THE
MINING
MUSEUM

ROLLO
JAMISON
MUSEUM





Museum Department - City of Platteville
405 E. Main Street, P. O. Box 780
Platteville, Wisconsin 53818-0780
Telephone (608) 348-3301
Email: museums@platteville.org
  Special events are held throughout the year at the museum.

  February
February 4, 5, 11, 12, 2012     10:00 - 4:00
       During the first two weekends of February, volunteers and museum staff will fill the East Display Gallery with antique and modern toy trains. Running and static displays in a variety of gauges with something of interest for everyone - 10 x 16 G-scale layout, and Standard, O, and HO gauge layouts, play area with wood floor trains.

Click for images of Winter Toy Train Exhibit 2011
Images from the Toy Train Exhibit 2010. Images from the Toy Train Exhibit 2008.
March
  2012 Rollo Jamison Museum Winter Lyceum Speaker Series
  Free admission and refreshments
    March 4, 7:00 p.m.   A mining double feature. Mark Langenfeld presents The "Old Stonebreaker": James Gates Percival and the Lead Mines of Wisconsin. Mark is the president of the Mining History Association. Stories about Percival, the eccentric doctor, poet and geologist who became the first state geologist, abounded at the time of his death in Hazel Green in 1856. Listen to some of these stories as you learn about the brilliant James Percival and the first survey of the mining region carried out by the recently created state of Wisconsin.
    Followed by The History, Science, and Diving of the Piquette Mine presented by Tamara Thomsen, underwater archeologist. Come and hear the remarkable story of major scientific discoveries in an old Grant County zinc mine, the Piquette Mine in Tennyson. This mine, started in the 1950s, flooded when it was shut down. The clear, calm waters made it a perfect location for SCUBA divers to practice the difficult skill of cave diving. It was during these dives that the discovery of microbes living off the mine waste was made. The ongoing research may someday lead to new methods of remdiation and reclamation at mine sites around the world.
    March 11, 7:00 p.m.   Odd Wisconsin: Amusing, Perplexing, and Unlikely Stories from Wisconsin's Past by Ericka Janik, author. Erika Janik will share some fun and surprising stories of the people, places and events of Wisconsin's past that you didn't learn in school. Why would the University of Wisconsin have a band play for cows? Why did legislators consider umbrellas essential to debate on the Assembly floor in the 19th century? You may find yourself perplexed and asonished by the answers.
     March 25, 7:00 p.m. American Women of the Civil War presented by the group Women of Courage and Commitment. Throughout history, women have made tremendous contributions. Without the right to vote or often even speak in public forums, women forged ahead to prove their worth whild helping to create today's world. Join this talented group of historians and educators as they take us back to the days of the American Civil War. We will get perspectives from both sides of the conflict, and hear from some women who saw the war up close in a personal way. We'll hear stories from Sarah Coates Harris, Sarah Katherine Stone, Julia Dent Grant, Dr. Mary Walker, Rose Greenhow, and Clarrisa Gear Hobbs.

July
   Heritage Day at the Rollo Jamison Museum, July 4, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  A day of games, demonstrations, special exhibits, music and food served up by the Platteville Music Boosters.  Bob Welch performed Songs of the Civil War to commemorate the Civil War Sesquicentennial. The Wundo Band played in the afternoon.  Thanks to volunteers we had demonstrations of the hit and miss engines, antique tractors, and a car display by the Southwest Wisconsin Auto Club.

      

    
September
  Platteville's Historic Re-enactment September 9-11, 2011. Museum staff and dozens of re-enactors give visitors a taste of life in the late 18th and early 19th century. The museum sites show early exploration and lead mining and demonstrate bullet making and give visitors an opportunity to try a variety of games played both by children and adults.  The event is organized by the Platteville Histroric Re-enactment Committee. Friday is the school day.
November
      Jamison Museum Association Annual Meeting and program on Wednesday November 9, 2011 at the First English Lutheran Church.  The 7:30 program, The One Room School Experience, was presented by Fay Stone who knew both sides of the desk having been both a student and teacher in one room schools. Admission to the meeting and program was free and open to the public
     The evening began with a pasty dinner at 6:00. The ticket price was a donation to support programming at the museum.

 December
       The Songs of Christmas  Open Dec. 2-23, 26-30. 2011. Exhibits included a 14’ Victorian tree, pre-WWII Standard Gauge toy trains, 1850s, 1880s, 1910s and 1940s period room settings, children’s activities, and music byt the Platteville Children's Choir, the Platteville High School Blue Notes and the Platteville Chorale.


Click here to see scenes from the 2010 Deck the Halls!
        See scenes from 2009 'Twas the Night Before Christmas 2008 Holiday Feasts & Festivities, 2007 Here Comes Santa Claus! and Heritage of Christmas from 2006 at these links.