ABOUT US

Seminole Valley Farm Museum © 2013 All Rights Reserved

Our Staff

     From 1921 to 1927 the farm was rented out. Then in 1927 the farm's ownership was transfered to his daughter Francis and her husband Wesley J. Miller. They also made many improvements to the farm. The present Museum building was built in 1954 and had all the concrete mixed by hand. The summer kitchen was rotated 90 degrees so that it was easier to move cream from the barn to the seperator inside. The Millers owned the farm until 1965 when it was sold to the city of Cedar Rapids and it became the newest city park, Seminole Valley Park.

   While the farm has survived many natural disasters over the years, the record flood of 2008 is the one that took its toll on the buildings and contents. Two previous record floods never saw more than 2 inches of water on the ground floor of the farmhouse. In 2008 there was 2 to 4 inches of water in the upstairs of the farmhouse. Most of the out buildings were under water. The barn had water into its loft. There was over 12 foot of water around the farmhouse. All the contents of the museum were either severely damaged or destroyed. The tool shed, the hen house, and the smoke house, along with their contents, were washed away completely. An arson fire claimed the outhouse several months before the flood.  Then in 2020 we had a derecho hit the area with mass destruction. It not only took most of our trees, it laid some of them on our Summer Kitchen and Farm house.   

     At this time Seminole Valley Inc. is in the process of rebuilding. While it will take many years and thousands of dollars, we hope to preserve this site for future generations to enjoy. ​

We continue to represent not only Iowa farming history but events that affected Iowa and the residents who lived here. 

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