Executive director of Marion Heritage Center to retire this summer

MARION — After almost a decade in the position, the executive director of the Marion Heritage Center and Museum is retiring this summer.

Lynette Brenzel announced she will retire at the end of August after leading the museum and Marion Historical Society’s operations for nine years.

“Replacing Lynette will be difficult,” Marion Historical Society President Jay Kacena said. “We wish her well in her future endeavors. I know they will be as beneficial for the community as the past nine years.”

Brenzel, a native Iowan and lifelong lover of history, started her career by attending the University of Iowa, where she received her museum certificate.

“I just realized early that I enjoyed history a lot,” Brenzel said. “I couldn’t get enough, and I just enjoyed going to school so I loved learning.”

Before coming to the Marion Heritage Center, she served as a regular volunteer for the Granger House and the UI Museum of Natural History.

The Marion Historical Society is a membership organization whose mission is to “engage the public in the history, traditions, resources and on-going preservation of the Heritage Center Museum for the enrichment of the community.”

In 2017, the society was designated as the official repository of historic records for the city of Marion.

The building that houses the Marion Heritage Center and Museum, at 590 10th St. in Uptown Marion, was built as a Methodist church in 1855.

After serving as a Baptist church from 1875 to 1957, the building was sold and used as the Marion branch of the YMCA until 1965. It then became a Napa Auto Parts.

It wasn’t until 2001 that it became the museum it is today.

For Brenzel, leading the organization has meant coming up with and overseeing almost a decade’s worth of exhibits at the museum — a time span equaling almost half the museum’s life so far.

Brenzel has planned exhibits and programs on former Marion leaders, its oldest businesses, the railroads and the Lincoln Highway, among many others.

In 2019, she collaborated with former employees of Rockwell Collins and other local groups on an exhibit and programming to bring the story of Arthur A. Collins and his involvement in radio to life on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

“I’m really going to miss all the wonderful people I’ve had a chance to meet with and collaborate with,” Brenzel said.

Some of Brenzel’s favorite memories include moving a locomotive car up the stairs into the Heritage Center building and playing “granny basketball” in the building.

“I’ve always tried to bring a fresh and relevant perspective to our exhibits,” Brenzel said. “It’s fun to dive into history and figure out the truth and find those wonderful people history has forgotten about.”

As for the future, Brenzel said she hopes to travel with her husband and eventually write a book about American peat fuel history.

But first, she is preparing for a fall exhibit on local alternative fuel history.

“Diving into the history uncovered the existence of a national fuel shortage that occurred here and that stretched coast to coast,” Brenzel said.

She is partnering with NextEra Energy to bring the history of alternative fuel sources to the area.

“I’m hoping to bring relevant stories, looking at alternative energies,” she said. “I’m hoping there might be some hands-on activities and solar panels here.”

NextEra Energy is pursuing a large-scale solar farm project in Palo near the former Duane Arnold Energy Center.

“I’m pleased NextEra Energy is partnering with us,” Brenzel said. “They have a long history developing alternative energy resources, and if history teaches us anything about history and fuel, it is that life here in the North is precarious and survival depends on an ‘all hands on deck’ approach.”

The Marion Historical Society is actively seeking someone to fill the executive director position. Brenzel said she plans to stay on and train the next person in the role and assist with fall exhibits.

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