*Eunice Slagle Gallery glimpse of* From a Bailly Point of View at the Porter County Museum

Porter County Museum (PoCo Muse) currently has on display an exhibit that tells the story of the pioneer Bailly Family through objects that they owned. “From a Bailly Point of View” occupies the Eunice Slagle and Montague/Urschel Galleries; it will run through April 26, 2026.

“Though Joseph Bailly looms large in the memory of Porter County as its first non-native settler,” said Executive Director Kevin Matthew Pazour, “the lives and work of three generations of Bailly women - notably his widow Marie, daughter Rose, and granddaughter Frances - truly shaped the family’s legacy. The Baillys’ history is full of gritty truths and romantic mythmaking. Its mixed Native American-European heritage and its commitment to Roman Catholicism are key elements of the story.”

“The PoCo Muse believes that objects tell stories, and our new featured exhibit looks closely at artifacts from our Bailly Family Collection to shed new light on their legacy in Porter County,” said Jake Just, the museum’s Director of Exhibits and Publications. “An eclectic assortment of items are on display, including an eighteenth-century traveling trunk, various household utensils, Catholic devotional objects, souvenirs from a European vacation, and a gown that may have been worn to Abraham Lincoln’s Inaugural Ball.”

“While you’re at the museum, have a look at the new acquisitions and artworks from our permanent collection now on display in the Robert Cain Gallery,” added Pazour. “This small space features rotating exhibits that change frequently. It’s always worth a stop.”

Porter County Museum, located at 20 Indiana Avenue in downtown Valparaiso, is open six days a week, Tuesday-Sunday, from 11am to 5pm, with free admission. Free half-hour guided tours are offered on the third Saturday of each month at 10am. For more information, visit pocomuse.org or find @pocomuse on social media.