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Despite financial struggles, the Blount County Historical Museum continues pursuing its mission to highlight the legacy of county history.

"We're now totally operating strictly on memberships and donations," said Board of Directors Member Ken Cornett. "We're going to begin having some community fundraisers. The first is July 12 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. out at Music Row on 321. We're having a Homegrown Music Festival. It's all local talent. Admission is $8 for individuals."

"Prehistory, History and Peoples of the Park" is the current exhibit at the museum. The exhibit contains over 300 items, many of the pieces from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or from local families.

The museum, which originally opened in November 2005, has been located in the former county Health Department building at 1006 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway since September 2007. More than 6,300 people have visited the museum. The county allows the museum to lease the facility rent-free but provides no direct funding.

"We are responsible for the utilities," Cornett said. "Those run from a low of about $450 a month to up to about $900 during the winter months."

The museum's finances are lean.

"It's still tight," Cornett said. "Several things have happened. The city of Maryville and the city of Alcoa had indicated early on they would support us at $10,000 per year if the money was there. Because of the economic situation, they just could not do that. Of course, up until this year, we had received community enhancement grants from the state."

There has been discussion of the possibility of the museum merging with the Blount County Historical Trust, which helps operate the nearby Thompson-Brown House, but there has been no action taken on the proposal, Cornett said.

The Thompson-Brown House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is one of the oldest two-story, two-pen log buildings in East Tennessee. It is located at 1004 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville. It is operated by volunteers from the Historical Trust and the Cades Cove Preservation Association.