LCHS Museum Buildings and Exhibits
The LCHS Museum has many great exibits and displays. The museum is currently made up of seven buildings: the Old Trade Center, the Ruth Purdy Speake cabin, the Taylor Whatley building, the Blacksmith Building, Doctor McLain's Office, the Loachapoka Gin Office, and a reconstruction of the Loachapoka Jail.
Tour the LCHS Grounds via Slide Show
Old Trade Center
The Old Trade Center serves as the main Museum building. One of the two large rooms downstairs is devoted to exhibits of the history of Lee County, AL. The other large room houses examples of things sold in the Trade Center from hand-made laces to horse collars, the story of Rousseau's raid (Civil War), and the story of the turtles. (Loachapoka means "the dwelling place of the turtles"). Upstairs is a recreation of the home the last owner of the building made for his family.
Ruth Purdy Speake Cabin
The Ruth Purdy Speake Cabin offers a look at the frontier days of Alabama. Demonstrations of weaving, spinning, quilting and cooking in the fireplace are shown on Second Saturdays and during the annual Historical Fair.
Taylor Whatley Building
The Taylor Whatley Building exhibit is made up of mostly farming tools and implements. It has items pertaining to agriculture, mechanics, blacksmithing, dairy and many other areas.
Blacksmith Shop
The blacksmiths meet every second Saturday of the month to hone their craft and share ideas.
McLain Building
Dr. McLain practiced medicine in Salem, Alabama, from 1902 until 1956. Salem is located in the far easter side of Lee County. Using many of the original furnishings, his office has been recreated to tell the story of a genuinely kind hearted man and his practice of medicine.
The building itself was originally an old barn that was renovated in 2007-2008 with volunteer labor.
Loachapoka Gin Office
The Loachapoka Gin was in production until a fire in 1969 on the site of the LCHS grounds. The gin office and the cotton scale has been restored, and the Gin Office now hosts a history of cotton production exhibit.
Loachapoka Jail
This reproduction of the Loachapoka jail was completed by volunteers at the end of 2008. The original building was discovered on the LCHS property behind and adjacent to what is now the Dr. McLain's Office. The original building was covered in wysteria and badly deteriorated, but measurements were carefully taken to make this construction as near to the original as possible.