The Cole Camp Museum is located at 108 S. Maple Street, just south of Route 52, at the four-way stop in Cole Camp.
Cole Camp is a quaint town that holds a great deal of pride in their history to this area of Missouri. This museum is dedicated to those who came before us by preserving our local history as well as our heritage.
- Phone Number: 660-668-3037
- Official Facebook Page: Cole Camp Museum Group [1]
- May & November: Open on weekends (Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.– 4 p.m.).
- June through October: Open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m.– 4 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m..
- December: Open on specific dates for holiday events like the Christkindlmarkt.
- Special Request: Group tours outside of standard public hours can be arranged by calling or messaging the museum team in advance.
- Civil War & Battle Exhibits: Includes a detailed battle diorama, historical military uniforms, artifacts, and original newspaper accounts detailing the local Battle of Cole Camp from June 1861.
- German Heritage Artifacts: Displays highlighting the 1830s immigration of families from Hanover, Lower Saxony, who initially settled the area.
- Prehistoric & Settler History: Collections ranging from ancient local Native American tribal artifacts to tools from early homestead life, trade, and craftsmanship.
- Veterans Memorabilia: Dedicated exhibits featuring photos and personal items honoring local veterans from World War I, World War II, and subsequent conflicts.
- Special Windows & Gift Shop: The museum features curated window displays (such as a 1950s American Flyer Train) and sells local history books, custom ornaments, and homemade cards.
Cole Camp is one of the oldest communities in west central Missouri, with the first settler arriving in 1829. By the Mid 1830s the town was established and the area around it was rapidly being settled. One of the first battles of the Civil War was fought two miles east of Cole Camp, and Cole Camp continued top be an important location throughout the war. The town and the surrounding countryside boasts of several pre-Civil War homes and buildings, most of which are still in use. The downtown area was well on its way to being established in the 1890s and remains the economic center of the community. The City has been awarded a state grant to conduct a survey of historical resources with the objective of having the town placed in the National Historic Register.