Women’s clothing styles at the turn of the 20th century

Women’s fashion in the early 1900s were often an expression of her place in society. Museum House Docent Nancy Gandy shares a look at clothing that could have been worn by the Merrill family women.
Helen’s Room: A look at Victorian dolls

Helen Merrill’s bedroom stops children in their tracks when touring the Merrill House Museum. Can you guess why?
Celebrating the Merrill House Historic Landmark Status

May is National Historic Preservation Month and the Jacksonville Historical Society is pleased to manage four historic properties, three of which are landmarks.
Victorian Era Hygiene

The James E. Merrill House Museum is full of interesting — and sometimes strange — items common to households in the Victorian era. Each month, Merrill House Museum Coordinator Nancy Gandy takes us on a tour of the two-story house, pointing out some of the oddities.
Postcards from Christmas Past

For a long time, postcards were the most popular way for the people of Jacksonville to not only send their season’s greetings to those they cared about, but for them to receive letters of holiday joy in return.
A Victorian Christmas in the Merrill House

The James E. Merrill House Museum was decked out in holiday glory, thanks to Merrill House Museum Coordinator Nancy Gandy and volunteer docents Georgia Pribanic and Duncan Sawyer. Take a peek…
From Ice Harvesting to Icebox

Jacksonville Historical Society Docent Nancy Gandy shares the backstory about items in the Merrill House Museum. Here she talks about the icebox, which can be found in the Merrill House kitchen.
Merrill House Museum gets a little facelift

The Jacksonville Historical Society will soon be opening the Merrill House Museum for tours. Read more for details on this fascinating slice of Victorian era history!
Happy Anniversary, Merrill House Museum!

Owned by the City of Jacksonville and leased to the Jacksonville Historical Society, the 141-year-old James E. Merrill House is a museum resplendent of the Victorian era.