A horse-drawn hearse shares a room with Putnam County pen history

Start with the horse-drawn hearse. The Putnam County Historical Society Museum keeps it in the same Unionville collection as a hand-painted Limoges punch bowl, a large weaver’s loom, rope beads, quilts, dolls, and coal-mining tools.

Then the collection takes another turn. Local pen history and Putnam Fadeless Dyes sit beside antique furniture and the tools of everyday work. A visitor can move from a loom to a coal-mining display without leaving the room. That odd pairing is the point: household work, mining, manufacturing, and local invention all belonged to the same county.

The museum is at 201 South 16th Street. The posted schedule is 1 to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday from May through September, with other visits available by appointment. Check the City of Unionville page before making the drive.