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Our Museum
Discover the Heart of our Historic Museum!
Our History
Starting with a Dream
In 1984, DeSoto County citizens formed the Historic DeSoto Foundation to preserve DeSoto County history by recording our past, collecting artifacts and photographs, and dreaming of one day opening a museum.
In 1998, two events pushed the development of a DeSoto County museum into high gear. First, a historic home was torn down to build the county’s new administration building. The loss of this home and many other historic structures over the years highlighted the need for a place to preserve county history. The project also took a new turn when Hernando’s First Presbyterian Church property came up for sale.
At the encouragement of the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors, the decision was made to purchase this property to preserve the 1870s church and convert the education building into a museum.
The Historic DeSoto Foundation raised over $400,000 to buy the property and was awarded a grant from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to renovate the museum building. The Museum began a twelve-month project to renovate the building and create the exhibits. It opened to the public on March 1, 2003.
Our Curator
Curator Robert Long
Robert Long is the former editor of The DeSoto Times-Tribune, Mississippi's second-oldest newspaper. He is passionate about history, especially the history of DeSoto County.
He has served the museum for years, initially as a volunteer and tour guide, and in 2018, he became the museum's second curator.
When you enter the doors, Robert will make your tour memorable and fascinating.
“As William Faulkner said, ‘The past is never dead; it’s not even past. Those who forget the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them in the future.’” quoted Long, adding, “We learn from our history, the successes we’ve had in the past, and the failures of the past. History informs us where we need to go in the future.”
Robert also serves as a Presbyterian Minister. He is married to Laura, and their daughter attends Mississippi State.