▁bid ▁for ▁the ▁then - def unct ▁B . P . O . E . ▁L odge ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁bid ▁was ▁approved . ▁ ▁The ▁group ▁first ▁met ▁in ▁the ▁museum ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁and ▁also ▁began ▁making ▁renov ations ▁to ▁the ▁building , ▁at ▁an ▁estimated ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 7 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁Near ly ▁a ▁year ▁later , ▁on ▁March ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the ▁Sh el by ▁County ▁Historical ▁Society ▁dedicated ▁the ▁Gro ver ▁Museum , ▁and ▁opened ▁its ▁first ▁exhib it , ▁which ▁was ▁" From ▁the ▁Land , ▁Sh el by ▁County ▁Farm ing ." ▁ ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁museum ▁held ▁its ▁first ▁Qu ilt ▁Show ▁exhib it , ▁which ▁continues ▁ann ually ▁today . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁construction ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁permanent ▁exhib it , ▁" The ▁Stre ets ▁of ▁Old ▁Sh el by ," ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁life - s ized ▁village ▁that ▁features ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁sh ops ▁and ▁business es ▁that ▁might ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁in ▁Sh el by ▁County ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 0 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s . The ▁project , ▁which ▁took ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁to ▁complete , ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁El ks