Wisconsin Council for Local History

The Wisconsin Council for Local History is an association of over 400 local, county, and specialized historical and heritage societies and organizations that are affiliated with the Wisconsin Historical Society. The Council promotes the work of local historical societies in Wisconsin and advises the Society on its services to local affiliates. A complete list of affiliated organizations appears in the Local Historical Affiliate Directory.
About the Wisconsin Council for Local History
In 1899, Reuben Gold Thwaites, director of the Wisconsin Historical Society, traveled by train to Green Bay and Ripon to participate in the affiliation of Wisconsin's first two local historical societies. Since then, more than 400 additional local history and heritage societies and organizations throughout the state have organized and affiliated with the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Affiliated local historical societies and the Wisconsin Historical Society have a special relationship defined in the Wisconsin Statutes. The Society offers organizational and educational assistance to local affiliates. The local affiliates, in turn, share in the mission and responsibility of preserving Wisconsin's heritage.
Local history or heritage groups become a member of the Council by becoming an affiliate of the Society. For information on becoming an affiliate of the Wisconsin Historical Society and a member of the Wisconsin Council for Local History, please see How to Become a Local History Affiliate.
Mission
The mission of the Wisconsin Council for Local History is to promote communication and cooperation among local history and heritage groups. The Council provides opportunities for historical and heritage organizations in Wisconsin to discuss mutual problems and promote wider interest in local history.
Through its Administrative Committee, the Council also advises the Wisconsin Historical Society on its local history programming and serves as a voice of local historians.
Each year, the Council and Society organize regional meetings that offer educational programming, roundtable discussions, and tours of the host organization's museum, sites, or historical features of the area. The Society and Council also partner to offer an annual mini-grant program and to plan the Local History - Historic Preservation Annual Conference, the largest gathering of its kind in the state.
Volunteer Recognition and Awards Program
The Wisconsin Council for Local History will recognize and honor local historical and heritage societies and specialty museums; their individual members; and other groups, organizations, or individuals who, through their efforts in the form of time, talent, or treasure, contribute to the advancement, appreciation, and preservation of Wisconsin's local history heritage.
Learn more about the program and how to nominate individuals and groups below:
Recognition and Awards Program Information (PDF, 230 KB)
Achievement Award Nomination Form (PDF, 271 KB)
Certificate of Recognition Nomination Form (PDF, 164 KB)
Administrative Committee
The Administrative Committee is the Council's representative decision-making body. It is composed of a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, six members at large, one representative of the Society's Board of Curators, and ten regional representatives. The director of the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Society's Local History Outreach representatives serve as ex-officio members of the Administrative Committee. The Administrative Committee meets in the spring and at the state conference in the fall. The current Administrative Committee is listed below.
President: | Travis Gross 3110 Erie Avenue Sheboygan, WI 53081 920-458-1103 travis.gross@sheboygancounty.com |
Vice President | Mame Croze McCully 910 N. Old World Third Street Milwaukee, WI 53203 414-273-8288 mmccully@milwaukeehistory.net |
Treasurer | Roy Ostenso 1208 1st Avenue E. Menomonie, WI 54751 715-235-5390 or 715-505-1110 (cell) ostensor@sbcglobal.net |
Secretary | Joe Hermolin 119 East Towne Drive Antigo, WI 54409 715-623-5372 hermolin@wisc.edu |
Past President | Alli Karrels PO Box 334 Greenbush, WI 53026 alli.karrels@gmail.com |
Directors at Large | Joe Hermolin 119 East Towne Drive Antigo, WI 54409 715-216-3856 hermolin@wisc.edu Katie Kirby 1798 Huron Street, PO Box 250 Three Lakes, WI 54562 715-546-2295 curator@threelakesmuseum.org Cynthia Arbiture N5863 Hickory Hill Drive Sullivan, WI 53178 262-593-8099 info@musprosvc.com Tamara Schutz PO Box 242 Cameron, WI 54822 715-458-2080 museum1@chibardun.net John Decker 143 W. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 608-882-5528 or 608-289-4158 (cell) deckercorp@charter.net |
Board of Curators Representative | pending |
Ex Officio Directors (without vote): | Christian Øverland, Ruth and Hartley Barker Director & CEO, Wisconsin Historical Society 816 State Street Madison, WI 53706 608-264-6440 christian.overland@wisconsinhistory.org Janet Seymour, Interim Director of Outreach 105 Garfield Avenue Eau Claire, WI 54701 715-836-2250 janet.seymour@wisconsinhistory.org |
Capital | John Decker 143 W. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 608-882-5528 deckercorp@charter.net |
Northwestern | Sheree Peterson 86460 Martin Road Bayfield, WI 54814 715-779-5016 frogbay@cheqnet.net |
Central | Kim Krueger PO Box 142 Marshfield, WI 54449 715-387-3322 nwchs@uphammansion.com |
Northwoods | Rachel Egelseer 1545 North Lake Road Florence, WI 54121 906-360-6010 (cell) raegelseer1@chartermi.net |
East Central | Travis Gross 3110 Erie Avenue Sheboygan, WI 53081 920-458-1103 travis.gross@sheboygancounty.com |
Southeastern | Bonnie Byrd 101 W. Main Street Waukesha, WI 53186 262-521-2859 bbyrd@wchsm.org |
Metropolitan | Mame Croze McCully 910 N. Old World Third Street Milwaukee, WI 53203 414-273-8288 mmccully@milwaukeehistory.net |
Southwestern | Jim Weinzatl 321 Superior Avenue Tomah, WI 54660 608-372-1880 tomahmuseum@charter.net |
Northeastern | Terry Thiessen 1707 Pilgrim Way New Holstein, WI 53061-1246 920-948-7748 tethiessen@frontier.com |
West Central | Kelly Herold 407 S. Second Street PO Box 394 Alma, WI 54610 608-685-6290 office@bchsonline.com |
Learn More
Resources for Local Historical Societies
Have Questions?
Contact:
Janet Seymour
c/o University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
105 Garfield Avenue, Hibbard 728
Eau Claire, WI 54701-4004
Phone: 715-836-2250
janet.seymour@wisconsinhistory.org