
Montgomery's Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) began working in 2006 to restore an 1840s home in downtown Montgomery to use as a local archive and museum. The house, called Settler's Cottage, is located at 198 N. River Street (in front of the Village Hall) across from the VFW. Initially owned by Daniel S. Gray, the founder of Montgomery, this house is the oldest remaining structure in the Village.
The HPC sought grants and raised funds for several years to pay for the restoration of this building. It opened as a museum and is open several times each month from April to October. There is no charge for admission. Exhibits rotate each year, so there is always something new to see.
For more information or to make an appointment to visit the museum outside of regular hours, don't hesitate to contact the Historic Preservation Commission via email at hpc@ci.montgomery.il.us. In addition, those interested can view a virtual tour of Settler's Cottage here.
In 2011, the Settler's Cottage Project was awarded a Governor's Home Town Award for being a fine example of a project accomplished with volunteer hours and excellent community support.