As a part of our 2022 Welcome Home to Shiloh campaign, we are highlighting interviews with some of our members and exploring what Shiloh means to them. Featured here in our Welcome Home Member Series,  is Jim Meinecke, our current board president. Visit Welcome Home to learn more about the benefits of becoming a member of Shiloh Museum.

Man wearing glasses and patterned orange shirt standing in front of wall with a map of the Buffalo river and photographs on top of the map.

Welcome Home Member Series Q & A

Q: Why is Shiloh Museum special to you?

A: Shiloh Museum is special because it is so specific and tailored to our area of the Ozarks.  Anyone that has lived here will be able to relate to the things they see and hear at the museum.  If someone is new to the region, then Shiloh is the perfect place to get a feel for our unique culture and history.  You can learn about everything from Native American artifacts to Marshallese sailboats at Shiloh Museum.

Q: Do you have any memories about the Shiloh Museum that you would like to share?

A: I have a lot of good memories about Shiloh. My favorite memory is seeing the inside of Shiloh Meeting Hall for the first time. There is so much interesting history connected to that one structure. I am so glad that it has been restored and is still being used.

Another special memory for me occurred as I was browsing through the exhibits at the museum. There is a picture of Bethlehem Church there and I recognized it as the church that is on property that some friends and I own near Devil’s Den State Park. The church was originally located at the confluence of Rich and Lee Creeks. I believe that is where the picture was taken. There is a large pool there that is still called the “baptizing hole.” Neighbors told me that the church was moved out of Lee Creek valley to the top of the ridge in 1939. The old Fayetteville Road followed the creek but was replaced by a new road that ran along the ridge above the valley. The old foundation and church cemetery are still down on the creek.

Q: What ways does the Shiloh Museum feels like home to you? 

A: The Shiloh Museum of Ozark History has opened its doors to all and has given different groups the space to claim it as part of our community and our home.