Malta Historical and Genealogy Society
127 North Third Street, P. O. Box 171
Malta, IL 60150
 

Contact: Deb Lang, President, 815/384-3481, Ivan Prall, Director, 815/825-2367

Hours: By appointment

Society Annual Dues:  Individual $10, Family $12.50

Rental Rates of the Town Hall:  Members $50 per day, Non-members $75 per day, with limited half day rental available by request.
 

The Town Hall building was built in 1873 at the period when Shabbona, Sandwich, DeKalb and every other town thought they needed an Opera House.  It had a stage balcony and ticket window.  Today, known as The Old Town Hall, it serves as a Museum, Historical Library and Community Building with a full kitchen to accommodate gatherings and parties. 

Display cases are filled with early Malta items and souvenirs of the now closed Malta Schools.  The library consists of voter rolls from 1859 and genealogical material on early settlers.  Many early photos are on exhibit.  Over the years, before hospitals and morgues, the hall also had to double for those uses.  The fact that the building was across the railroad tracks saved it when the big Malta fire of 1894 destroyed the business district.  The Hall was originally lit by chandeliers of kerosene lamps.  Medicine shows, plays, dances and other entertainment as well as Township business was conducted over the years.  The building was closed and unused for approximately thirty years and is now in a renovation stage. 

The Society Board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 2:30 p.m. with the exception of our yearly meeting and election, which is held in October at 7:00 p.m.  Guests are welcome to attend these meetings. 

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Malta Historical & Genealogy Society
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