Brunk Morgan Horse Museum Site of Celebration of the Morgan Horse
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
ROCHESTER, IL - The American Morgan Horse Association has declared the weekend of Sept. 9-10 as Celebrate the Morgan Horse weekend. To that end, the Brunk Morgan Horse Museum and the Mississippi Valley Morgan Horse Club will co-host a Celebrate the Morgan Horse event, Sept. 10, 2006, from noon to 4 p.m. at The Brunk Morgan Horse Museum, 7206 East Lake Services Road (across from Cotton Hill Farm. Follow the KOA signs). Admission is free and open to the public.
Some of the day's many activities will include Morgan horse demonstrations, historical demonstrations on how Morgan horses were used in everyday life, a Parade of Morgans, food vendors and tours of the Brunk Morgan Horse Museum.
In 1995, a group of horse enthusiasts with the dream of building a horse museum in the Midwest gathered to select a location for the museum. The George Brunk Farm, located six miles southeast of Springfield, Ill., was selected because of the family's love and history of fine horses and its historical background. The farm, founded in 1824, remains in the family today. The Museum consists of five acres including the Brunk home (recently partially destroyed by arson), as well as the large barn that was completed in 1829, and a visitor's center. The materials for the original buildings were harvested from the limestone quarry and walnut forests on the farm. The Brunk Museum provides a look back to a time when good horseflesh and family farming were the backbone of the beautiful central Illinois heartland.
Despite the fire, the shell of the home remains historically important, as even more of the architectural integrity has been exposed. Plans are underway to determine how to provide an even more enriching experience for the public as the Museum board continues their quest to restore the remaining remnants of the home.
The Brunk Farmstead is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is a tax-exempt 501(C)(03) charity. Donations will be accepted during the Celebration to help restore the majestic home and barn so future generations can glimpse what farm life was like in the 1800s. For more information about the Morgan Horse Celebration and the Brunk Morgan Horse Museum call (217) 529-4623 or visit www.brunkmuseum.com.
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