Welcome to the Heritage & Culture Center!
Home of the Owen County Heritage Museum
and
the Carnegie Coffee Shoppe & Gift Shop
110 East Market Street
P.O. Box 676
Spencer, Indiana 47460
Open Fridays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
We are also open by appointment; contact Vic Kinney to schedule a visit.
The Owen County Heritage & Culture Center is a nonprofit organization housed in the historic Spencer Carnegie Library building. We provide a museum with a variety of displays showcasing the heritage and history of Owen County, and a reference/research library collection and reading area. We also offer a coffee shoppe with homemade baked goods, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, and a gift shop that features a variety of unique and locally-made items, as well as books by local authors (proceeds from coffee/gift shop sales benefit the upkeep of the museum and the building). All of this is in a down-home, relaxed atmosphere, housed in the warm, historic charm of the old library building. No admission fee. Come visit us soon!
Meetings
Meeting schedule will be announced in the spring.
Our Vision
The Craftsman style Carnegie Library Building was built in 1911 on the Spencer Town square and opened in January 1912. It served as a community library for over 85 years. Document storage for Owen County was to be its use for the next several years.
In 2005, the Owen County Heritage & Culture Center Committee was formed by a group of community leaders with the vision for a county-wide center to celebrate the past, present and future of Owen County.
Christmas Open House
Saturday, December 6th,
from Noon to 3:00 p.m.
During Christmas at the Square
We will have a Christmas open house on Saturday, December 6th, from noon to 3:00 p.m., during Christmas at the Square. Check out the museum, which has a variety of displays showcasing the history of Owen County. Relax and visit in the coffee shoppe while enjoying free holiday treats, such as homemade cookies and persimmon pudding, coffee, and tea. The gift shop has books by local authors, greeting cards, prints of sketches and paintings by Ken Bucklew, Lloyd Wood Christmas CDs, and Lloyd Wood Band live show CDs. Visit to learn about Owen County's history and enjoy the warm, historic charm of the Old Spencer Carnegie Library Building! As always, admission is free.
After the Christmas open house, we will be closed regular hours for the winter; however, we will continue to be open by appointment. We will resume regular open hours in the spring.
Our Mission
The Owen County Heritage & Culture Center strives to bring together the community through the promotion and sharing of our Owen County heritage and culture to enrich our everyday lives. We promote preservation of our artifacts, traditions, arts, crafts, customs and history through workshops, festivals, demonstrations, displays and educational programs.
Join Us!
We need you!! This is a total community project that calls for many hands, ideas, and skills.
If you or your group are interested in helping with this project through
volunteer work and/or funding, or would like more information about available programs,
please email one of the officers listed below or write to us
at P.O. Box 676, Spencer, IN 47460.
Thank You!
Contact Us
President and Museum Curator:
Vic Kinney
vickinney70@gmail.com
Vice President and Gift Shop:
Madi Arnett
madi1943@comcast.net
Acting Secretary:
Bonnie Tinsley
a.tinsley379@comcast.net
Treasurer:
Al Tinsley
a.tinsley379@comcast.net
Webmaster:
Barbara Filtri
webmaster@owencountyindhistory.org