March 1, 2008, Kevin Matthew Pazour was hired by the Porter County Commissioners as the first full-time Executive Director.

A New Foundation

On May 12, 2010, the Porter County Heritage Corporation, an independent non-profit tasked with planning for the Porter County Museum’s future, was created by the Historical Society of Porter County. During a special meeting on June 18, 2010, the Board of Directors of the Historical Society signed over the entire collection of artifacts to the newly formed Porter County Heritage Corporation. The re-branded Porter County Museum of History re-opened to the public in September 2010 with expanded public hours, revitalized exhibits and programs, and a sharpened focus on local history.

It was early 2012 when the Porter County Museum adopted the “PoCo Muse” moniker. On December 17, 2012, the Porter County Heritage Corporation officially became the PoCo Muse Foundation. The PoCo Muse is dedicated to engaging Porter County’s rich past with its evolving present to educate, enrich, and inspire our communities.

A New Home

The PoCo Muse temporarily closed its doors in the 1871 Porter County Jail on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After much rethinking and planning, the PoCo Muse Foundation remodeled its building at 20 Indiana Avenue in Valparaiso to be the new long-term home of the Porter County Museum. This new space reopened to the public on May 19, 2022, with a special evening reception and viewing hours of A Calumet Tapestry: Artistic Views of the Region.

In July 2022, the PoCo Muse Foundation legally shortened its name to the PoCo Muse. It continues to work with Porter County Government to ensure the successful operation of the Porter County Museum.