Jonathan Clark House Museum
Jonathan Clark House Museum
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    • Home
    • About Us
    • History
      • JCH Historian Blog
      • Who Were the Clarks?
    • Visit
    • Gallery
    • Get Involved
    • Donate
      • Support Our Cause
      • Artifact Project
      • Thank You to Our Donors!
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Visit
  • Gallery
  • Get Involved

About Us

Mission

 

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!

2020 Board of Directors

 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

Volunteer Staff

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

Testimonials from Young Volunteers

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Matthew Seiberlich (Jonathan Clark)

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. 

Alex Ruschman (Henry Clark)

The Jonathan Clark House is important to our community because it is a

Alex Ruschman (Henry Clark)

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.

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Clara Klimczak (Laura Clark)

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.

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Julien Broughton (Lindenwood 4-H)

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. 

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Rebecca Gierach (Lindenwood 4-H), on right

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.

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Silas Toppe (Old Dobberfuhl Farm in Freistadt)

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. 

Support Small Businesses

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Richmond Investment Services

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Port Washington State Bank

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Spectrum Investment Advisors

Please Support the Area Small Businesses that have Supported the Jonathan Clark House Museum

  American Country Farm Bed & Breakfast

Amy’s Candy Kitchen

Antique Center @ Wales

Bank First

Maureen Baumann-Coldwell Banker

Boehlke Hardware

Café Hollander

Cedar Creek Winery

Cedarburg Toy Company

the cheel

Creekside Valley Farm

Culver's

Bridget DeLoge, Artist

Eagle Centre Bed & Breakfast

Egelhoff Lawn Service

Fiddleheads

First Bank Financial Center

Forte Bank, Hartford

Foxtown Brewing

Fromm Family Foods

glaze

Gollnick Tree Service

Herbst Oil

The Kubala Washatko Architects

Leaf Land

Mequon Vacuum Center

Mila’s Bakery

Mid-State Insurance

Old World Wisconsin

Outpost Natural Foods

Owen’s Printing

The Pink Llama Gallery

Port Washington State Bank

Racinowski Design

Richmond Investment Services

Ruby Tap

Pam Ruschman, Artist

Alexis Ruzell – Real Estate Executives

St. Paul Fish Company

Michael Santini and Roberta Kiss

Michelle Savas-Thompson, Artist

Shaffer Development

Sommer’s Automotive

Spectrum Investment Advisors

Stilt House

Gina Studelska, Artist

TRU Heating and Cooling

Clarey Wamhoff, Artist

Washington House Inn

Bruce Wild Painting

Johnson Financial

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St. Paul Fish Company

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Outpost Foods & Fromm Family Foods

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Pink Llama Gallery

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Herbst Oil & TRU Heating & Cooling

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