Native American artifacts, Corliss Pottery, handmade quilts, and a newly acquired Civil War rifle and drum are just a few of the interesting items visitors will see when they tour the Woolwich Historical Society Museum.

The museum’s collection is housed in a 19th century farmhouse located beside the town office and fire station. Both are at the blinking light at the junction of the Nequasset Road and Route 1. Inside the house are nine rooms to explore on two floors. There’s also an adjacent barn.

“People are often surprised when they see some of the things we have here,” said Debbie Locke, president of the Woolwich Historical Society and museum director, adding that all of the items were donated by residents or others with a connection to Woolwich.

The museum entrance facing the fire station brings you into the Phips Family-Corliss Pottery and Seafarers Room. Here you’ll see some of the early 19th century pottery made by John Corliss Jr. at Day’s Ferry in Woolwich. The same display case contains some early Native American arrowheads and some ancient relics from prehistoric man circa 6000 BC unearthed by local residents.

Locke said two of newest acquisitions, both Civil War-related, include a drum and an original Henry Spencer rifle. They are in remarkably good condition and were carried by Woolwich volunteers during the War Between the States.

A small room on the second floor is furnished as a 19th century bedroom and contains an original four-poster “rope” bed. In olden days before box springs came into being, ropes crisscrossed onto the bed frame supported the mattress. Before turning in for the night people tightened or loosened the ropes with a wooden dowel, which is where the expression “sleep tight” originated explained Locke.

Also on the second floor is the sewing room where there’s a large wooden loom, a device once used to weave cloth. The loom was handmade in the 1800s by a Woolwich farmer. In the same room are several old fashioned spinning wheels used to turn wool into yarn.

Downstairs includes the parlor with an Epworth Pipe Tone Organ and kitchen complete with a wood-burning cook stove, pantry and laundry room with a wooden wringer washing machine and a square tin bathtub.

Before leaving Locke recommends guests take a stroll through the post and beam barn behind the farmhouse. The barn is fairly new, the handiwork of the Shelter Institute also located in Woolwich. On the first floor you’ll find a carriage and two horse-drawn sleighs. Before the automobile came to be, people traveled by sleighs like these in the winter. Snow wasn’t plowed from the roads in those days it was rolled to make a hard surface for the sleighs to be pulled across.

Upstairs in the barn’s loft is a collection of early ice skates, children’s wooden sleds and ice harvesting tools including a large saw used to cut ice into blocks. Before refrigeration people relied on ice to keep their food cold. Woolwich was once home to several ice harvesting businesses.

Locke said the museum’s  main building includes a resource room containing maps, literature, photographs and genealogical records; all of which are available for public use. She added special arrangements could be made to visit the resource room on weekdays and Saturday by calling 207-443-4833 or 207-443-5684.

The museum is open on Sunday noon to 4 p.m. through the summer. Admission is $3, free to members of the Woolwich Historical Society. Admission is free on Woolwich Day, which this year will be held on Aug. 1.