Page 3 - Annual Report FINAL

A MESSAGE FROM THE WISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Dear Friends, to celebrate efforts to preserve and share local
history.
ulitzer Prize-winning historian and author After all, the total history of the state is
PDavid McCullough said, “History is, or not written in Madison. It is collective,
should be, a lesson in appreciation. (It) helps us cumulative, and conversational. As
keep a sense of proportion.” Garrison Keillor observed, “History is local.
It is in that spirit that we review the Everything has to take place somewhere.”
Wisconsin Historical Foundation’s last fiscal Building upon conversations about
year and highlights from our year at the common values is of the utmost importance
Wisconsin Historical Society. Being part of for the Society. It is why we created an
an organization that took root in 1846 is education and outreach division 18 months
humbling and requires one to fully consider ago and now directly engage thousands of
the appreciation and proportion of which students across the state.
McCullough speaks. The Society is proud of many
I am reminded of an encounter with an accomplishments this year. But this message Ellsworth Brown will retire in March after nearly 14 years as the
American Indian family, two children in tow, is not about us. Rather, it is about you, our Ruth and Hartley Barker Director of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
as I was about to leave our headquarters. supporters. You are all a part of this. A native of Ashland, Brown, 74, also spent 33 years guiding historical
They looked a bit lost in our lobby, and It all happens because of your visits to organizations in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Nashville and Aberdeen, South
Dakota. In these photos, he enjoys a moment with Bucky Badger in
I asked if I could help them. The father our sites and events, your word-of-mouth 2010 in the Society headquarters’ reading room (above); with donor and
replied, “Somebody said we could find our affirmation of our shared work, your former Wisconsin Historical Foundation board member Carol Toussaint
ancestors here.” membership, and your generous gifts. Indeed, at the 2017 Murphy Legacy Circle luncheon (below, left); and during a
It was a request, really, that has lingered as McCullough stated, each day is a lesson in visit to Old World Wisconsin in 2015.
with me. The wonderful thing is that it is appreciation for us all. What an honor it is to
likely that the Society’s talented staff directed partner with you in such an endeavor.
the family to helpful resources.
Transformative events like this occur daily Thank you,
at the Society and often at about 400 local
history organizations in Wisconsin.
One of the greatest joys as I head into
retirement following nearly 14 years as the
Society’s Ruth and Hartley Barker Director Dr. Ellsworth H. Brown
has been the privilege of traveling around Ruth and Hartley Barker Director
25,000 miles a year to all corners of our state Wisconsin Historical Society

ANNUAL REPORT 3