The process of acquiring a new home for the Schererville Historical Society has been completed by the town officials who are now hoping it will attract residents to get involved in maintaining the town’s history.
A plan to make the former home of the town’s founder, Nicholas Scherer, into a museum is currently being drafted by Bryan Van Ryn of Van Ryn Architects. The Redevelopment Commission on Aug. 12 approved the purchase of the $123,000 home.
Town Manager Bob Volkmann said he had always told the home’s owner, Highland family, that when they wanted to sell it to make sure to let the town know. The town closed on the property recently.
The new home for the historical society, 33 Wilhelm St., will be run by volunteers, Volkmann said. The volunteers would be responsible for leading tours for school groups or organizations during the week to give children who live in Schererville, a glimpse of what it was like before. Members who join the society will help further its collection, set up the museum and maintain the society’s collection, he said.
“We want to be able to show people what it looked like to live in Schererville back then,” Volkmann said, adding that he wants the kitchen in the museum to resemble how it looked in the early 1900s.
Volkmann said the siding of the home needs to be removed, which comes with a possibility of finding aluminum siding from the 1970s. In addition, there was once a porch in front of the house and Volkmann said he wants to bring it back, adding that those specifics would be part of Van Ryn’s proposal for the home.
Volkmann said a draft of Van Ryn’s proposal will be ready by the end of this year.
Dan Zar is a freelance reporter for th Post-Tribune.
