Douglas County Museum and Historical Society

08/31/2026

Great News! If you bought raffle tickets for the kayak, you are still in the running. Our winner has donated it back and we will continue the raffle! Winner will be drawn at the Ava Christmas Parade!

08/27/2026

1913 - Sawmill on Doug WILSON place near Vanzant, MO in Douglas County, MO.
Standing L to R - HAVENS, MCCARTY, Henry COOPER, William “Pap” RODGERS, John HAVENS, Guy WILLIAMS, unknown, Doug WILSON
Seated - Unknown,Unknown
Did any of your relatives work at a sawmill for the Barker Family?
Noble and David Barker photo

08/27/2026

The whole world is mourning the death of Dolly Parton. She was from the Sevierville area of Tennessee. I ran across Partons way back in my husband's genealogy. Being as so many of our ancestors families came from that general area of the country, are there any of you out there that have found through your genealogical research that you are related to the Parton family?

08/17/2026

Thank you to everyone who Braved the heat and came out to the museum Saturday for our Open House. Thank you to everyone who bought raffle tickets on the quilt and kayak. The quilt winner was Nancy Boyd, the kayak winner was Dick Salgado.

08/15/2026

08/15/2026

Today is the day! Come out to the museum and visit with us!
Grab some refreshments, go through the museum for free,
talk about Douglas County's history.
Last chance to buy raffle tickets for the quilt and kayak!
We will be open from 10 til 2. Raffle winners drawn at 1:45!

08/14/2026

08/12/2026

Do you know what year Wal-Mart came to Ava? How about who Owned the Star Theater? Before highway 14 was highway 14, what was the number of that highway? Any guesses on what the highest point in Douglas County is?
Come on out to the museum this Saturday the 15th for our Open House and let's talk trivia!

08/12/2026

Do you love Douglas County?
Do you love history?
Do you love Douglas County History?
Come out to the Open House of the Douglas County Museum
on Saturday August 15th from 10 to 2
And let's play some Douglas County History Trivia!
If you have lived in or around Douglas County all or most of your life, come test your memory (or test ours!)
If you are new to the area, we'd love to tell you about the history of the county!
Free museum admission, snacks, bounce house for the kids . . . raffle winners revealed at 1:45!

08/10/2026

Our condolences to the family of Tom Vinson. He played a big part in making the museum a reality in the early days.

View Tom Edward Vinson's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.