Center Stage at the museum is the 1905 Mier car designed and built by local resident, Sheldon Harkless. Mr. Harkless sold the car's design rights to the Mier Carriage Co. of Ligonier. The company produced only about 10 cars and this is one of the two known survivors.

Many other items are on display, including: a complete collection of class portraits of graduating classes of both Syracuse and Wawasee High Schools; trophies from the schools; an extensive collection of Native American artifacts found in surrounding fields; a mastodon tooth; Army and Navy uniforms; a scuptured bust of Chief Wawasee; a 400 year old grandfather clock; the telephone switchboard from the Spink Hotel; an antique washing machine; an engine from a tugboat used to push marl loaded barges to the former cement plant on Syracuse Lake; oil paintings (mostly by Ken Harkless) of scenes depicting life as it was years ago in Syracuse; and many photos of local scenes. Most of the Museum's photos have been preserved in the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical DVD, which can be viewed in the museum and is also available for purchase.