Properties Owned and Maintained by MCHS
CARNEGIE LIBRARY
303 W Main St
Home of the Morris County Historical Society
Open Wednesdays 1 - 4 and by appointment
SETH HAYS HOME
201 Wood St
The house was built by Seth Hays in 1867. While Hays never married, he did adopt a daughter in 1867. Hays' slave, "Aunt Sally," lived in the basement and cared for the family until her death in 1872. The home, operated by the Morris County Historical society, is open in the summer on Sunday afternoons and by appointment.
DUNLAP LEARNING CENTER
This image captures the historic Dunlap Learning Academy located in the northern part of town. It served as both a school and a boarding facility for students and educators. In 1891, the Academy was forced to close due to financial difficulties. Subsequently, the building was sold and split into two parts. Alfred Parrish purchased one section, integrating it into his existing residence in town. The other section was relocated to a farm north of the area. Following the closure, the students of the Academy were dispersed to various rural and urban schools in the region. These schools had varying policies on segregation, a practice that continued until the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in Topeka in 1954, which mandated desegregation.
POST OFFICE OAK MUSEUM
20 E Main St
The name of the museum comes from the large oak tree, believed to have been 270 years old when it died in 1990, is alleged to have served as an unofficial post office. Travelers could leave messages in a cache in the base of the oak tree. The tree trunk stands next to the Post Office Oak Museum. This was originally a one-family home built in 1864 with a brewery on the lower floor and a 18 x 25 x 9 foot cave to the east of the house. The brewery provided refreshment for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail.
THE OLD BREWERY By Tillie Hebrank Rochat (a granddaughter of F. X. Hebrank)
