The Richmond Hill Historical Museum (built 1937); serves duel purposes by preserving the unique and storied heritage of the area and serves as the Richmond Hill Welcome Center. The museum remains open today through funds made available from the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Historical Society, private citizens, and the city. The building is owned and maintained by a local business. The city and the CVB financially support the museum as the Welcome Center by providing funds for staffing the museum and publishing their brochures.
The Richmond Hill Museum is housed in the old Henry Ford Kindergarten Building. The eight room museum is devoted to Richmond Hill and Bryan County history. Through a fascinating timeline, you can trace the local history. The members of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, a nonprofit organization committed to preserving local history, contribute their time, finances, and artifacts to maintain the museum.
The museum showcases Richmond Hill’s history from prehistoric days to the present. The old school room shows the vast differences between education of the early 1900s and today. The plantation room shows what life was like in the old South. Other exhibits display the major battles fought in Bryan County during the War Between the States. The Henry Ford Era is well documented in the museum. The kindergarten building was part of a volunteer project of the Fords. A variety of items are on display including socks made from tree resin, photographs, and documents that display Ford’s philanthropic efforts in the area.
