Annual Support Campaign
A letter from our dear friend, Dr. George Meyer
I have walked through the same front door of the Newcomb-Stillwell Mansion for over 60 years. Today it is the home of The Quincy Museum, and each visit has marked a new chapter in my life.
My name is Dr. George Meyer. I’m a lifelong educator, having retired as superintendent of Quincy Public Schools and dean of Quincy University’s School of Education. I’m also Member Emeritus of the St. Peter’s School Board, and a proud supporter of The Quincy Museum.
Today, I write to you as chairman of The Quincy Museum’s Annual Fund Campaign – our most important fundraiser of the year. I hope you will consider supporting this cause that is so close to my heart. This year, I’ve pledged $20,000 in matching funds to inspire others to give. That means every dollar you contribute will be doubled, up to $20,000.
I’m honored to share my personal story, one that reminds us all why it’s vital to preserve not only buildings, but also the memories and legacies they hold.
In 1961, I nervously rang the doorbell of the mansion when it served as a women’s dormitory for Quincy College (now Quincy University). I wasn’t drawn there by the architecture, magnificent as it was, but by a lovely young woman named Mary Nell. After months of working up the courage, I had finally asked her out on a date. I can still picture myself waiting in the parlor, heart pounding, half in anticipation and half in worry about the strict 10:00 p.m. curfew we both had. When she descended the stairs, my life changed forever.
We dated there. We courted there. We sipped iced tea on the front porch and dreamed of the future there. We fell in love there. That building – now The Quincy Museum – is woven into the foundation of my life.
Mary Nell and I shared 60 wonderful years of marriage, raised three children, and cherished four grandchildren. But some of our earliest memories as a couple began right there at 1601 Maine Street. It is where our story began.
Years later, Mary Nell and I were thrilled when the mansion was saved from disrepair and transformed into the permanent home of The Quincy Museum. As an administrator at Quincy Public Schools, I saw educators across the district rejoice. Finally, Quincy had its own natural science, history, and archeology museum, giving students a place to learn outside the classroom without having to travel to Springfield or St. Louis.
I remember when our daughter Susan, then only 11, toured the museum for the first time with her classmates. Mary Nell lovingly served as a classroom chaperone. Susan came home bursting with excitement about dinosaurs, Native American artifacts, and science coming alive in her hometown. She was even more delighted to discover that her mother had once lived in that very building.
Many years later, we took our grandchildren to the museum at Christmas and in the summer. They were captivated by the puppets in the Native American room, fascinated by fossils, and enchanted by the towering Christmas tree – where their grandmother once lived. The Quincy Museum has touched three generations of my family. Perhaps it has done the same for you.
Celebrating 60 Years of Education
The Quincy Museum is not slowing down, rather, it’s stepping boldly into the future with a variety of programming that will appeal to each and every visitor.
New Traditions: We’re expanding educational programs to seniors in assisted living with Museum to You. Join us this spring for Elizabeth Mannhardt’s fresh adaptation of Pride & Prejudice.
Beloved Traditions: The American Girl Doll Camps, now serving a second generation of campers, remain one of our most popular programs. We also have the return of our immersive Christmas Carol in the winter of 2026.
Adult Engagement: We’re drawing new audiences and strengthening community pride and engagement with events like the standing-room-only Bicentennial talk on Pope Leo XIV’s Quincy roots and our sold-out fundraiser featuring a Cold War spy pilot, retired Air Force Colonel Frank Furr.
Curriculum-Driven Field Trips: Our education team – many current or retired QPS teachers – provides field trips, classroom experiences, and camps aligned with Illinois standards, covering topics from history to natural science to Native American cultures.
Unique Educational Events: Minecraft at the Museum event combined STEM, art, economic awareness, and career exploration. Kids thought they were playing. We knew they were learning.
The museum’s role in this region is extraordinary. Few communities our size have a science, history, and cultural center like ours. Fewer still offer programming for children and adults. And almost none are housed in a magnificent mansion where their former school superintendent once nervously waited for his future wife. This is why I believe so deeply in The Quincy Museum – not just as a building, but as a living, learning institution that bridges generations. Its impact is extraordinary, and its future depends on us.
We have the passion. We have the plan. What we need is your partnership.
Your Gift Makes the Difference!
Your support helps us:
Please join me in celebrating 60 years of community impact by making a generous, tax-deductible gift to this year’s Annual Support Campaign. Just as the museum’s story has spanned generations, I want to ensure its future. With my $20,000 matching gift, your donation will go twice as far today.
Mary Nell and I once sat quietly on the porch, holding hands and imagining a life together. I ask that you imagine The Quincy Museum’s future with the same love and hope.
Thank you for your support in The Quincy Museum’s Annual Campaign.
