The Flat River Historical Society was organized in 1967 and acquired its museum building in 1971, resulting in an outpouring of donated artifacts and support from the community. Serving as the historical archive and local storyteller for 50 years, our mission is to excite people about the history of the Greenville area by displaying these artifacts and telling the stories that they represent. Three floors of exhibits, plus a Victorian garden with its own artifacts, make for an exciting trip through our history! Come and see for yourself!

Visit the museum even when it’s closed!

Take a Virtual Tour:
(Pick a floor and click on blue circles in tour to move to different areas)

Main Floor Timeline of Greenville History

Meander “Main Street Greenville” Upstairs

Home and Work Life in the Lower Level

(Thanks to Mike Pfaff for creating the videos)

Main Floor

Wander the MAIN FLOOR exhibits from the fossil age to Native Americans and fur traders; meet the founders of the community and marvel at the lumbermen riding logs on the Flat River. Learn about our Danish heritage. Discover what the area farmers produced and how products from local manufacturers made life easier! Our presentation of the “Ghosts of Greenville’s Past” will amaze and delight you in our Silver Theater! Are they real – or make believe? Come and see for yourself.

Upstairs

UPSTAIRS, you’ll step back in time as you stroll the streetscape of 1880s Main Street Greenville and peek into the windows of businesses and residences from yesteryear to picture what life was like long ago. Read the story about how the stained glass window came to be, as you marvel at its beauty.

Lower Floor

In the LOWER LEVEL, imagine the harness-maker, carpenter and blacksmith at work in their shops, and discover artifacts from long-ago lumbering, farming, and refrigeration companies. Leisure-time artifacts in the “Postcards from Baldwin Lake” exhibit feature an early 1900s bicycle and a rare Wright boat motor that was only built during 1914-1917.

Victorian Garden

Our Victorian Garden is a community jewel where a waterfall, rock terrace walls and colorful plantings have transformed this former hill into a lush oasis. The garden is constantly changing throughout the growing season, so we encourage you to visit often. Outdoor historic artifacts extend our museum exhibit space into the garden area and can be viewed in the garden, even when the museum is not open.