Writer / Mary Lowry
Photographer / Jubilee Edgell
On May 11, 2019, the Marshall County Historical Society proudly opened its newest exhibit — The County of Champions Sports Room. Modern, fun, and informative, visitors are transported back in time to witness the prominence of different Marshall County sports teams throughout the years.
History doesn’t feel too far in the past with all of the new technology in the room. With flat screen televisions, iPads, and even a selfie station, visitors are sure to learn something, and have fun while doing it. A video with interviews from various people involved in Marshall County sports plays, letting visitors hear stories from prior coaches and players. It even features an interview with a man who has been announcing athletic games in Marshall County for 50 years.
“We have iPads mounted in the room that you can go through and see buttons like athletic photos, radio and video clips, fun facts, local legends, stats, and people that went on to play or coach professionally,” says spokesperson, Mindy Langdon.
All of the modern technology doesn’t take away from the feeling of nostalgia that visitors experience when they walk into the room, though. With new floors that look like a basketball floor, salt-glazed brick to look like old gymnasium walls, and even bleachers for people to watch old films on, sports fans are transported back to their high school days. Langdon highlights a big piece of history within the room, too.
“We have the original scoreboard from Centennial Auditorium. It’s cleaned, and all lit up, with the score of the last game played there,” Langdon says.
Families are sure to have a good time, with plenty of space for kids to be immersed in the history of the county.
“There will be a selfie station for kids, where they can pretend they’re sportscasters. There are microphones and scripts for them to read,” Langdon says.
With a grant through the Indiana Historical Society and Eli Lilly, the Marshall County Historical Society had been thinking about updating the room for a long time.
“How it came to be was a couple years ago, we were updating other parts of the museum, and we went into the Sports Room and thought that it wasn’t doing justice to our county sports exhibit,” Langdon says.
While you’re there, there are plenty of other unique exhibits to spend time in. The museum has made a push to make things more hands-on, with activities for kids and adults alike.
“There’s a farmers market for kids, a transportation room that explains why we’re called the crossroads. We have a Native American room that talks about the Potawatomi. We’re also doing a ghost tour this year,” Langdon says.
If you want to feel history come alive, visit the Marshall County Historical Society at 123 N. Michigan St. in Plymouth. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For questions and more information, you can call them at 574-936-2306 or visit them online at mchistoricalsociety.org.