With Gratitude,
My name is Dr. George Meyer. I’m a lifelong educator, having retired as superintendent of Quincy Public Schools and dean of Quincy University’s School of Education. I’m also Member Emeritus of the St. Peter’s School Board, and a proud supporter of The Quincy Museum.
Today, I write to you as chairman of The Quincy Museum’s Annual Fund Campaign – our most important fundraiser of the year. I hope you will consider supporting this cause that is so close to my heart. This year, I’ve pledged $20,000 in matching funds to inspire others to give. That means every dollar you contribute will be doubled, up to $20,000.
I’m honored to share my personal story, one that reminds us all why it’s vital to preserve not only buildings, but also the memories and legacies they hold.
In 1961, I nervously rang the doorbell of the mansion when it served as a women’s dormitory for Quincy College (now Quincy University). I wasn’t drawn there by the architecture, magnificent as it was, but by a lovely young woman named Mary Nell. After months of working up the courage, I had finally asked her out on a date. I can still picture myself waiting in the parlor, heart pounding, half in anticipation and half in worry about the strict 10:00 p.m. curfew we both had. When she descended the stairs, my life changed forever.
We dated there. We courted there. We sipped iced tea on the front porch and dreamed of the future there. We fell in love there. That building – now The Quincy Museum – is woven into the foundation of my life.
Mary Nell and I shared 60 wonderful years of marriage, raised three children, and cherished four grandchildren. But some of our earliest memories as a couple began right there at 1601 Maine Street. It is where our story began.
Years later, Mary Nell and I were thrilled when the mansion was saved from disrepair and transformed into the permanent home of The Quincy Museum. As an administrator at Quincy Public Schools, I saw educators across the district rejoice. Finally, Quincy had its own natural science, history, and archeology museum, giving students a place to learn outside the classroom without having to travel to Springfield or St. Louis.
I remember when our daughter Susan, then only 11, toured the museum for the first time with her classmates. Mary Nell lovingly served as a classroom chaperone. Susan came home bursting with excitement about dinosaurs, Native American artifacts, and science coming alive in her hometown. She was even more delighted to discover that her mother had once lived in that very building.
Many years later, we took our grandchildren to the museum at Christmas and in the summer. They were captivated by the puppets in the Native American room, fascinated by fossils, and enchanted by the towering Christmas tree – where their grandmother once lived. The Quincy Museum has touched three generations of my family. Perhaps it has done the same for you.
Celebrating 60 Years of Education
The Quincy Museum is not slowing down, rather, it’s stepping boldly into the future with a variety of programming that will appeal to each and every visitor.
New Traditions: We’re expanding educational programs to seniors in assisted living with Museum to You. Join us this spring for Elizabeth Mannhardt’s fresh adaptation of Pride & Prejudice.
Beloved Traditions: The American Girl Doll Camps, now serving a second generation of campers, remain one of our most popular programs. We also have the return of our immersive Christmas Carol in the winter of 2026.
Adult Engagement: We’re drawing new audiences and strengthening community pride and engagement with events like the standing-room-only Bicentennial talk on Pope Leo XIV’s Quincy roots and our sold-out fundraiser featuring a Cold War spy pilot, retired Air Force Colonel Frank Furr.
Curriculum-Driven Field Trips: Our education team – many current or retired QPS teachers – provides field trips, classroom experiences, and camps aligned with Illinois standards, covering topics from history to natural science to Native American cultures.
Unique Educational Events: Minecraft at the Museum event combined STEM, art, economic awareness, and career exploration. Kids thought they were playing. We knew they were learning.
The museum’s role in this region is extraordinary. Few communities our size have a science, history, and cultural center like ours. Fewer still offer programming for children and adults. And almost none are housed in a magnificent mansion where their former school superintendent once nervously waited for his future wife. This is why I believe so deeply in The Quincy Museum – not just as a building, but as a living, learning institution that bridges generations. Its impact is extraordinary, and its future depends on us.
We have the passion. We have the plan. What we need is your partnership.
Your Gift Makes the Difference!
Your support helps us:
- Preserve the historic Newcomb-Stillwell Mansion, visited by thousands each year.
- Curate and preserve the 100,000-plus significant items in our collection.
- Educate thousands of students annually on natural history and Native American archeology. We serve students from three states in public, private, and homeschooling settings.
- Engage through cultural and educational events that enrich our entire community.
Please join me in celebrating 60 years of community impact by making a generous, tax-deductible gift to this year’s Annual Support Campaign. Just as the museum’s story has spanned generations, I want to ensure its future. With my $20,000 matching gift, your donation will go twice as far today.
Mary Nell and I once sat quietly on the porch, holding hands and imagining a life together. I ask that you imagine The Quincy Museum’s future with the same love and hope.
Thank you for your support in The Quincy Museum’s Annual Campaign.
With Gratitude,
George Meyer, Ed.D.
Chairman, Annual Fund Campaign Proud Supporter of The Quincy Museum |
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