Collections

Collection Contributions

The Ella Sharp Museum is committed to collecting your story. The museum has a collection of artifacts from the community that aids in the preservation of Jackson’s history. The collection is never complete and is constantly growing. If you’re interested in donating to the collection these are need-to-know facts.

How Do I Donate an Object?

We try to keep it as simple as possible. To donate to the Ella Sharp Museum collection you must set up an appointment with one of the Collections Department staff members. This appointment allows staff to document all the information related to a donation. All potential donations are brought to the Collections Committee. This committee decides as a group to accept or not accept donations to the collection.

When objects are donated to the Ella Sharp Museum, ownership is legally transferred to the Museum. There is the option of loaning objects and artwork to the Ella Sharp Museum for a specific exhibition if you are not ready to give up your belongings.

Contact the collections team at 517-787-2320 or email us today!

Research at Ella Sharp Museum

 We welcome all researchers to the Ella Sharp Museum. The museum collects objects and archival records that relate to the history of Jackson and the surrounding areas. If you are interested in learning more about Jackson, the Ella Sharp Museum is the place to be. 

Contact the collections team at 517-787-2320 or E-mail us today!

Jackson County Obituary Index

The Jackson County Obituary Index lists Michigan deaths, funerals, internments and obituaries as listed in the Jackson County newspapers from 1847-1879 and is free for researchers to use.

To date, our volunteers have reviewed 20 different newspaper titles and compiled over 25,000 entries.  The work is ongoing so check back for updates.

As well as the obituary index, it includes an index appendix, a sheet that tells you ‘What We Did and Why We Did It’, the project history and a list of the participants.

You can view individual index listings on Newsbank.com or on microfilm at the Carnegie Library, 244 W. Michigan Avenue, Jackson, Michigan, 49201.