There are rare opportunities to learn about and to preserve local history in the Mequon-Thiensville area. A group of local history enthusiasts have formed the Friends of Jonathan Clark House with a mission to:
Collect, preserve and share the history of the Jonathan Clark House and the early settlers of Mequon and Thiensville.
The mission is being carried out through the historic 1848 Jonathan Clark House on the corner of Bonniwell and Cedarburg Roads. Perhaps you have driven by it and wondered, “What is in that beautiful stone house?"
The Jonathan Clark House has been developed as a historic house museum of mid-19th century Mequon and Thiensville that interprets the life of the early settlers. Furnishings and accessories throughout the house reflect the era of 1840 to 1860. The Friends of Jonathan Clark House are proud to preserve one of the area’s last available historic landmarks but need financial support to provide educational programming with authentic artifacts.
The Friends of Jonathan Clark House is a non-profit organization led by a volunteer board of eight directors, a volunteer executive director and five volunteer staff members. A cadre of additional volunteers provides a variety of services, year-round. In addition, several middle school land high school students enjoy serving as JCH volunteers.
Educated docents provide tours to groups of children, families, and scout troops. Tours of the house and grounds are available by contacting the staff at jchmuseum@gmail.com or calling 262-618-2051.
Put down the electronics and experience the life of the early settlers!
Gary Heckendorf, President
Alexis Ruzell, Vice President
Margaret Bussone, Secretary
Diana Hetzel, Treasurer
Linda Chay, Director
Justin Racinowski, Director
Pam Ruschman, Director
Dr. Patrick Steele, Director
Dan Umhoefer, Director
Dr. Nina Look, Executive Director
Margaret Bussone, Asst. Director Education
Anne Bridges, Asst. Director, Special Projects
Fred Derr, Preservation Manager
Shaw Bridges, Information Technology
Reed Perkins, Historian
I will always cherish one memory I have from early on in my days working at Jonathan Clark House. A mom came with two kids who looked like they didn't want to come, like they thought that this would be boring. I remember seeing them leave with big smiles on their faces.
That’s what Jonathan Clark House is about. Educating and entertaining people of all ages. That's why I love Jonathan Clark House and why I volunteer and truly believe in the amazing institution that is the Jonathan Clark House. I have learned, taught and enjoyed so much in my year and a half of working at Jonathan Clark House, and I cannot wait to continue teaching and entertaining the people of our community.
The Jonathan Clark House is important to our community because it is a part of Mequon’s history, and without it, people may forget how Mequon got to how it looks now.
The Jonathan Clark House is a way for people to learn about the history of Mequon. I have learned about the Clark family and how there were eight children and only one of them was a boy. Also, I have learned about when the house was made (1848) and how people at that time made a living.
I volunteer at JCH because I care about contributions to our community and making it a better place.
The Clark House is a good example of a pioneer house that people today can visit and learn from. It is better to see and experience history rather than just reading or hearing about it. It is fun and exciting. I have learned how to be an old timey pioneer and I like making new friends.
It is important for our community to have a historic museum because it is important to learn about the past. I enjoy learning about tasks, games, crops and animals from an earlier era and using my knowledge to strengthen my daily activities/chores.
I volunteer at the museum to help people learn about raising chickens. Many people don’t really know what it takes to properly raise a chicken and they are unaware of the different types. I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned from 4-H over the last few years. I welcome questions about my flock and have a lot of trivia about chickens. I think some people haven’t had the experience to be close to farm animals before. This gives them that opportunity.
My name is Rebecca Gierach and I am from the Lindenwood 4-H Club. This year I participated in the Jonathan Clark House museum Dairy Days. I brought a baby calf that was one day old. Everybody was amazed that he was only 12 hours old.
I think that the museum is important because it reminds us about people that lived before us. It can give us an idea about living in that time period and how people solved their problems. This can serve as an example to help us solve our own problems.
I believe it is important for us to learn about and understand our heritage. We owe a certain respect to those who came before us and shaped the world as we know it.
Unfortunately, this concept is lost on many of today’s young people. A historical resource with tangible and visual exhibits, however, peaks one’s interests and invests one’s mind into the learning of said heritage. For this reason, a history museum is vital to the community’s understanding of its past - and perhaps a glimpse into its future.
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