Volunteers at the Center for History provide hours of valuable assistance in meaningful ways. Some help on a regular basis, while others prefer to be called “as-needed.” Tremendous work is accomplished by volunteers at the Center for History, and an added benefit is the friendships formed with staff and other volunteers.

Those who have special interest in the historic houses may train to become a docent, conducting tours of the historic houses, Copshaholm and the Worker’s Home. Some volunteers work in the archives, helping to digitize the museum’s photograph collection or catalog historical documents and artifacts. For those who like the outdoors, they can help tend the beautiful flowers and plants in the historic gardens. Greeting the public at programs and special events is another way volunteers can be involved. Working behind the scenes with mailings and other administrative projects is yet another option. There are also many opportunities for those who like the performing arts or such living history programs as Cabin Days, held each spring for school groups.

It’s easy to sign up to be a museum volunteer–simply contact the Center for History’s Volunteer Coordinator at 235-9664, ext. 264 or complete the form online. It’s a wonderful way to make a place for oneself in history.

The Center for History offers visitors guided tours of its historic houses, Copshaholm and the Worker’s Home, daily. Conducting these tours are volunteer docents. Individuals who have a special interest in historic houses may want to volunteer as a docent. The Center for History provides a docent training course where individuals learn how to lead tours. Information about the architecture and furnishings of Copshaholm, the Oliver family, and the Oliver Chilled Plow Works is given in the course. Classes focus on a variety of themes related to the Oliver Chilled Plow Works, including the Industrial Revolution and the expanding Western frontier. Information covered ranges from the history of the St. Joseph River Valley region to roles and obligations of the different social classes of the period. Publications and continuing-education lectures, designed to augment the initial training course, are offered throughout the year.

Copshaholm, an exquisite 38-room mansion located on the corner of Washington and Chapin Streets, was home to the J. D. Oliver family, owners of the largest plow factory in the world, the Oliver Chilled Plow Works. Now, as a house museum with all furnishings original to the home, Copshaholm can be seen as it looked when the family lived there.

The Worker’s Home is a restored two-story, front-gable cottage furnished to reflect life as it might have been lived by a Polish working-class family of the 1930s. The Worker’s Home or Dom Robotnika, which means “worker’s home” in Polish, celebrates the community’s diverse ethnic heritage and contrasts the vast lifestyle differences of the neighborhood in the early 1900s.

Volunteers especially interested in interpreting the history of the St. Joseph River Valley will enjoy working in Voyages Gallery of Local History as a Gallery Interpreter. In this gallery, visitors can learn about the region’s geological history, Native American culture, French exploration, pioneer settlement, the Great Kankakee March, agriculture, the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, industrialization, immigration, and material culture. School groups at all grade levels visit the gallery. A three-session training course is offered to provide information about the gallery’s themes and areas of study.

LIVING HISTORY

If you like pioneer history and you can demonstrate woodworking skills, quilting, pioneer cooking, or any other early American trade we would like to talk to you about Cabin Days. Cabin Days is an annual program serving over 4,000 area students and is a living history program that takes place in Leeper Park at the Navarre Cabin in May. During “Cabin Days,” nearly 50 volunteers dressed as pioneers demonstrate to elementary school groups cooking, recreation and trades of the 1830s.

Do you enjoy the Civil War era and educating school children about that tumultuous time in our nation’s history? Have your friends ever said you look like President Abraham Lincoln, General Robert E. Lee, U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant, or Harriet Tubman? The Education Department is always looking for adults, who would not mind dressing in, and acting in, character and presenting material to students about the many different aspects of the Civil War. This annual program that occurs every spring draws an average of 1,000 students over a 7-day period.

Performers are also needed for the Christmas at Copshaholm Specialty Tours. For this program, volunteers portray Oliver family and friends on three dates in December. The tours are scripted.

A great job for individuals who like to work with children, Gallery Guides take groups of school children through our Voyages Gallery or guide little ones through the hands-on activities of kidsfirst Children's Museum.

Great for individuals who prefer to volunteer on a project to project basis - our year is sprinkled with dozens of special events - brunches - children's programs - lectures - concerts - just to name a few! While helping at a special event, you will experience the delight of a child having brunch with the Easter Bunny or sway to the sounds of cool jazz on a hot summer evening.

GARDENS

Are you a garden enthusiast? Our museum complex sits on 10 acres. Our garden volunteers help around the grounds and in the Historic Oliver Gardens, one of the loveliest gardens in the area.

Are you good with people - not at all shy in a crowd? Marketing volunteers help us share the good news about the Northern Indiana Center for History with the public at various festivals, conferences and gatherings in our community.

Would you like to help and would prefer to be behind the scene? Clerical volunteers help with mailings, data entry and general office support.

Detail-oriented individuals will find assisting with artifact maintenance and research quite rewarding. As we expand our exhibit schedule we need help with artifact cataloging, care and storage, research, and assistance with exhibit preparation.