Come and Visit Your Antioch Historical Museum

Open Wednesday and Saturday 1pm – 4pm Admission is Free

The Miniature Houses of Norma Petko

When Jeannie Herrera moved across the street from Norma Petko on Burbank Court in 1953, it was the beginning of a 60+ year friendship — a friendship that even had their two families moving in next door to each other on Putnam Street in 1969.

A couple of years later the ladies shared their finds when they returned from family vacations.  Kits to make dollhouses!  That was the beginning of the “miniature” phase of their friendship.  They became very involved in their new hobby, and as more houses were built and furnished, the idea of placing their structures in their living room windows came to pass.  The buildings changed, as did the decorations for the different holidays of each year.  Traffic slowed along the street as more and more people realized what wonderful treasures their windows displayed.

Norma built a number of houses through the years, designing a number of them with husband George’s help.  He was a woodworker and even made some of the furniture as well as helping with the construction. Each of her creations contained pictures of family members.

Now Norma’s windows are empty and her world of minis is part of our collection at the Museum to be shared with all of our visitors.      

Norma was born in Hartshorne, Oklahoma, and, after graduating from Hartshorne High, moved with her family to Antioch in 1947.  She was employed by the Stamm Theatre for three years before marrying George Adam Petko, Sr. in 1950 in Reno, Nevada.  George had joined the Antioch Volunteer Fire Department in 1947, and had become a paid member of the department in 1949, where he served the City of Antioch and the Riverview Consolidated Fire District until his retirement as a Captain in the late 1970s.  While raising 2 daughters and a son, Norma was busy in our community, serving as a life member of the Antioch Woman’s Club, member and one-time president of the Women’s Auxiliary to the Antioch Fire Department, as well as a member of St. George Episcopal Church (I heard that George built the altar for the church). It was there that Mama Price’s Kitchen was established and run by Norma, her three sisters and other family members in honor of their mother Sadie Price. One Saturday a month and on holidays they served lunch to all comers.  For some, it was the only hot meal they received that week.

Norma enjoyed her miniatures and, most of all, her family.  Her buildings were even named for
her grandchildren and enjoyed by all the family.  Now, they are here for you to enjoy as reminders of times past, of lasting friendships and family treasures.  Don’t miss the Museum’s month-long February Exhibit of The Miniature Houses of Norma Petko

Best of the Delta 2018 Runner-Up

Thank you for voting! Antioch Historical Museum is the 2018 runner-up in the Best Museum category. We hope to win next year. We’ll let you know when it’s time to cast your vote for 2019.

Antioch was well represented as Dow Wetlands Preserve won first place in Best Bird Watching. Lone Tree Golf & Event Center was runner-up for Best Brunch. Antioch Marina won first place for Best Public Boat Launch. Best Trail was Dow Wetlands Preserve. 

“Vist CA Delta seeks to spread awareness of the California Delta as a world-class tourism destination and as a place for people, homes and businesses, filled with human history, cultural richness, and diversity.”

Please go to visitcadelta.com for more information. 

We are a Blue Star Museum

Antioch Historical Museum Recognized as a 2018 Blue Star Museum

Antioch Historical Museum proudly announces its participation in the 2018 Blue Star Museums Program. Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment of the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and museums across America. 

Free admission is offered to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day. 

Of course, admission to the Antioch Historical Museum is always free to everyone. Our usual open hours are Wednesdays and Saturdays 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. 

Please be sure to visit our Military Room with an outstanding collection of items from local Veterans in all branches of our Armed Forces. Thank you to our local VFW Post # 6435 for their continued support of Antioch Historical Museum. 

For more information go to www.arts.gov

We are a Blue Star Museum

Antioch Historical Museum Recognized as a 2019 Blue Star Museum

Antioch Historical Museum proudly announces its participation in the 2019 Blue Star Museums Program. Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and over 2,000 museums across America.


Free admission is offered to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families from Armed Forces Day, May 18, 2019 through Labor Day, September 2, 2019. Antioch Historical Museum is excited to be a part of this national effort to say
“thank you” to our military community. We encourage them to visit and explore our museum. Make a new family memory with this no cost experience. There’s something for everyone to discover within the walls of our 1911 building and on our beautiful grounds.


Of course, admission to Antioch Historical Museum is always free. Our usual open hours are Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1:00pm – 4:00 pm. Antioch Historical Museum celebrates our active military personnel, veterans and their families and thanks them for their service and sacrifice. We encourage everyone to visit our Military Room with an outstanding collection of items from local veterans in all branches of our Armed Forces.

Thank you to our local VFW Post #6435 for their continued support of Antioch Historical Museum.

For more information go to www.arts.gov.

Rest In Peace, Bob Provine. He will be deeply missed.

It is with a heavy heart, that the Antioch Historical Society reports that one of our own, has passed.

Rest In Peace, Bob Provine. He will be deeply missed. 

It is with a heavy heart, that the Antioch Historical Society reports that one of our most fervent and dedicated supporter and friend has passed.

For his Tribute and Obituary, please see:

https://www.higginsmortuary.com/tributes/Charles-Provine

Thank you for your service, Bob,  sincerely from all of us at the Historical Society. 

Cupola Weathervane Project

The Antioch Historical Society Museum is proud to announce the addition of a weathervane on its historic cupola. A cupola is a decorative dome that is found on roofs or ceilings. When facing the front of the museum, you can see the museum’s cupola on the right side of the grounds when facing the museum.

In the past, the cupola featured a weathervane; the museum wanted to recreate the weathervane so that the cupola would be restored to its historic glory. Luckily, the museum found a person that would help them. Marc Douville from “The Metal Wright’s Shop” offered to recreate a weathervane for the cupola. The new weathervane was unveiled on February 15th. Dwayne Eubanks, Antioch Historical Society President said, “I am extremely excited to do this restoration to the cupola. This is a very historic piece of Antioch’s history.”

The cupola’s history started in 1931 when it was featured as an architectural detail of the new high school on D Street. A Mayflower weathervane was featured at the time. This building eventually turned into Antioch Middle School. In 1965, the original building had earthquake damage and the cupola was moved to a multi-purpose building until it was transferred to the Antioch Historical Society Museum in 2006.

2020 Antioch, An Cultural Perspective

Antioch is recognized as one of the most diverse communities in the Bay Area and Antioch Historical Society Museum celebrated that diversity during the month of February in 2020 with a multicultural exhibit called “Antioch, a Cultural Perspective”. The exhibit includes the following cultural groups who each has their own display: Italian, Portuguese, African-American, Hispanic and Chinese. Other cultures will be featured in future exhibits as this is hoped to be an annual exhibit.

The museum has a mission statement to preserve history of “cultural and historic value”. “We really want the Antioch Historical Society Museum to be very inclusive of all and relevant to the changing demographics of residents of Antioch by showcasing their history and culture in February. A focus on diversity will be a major goal of the museum now and in the future as we embrace all of Antioch’s residents including the youth.”, said Dwayne Eubanks, President, Antioch Historical Society Museum.

Modernizing presentation equipment is one method that the museum hopes to reach out to younger generations of residents. They recently received two grants from the City of Antioch and the Antioch Community Fund to purchase new electronic presentation equipment. February’s “Antioch, a Cultural Perspective” hopes to reach out to a wider audience of Antioch residents.