Museums document history to help us understand why things are the way they are today. So history is the study of change and the effects of change.

For this community, the past and present are intimately connected to agriculture. One of the best places to see the changes in agriculture is the Andrew County Museum, about 15 miles north of St. Joseph in Savannah.

"We hope this museum can fill in the blank spots for young people," said Harold Johnson, chairman of the board for the county museum and historical society.

The museum started work in 1995 with a strategic plan. Board members, staff and consultants have worked for 14 years to take a dream and create a walk through agricultural times, Mr. Johnson said.

New interactive exhibits tell the story of Andrew County farm, home and city life, and document changes in agricultural production. Visitors will see how farming, kitchens, living rooms, recreation areas and other aspects of rural American life have changed as they view hundreds of items, including a Farmall metal-wheeled tractor.

People forget that not every town had a movie theater, Mr. Johnson said. But they did have merchants who would rent the early silent movies and show them on the sides of their buildings, he added. The museum has a silent movie visitors can watch and read the dialogue to on the side of a simulated brick building, Mr. Johnson said.

The Franklin community, which lived on the edge of Savannah, began when slaves were freed. The museum was able to document this aspect of Andrew County life that showed how segregation happened and how people lived together and apart, Mr. Johnson said.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, north of U.S. Business Highway 71 in Harry Duncan Park.

Each week, Property of the Past writer Marshall White features a building or an item of St. Joseph history. If you have a home, building, special collection or an interesting piece of history, contact him

at marshall@npgco.com.