Schoeffner Farm Museum

The idea for establishing the Earl D. Schoeffner Memorial Farm Museum came from Earl Schoeffner, himself. A farmer, artistic craftsman, and master carpenter, Earl was a resourceful innovator in the Momence community. Born in 1935, he lived with his parents on four different farms, and from an early age, showed a love and aptitude for all things agr... icultural. He attended the one-room Miner School in Momence and delighted in drawing pictures and writing stories and poems about farm life. As a boy, he enjoyed playing with toy tractors and implements. Later, as an adult, he was a collector of miniature farm equipment. Some of that equipment, along with his hand-crafted model buildings, was exhibited in a large farm diorama and proudly displayed around Kankakee County. Owning as much as 1200 acres of rich farmland, Earl was an early advocate of "No-Till" farming, and established a "No-Till Club". In later years, Schoeffner was a long-time trustee for Momence Township, and decided to provide for a museum to pass on the legacy of farming that he loved so much. Schoeffner passed away in 2008. He provided for the creation of this museum which shows his collections and tells the story of more than 100 years of farm life. The museum's exhibits, displays, and ongoing educational programs provide a memorable insight into another agricultural era. The Earl D. Schoeffner Farm Museum is curated by Selle-Agner Exhibits, a growing builder of museum displays in Illinois. Ron Selle and Darlene Agner have previously created exhibits including: "Life in the Forties", "Music of the Civil War", "B-17 Flying Fortress", and "Titanic, Ship of Dreams". Current exhibits can be seen at museums in Kankakee and Pontiac. The Earl D. Schoeffner Farm Museum is Selle-Agner's most ambitious project to date.Read More