Photo Courtesy Vinson Photography

We are located at 318 North 5th Street in Keokuk, Iowa.

Please note, mail for LCIHS should be sent to
LCIHS, PO Box 125, Keokuk, Iowa 52632-5611

The society can be reached via email at lcihs@yahoo.com.

*Please note that we are unable to respond to requests for research at this time. However, through a partnership with the Keokuk Public Library, you may contact a librarian to submit research requests. Please visit the Keokuk Public Library's website by clicking here to obtain the library's contact information.*

Lee County, Iowa

Historical Society

The Samuel F. Miller House and Museum is located at 318 North 5th Street in Keokuk and is owned and operated by the Lee County, Iowa Historical Society. The home was built by Samuel Freeman Miller in 1859 at a cost of $13,000. Miller was appointed to the United States Supreme Court by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, and served until his death in 1890.

The Miller House Museum is open Saturdays and Sundays, June 1st through August 31st. Admission is $2.00.

Saturday hours: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Sunday hours: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

On The Ground Floor…

  • Our kitchen has a cast iron stove and many kitchen instruments used before electricity, such as a churn, sadirons, and carpet beaters.
  • The ground floor is also home to a wonderful display of turn of the century medical instruments including a dentist’s suite complete with a foot powered drill.
  • The laundry room is filled with a collection of items from Hubinger’s Elastic Starch Company, an old washing machine and the world’s largest overalls, owned by Robert Earl Hughes (b. 4 June 1926 - d. 10 July 1958 in Baylis, Illinois). During his lifetime, Mr. Hughes was the heaviest human being recorded in the history of the world at a confirmed 1,041 pounds (472 kg).

Main Floor…

  • The grand hallway is graced by portraits of Chief Keokuk and Justice Samuel Freeman Miller as well as a lithograph of the City of Keokuk in 1857.
  • The front parlor is home to portraits of the founders of the Medical College and the Civil War Generals from Keokuk.
  • The back parlor is where family and friends would entertain. Our collection in the parlor includes a square grand piano, pump organ, stereopticon and photograph albums.
  • Both parlors have been renovated and decorated to the period and feature a beautiful collection of historical pieces.


Upstairs…

  • The hallway displays a variety of local artifacts, including pieces related to the Half-Breed Tract and Chief Keokuk. 
  • The Art Nouveau bedroom features the age of starched collars, curled hair, and hats and flowers. Other bedrooms feature various styles of historic clothing and personal items.
  • Our nursery has dolls and carriages, a rocking horse, a fully furnished doll house, and a Schoenhut piano as well as many other historical games and toys of childhood.
  • The lawyer’s study honors Miller, his partners, and local judges who served in Keokuk’s Federal Courtroom. The room is very masculine and is full of various furnishings featuring a revolving bookcase, huge desk and a Dictaphone.