Writer / Ariane Haile
Walk the Noblesville Square and you can’t miss it: the stately red-brick landmark with an iron-lace porch and a simple sign that reads “Museum of History.” Built in 1876 as the Hamilton County sheriff’s residence with an attached jail, more than 30 sheriffs and their families lived here — children playing upstairs while inmates occupied cells below.
This landmark now houses the Hamilton County Historical Society’s Museum of History. But this is no ordinary museum — it’s a living time capsule where our fast-growing county keeps its roots intact.
Jessica Layman, president of the Historical Society, still remembers her first walk through the foyer.
“I immediately felt the magic,” she says. A longtime volunteer, Layman now balances board duties with work in the Noblesville library’s local-history center.
“Every time I’m here I learn something new,” she says. “Helping visitors piece together the puzzle of our history is incredibly satisfying.”
Museum director Sandy Lynch, a Hamilton County native, understands that sense of wonder and the challenge of sharing it.
“To be a good docent you have to be a storyteller,” she says.
Facts alone won’t hold a visitor’s attention, so she leans on anecdotes like tales of the famous prisoners once housed here, or what life was like for the sheriff’s wife and children while they lived there. When guests leave smiling and promising to bring a sister, neighbor or grandchild, Lynch knows the stories landed.
History Meets Holiday Cheer
One of the society’s most beloved traditions sits right next door — the Santa House on the Square, a tiny cottage making spirits bright since the 1960s. The Historical Society manages it with help from volunteers and sponsors. Children visit Santa, receive a candy cane, and soak up the old-fashioned décor, while parents recall their own childhood stops. Admission is free.
Following the Noblesville Chamber Tree Lighting on Saturday, Nov. 29, the Santa House will open on select dates through Tuesday, Dec. 24. For the complete schedule, visit hamiltoncoinhs.com. Pair your visit with the museum’s holiday open house, or stop in during the town’s classic Cookie Crawl and Holiday Home Tour held in December. Readers are warmly invited — the more, the merrier!
A County-Wide Mission
While the museum and Santa House are located in Noblesville, the Historical Society serves all of Hamilton County. Board members collaborate with groups in Westfield, Carmel, Fishers, Sheridan, and Arcadia to share resources and cross-promote events.
Recent exhibits have explored the Firestone plant, Lucky Teeter’s stunt shows, women in sports, and the county’s interurban rail network. The team is also preparing for the Embrace Downtown street-improvement project that will bring brick streets and wider sidewalks to the square.
“When that project is finished, we want to be finished too — with fresh exhibits and extended hours,” Lynch says.
Like many nonprofits, the society runs on volunteer energy and donations. The museum has one part-time staff member, so volunteers shoulder everything from research and tours to decorating the Santa House and swinging a hammer during exhibit installs. On your next visit, remember “Every dollar helps us tell another story,” Layman says.
Plan Your Visit
The Hamilton County Museum of History and Old Sheriff’s Residence and Jail is open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. Group tours can be arranged on other days. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated.
You’ll find restored period rooms, county-history exhibits, and three floors of former jail cells — plus plenty of stories waiting to be discovered. To learn more, arrange a tour, or explore volunteer opportunities, visit hamiltoncoinhs.com or contact the Historical Society at 317-770-0775 or info@hamiltoncoinhs.com.
