THE TIPTON COUNTY HERITAGE CENTER & MUSEUM is sponsored by the Tipton County Historical Society. It is situated on the route of the old Muncietown-to-Lafayette State Road that was established long before Tipton County was founded in 1844. The center contains more than 4,000 square feet of floor space for museum displays and storage.
It is a historical center for the citizens of Tipton County.
It offers services that are not available from other public facilities.
It serves as a Tipton County museum of history by displaying local artifacts that portray the history and the development of the county.
It has a history library that gives the public access to information about the founding and the history of Tipton County.
The Heritage Center is a final resting place for valuable old books, county histories, old records and documents, and a storage place for out-dated public records from the courthouse, the city of Tipton and the small towns. It will house a very large number of school records from all of the townships.
The history library also functions as a center for the family records of the local citizens, as well as a genealogical resource center for family biographies, and books and materials for researching family histories.
The Tipton County Heritage Center is a facility where important artifacts, old documents and historic papers can be safely stored for long periods of time under archival conditions. The heat, humidity and light are carefully controlled for optimum conditions for long-time storage. It does not duplicate the services of the schools, the public libraries or other organizations of Tipton County.
The Center houses valuable collections belonging to the people of Tipton County. The collections include artifacts for public displays, such as room furnishings, clothes, household equipment, and many other items that have been important for raising families. Many antiques that were used in businesses and in early industries that portray the history of the county will be displayed there. The center also is a storage site for old books, pictures, letters, video, oral histories and other records of the people of Tipton County.
One of the Tipton County Heritage Center’s primary functions is to serve children, adults and members of service organizations as an education center. Hands-on demonstrations are given to portray the history and the place of the county communities in the past and present.
The facility is a resource center, where the history and the importance of Tipton County agriculture, businesses and industries can be researched, while it preserves the significance of the excellent Tipton County soils that are the county’s primary natural resource.
The Phase I portion of the of the Tipton County Heritage Center was completed in 2000. The Phase II addition on the south end of the building was completed in 2008 and is used for the consolidation of the artifact collections from around the County. Phase II was financed by grants and donations from the people who value their heritage and the history and welfare of Tipton County.
Individuals, organizations, businesses, or corporations may contribute. The Tipton County Historical Society, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation that has been established to perform charitable and educational services that are tax-free within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Tax-exempt contributions may be given as personal gifts, memorial gifts or through wills. Donations may be given in the form of money, securities, life insurance, real estate, charitable trusts or deferred gifts.