What do we have in store for the 2025 Local History & Historic Preservation Conference?

From the protection and preservation of historic landmarks and artifacts to presentations on exciting state history, our sessions are packed with useful tools, tips, and strategies for building your organization, promoting new initiatives, securing funding from crucial donors, and more. Take a look at our list of breakout sessions below for a snapshot of each presentation.

For a full presentation schedule timeline and additional details:

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Looking for more in-depth learning? Check out our workshop offerings here.

Engaging History Sessions

H.H. Bennett Studio and the Family that Made the Dells Famous

Learn about the history of H.H. Bennett Studio and the family that brought some of the first tourists to Wisconsin Dells. While “Hank” was photographing area landscapes to sell, wife “Frank” and their three children worked at the studio taking portraits and keeping the business running. Following Frances' early death, Henry married another excellent businesswoman, Eva. Eva ran the business with their two daughters after Henry's death. It was the descendants of Eva and Henry who donated the studio to the Wisconsin Historical Society 100 years later.

Heritage Tourism: Cultural Identity in Wisconsin Architecture

New Glarus and Eagle River have incorporated cultural identity into their local architecture to promote and reignite tourism in their respective communities. From the 1950s-era construction of Swiss chalets to the 1970s-era application of a “Northwoods Rustic” aesthetic, learn how these mid-to-late-twentieth-century design decisions were found to be either architecturally or historically significant in their own right, as well as their impact on the historic preservation of each community's commercial downtown.

Unlocking the Treasures of the Father Gaertner Diaries

In 1846, Father Maximilian Gaertner, a Norbertine priest from Austria, came to southern Wisconsin to serve in a Catholic mission. For 12 years, he recorded his experiences in seven diaries which contain a wealth of local history, including fascinating anecdotes about daily life. To date, only one of these diaries has been translated into English. An international effort is underway to “unlock” more of the diaries, which are filled with local history. Dr. Jonathan Singerton of Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Dr. Michael Holstead of St. Norbert College, and Paul Wolter with the Sauk County Historical Society will present on the diaries and translation efforts.

Community Engagement & Programming Sessions

Indigenous Peoples' Day in Sauk County

Indigenous Peoples' Day in Sauk County celebrates native people, culture, history, and tradition every year in October. In 2018, Kristin White Eagle, Ho-Chunk legislator and then-member of the Sauk County Board of Supervisors, led efforts to get official county recognition of the day. Since then, seven celebrations have been planned and executed through the partnership of the Sauk County Historical Society, the Ho-Chunk Nation, and Sauk County at various sites throughout the county. At each event an informational panel has been unveiled to leave a lasting legacy. Find out more about how these events started and continue to grow.

Making a Meaningful America250

America's 250th birthday is coming up in less than a year. Join two presenters involved with Wisconsin's America250 Commission to learn more about what the commission is doing and how Wisconsin's museums can join in to celebrate and commemorate this important anniversary. The presentation will share resources for museums and communities and ideas being used across the country that might inspire your community to create your own events.

How to Design a Traveling Exhibit for Little Money and Big Impact

The Dane County Historical Society sponsored a traveling exhibit about the history of racial covenants on land deeds in Dane County. The costs were rather modest, but the impact has been substantial. Learn more about how this exhibit was developed, assembled, and managed and how your organization could do something similar.

Outdoor Interpretive Signs: Concept to Completion

Outdoor interpretive signs can be impactful tools for outreach. If you've been considering using signage at your historic site, this is an opportunity to begin thinking through the steps involved from start to finish. Using examples from the Sauk County Historical Society and the Historic Indian Agency House, contemplate the unique roles outdoor exhibits can play; investigate text and layout development; weigh physical installation factors; evaluate handy guidelines; and more. The work that is invested in the steps between concept and completion will be reflected in the finished product—a product that will work for you 24/7!

Wisconsin Adventures: Roll for Initiative!

Reach new levels of engagement by incorporating the legends and lore of your community into your educational programs! Wisconsin Adventures combines the myths and legends of Wisconsin's past with the deep learning opportunities of fantasy roleplaying games. Proven education foundations and dragon-slaying go hand in hand! Together we'll take a short stroll through the history of the game before diving into the nuts and bolts of how to build your very own Wisconsin Adventure.

Management & Fundraising Sessions

Creating Connections: What Every Good Fundraiser Should Know

Join Wisconsin Historical Foundation leadership and professional staff for a presentation about the important aspects of a strong fundraising program, including working with donors on major gifts, writing and managing successful grants, encouraging donors to make gifts through their estate plans, and more. Demystify fundraising practices, learn how to approach donors, and build key relationships through real-world examples from our staff and other attendees through an open Q&A at the conclusion of the presentation.

No Money, No Mission

The panel will introduce strategies and a planning methodology for achieving financial sustainability and growth that can be applied to organizations of all sizes. The panel will discuss applications across four cases studies of organizations with different size budgets and funding models and with both similar and unique challenges.

Collections Care & Management Sessions

NAGPRA 101

Navigating the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) can be a daunting endeavor, especially with the 2024 updated regulations added to the mix. This crash course, 60-minute presentation will boil down the legalese to discuss the requirements of NAGPRA. We will review procedures for the repatriation and return of Ancestral remains and cultural items, overview new timelines and required documents, and have plenty of time for questions and answers. Helpful handouts and resources will also be provided. Even if your institution has never interacted with NAGPRA before, no prior knowledge is needed!

Local Government Records and Local Repositories

Most of us know what local government records are, but do you know if there are any legal issues with having them in your collection? In this session, you will learn about the various types of historical local government records, how public records laws still apply to them, and what you can do if you have records that may have restricted information under these laws.

Jumpstart Digitization on a Budget

Want to digitize your collections, but working with limited resources? Not sure where to begin? This presentation will equip you with practical tools to launch a cost-effective and sustainable digitization program. You will learn tools for planning and scoping digitization projects and designing efficient workflows; insights into budget-friendly equipment and software; and strategies for metadata creation and access. You will walk away ready to “jump start" a digitization program at your organization—without breaking the bank!

The Art of Archival Appraisal

Archives appraisal can be intimidating at times, but do not fear! We are here to provide strategies for local historical societies and other institutions as well as answer questions you may have about the acquisition and appraisal process of new incoming records or collections. Our hope is that after this presentation, you will feel more confident and comfortable tackling the matter and have the tools available to make difficult decisions when it comes to collecting and preserving your stories.

Historic Preservation Sessions

Reclaiming History, Reviving Community: The St. James Social Story

What happens when a neglected historic building in the heart of a small community is rehabilitated and revitalized? This session tells the story of the conversion of an 1880s commercial building in Bayfield, Wisconsin to St. James Social, a boutique hotel and restaurant. Using historic tax credits, WEDC and REAP grants, PACE financing, and community vision, Annalisa and Cody Bermel transformed the building into a catalyst for year-round tourism, job creation, and renewed local pride. Learn how their team overcame financing and construction challenges on a tight timeline to support economic growth through historic rehabilitation—proving that saving places can transform communities from the inside out.

The Why and How of Designating Local Landmarks

Local designation of historic properties is often a tense political process. In this session, we will discuss the reasons communities use this unique zoning tool and the typical process for designating properties under a local code.

Save Your Stones: Cemetery Preservation Basics

Join us for an insightful session on cemetery and gravestone preservation, where we'll explore the vital reasons behind this important work alongside ethical considerations and essential safety practices. Delve into the fascinating world of stone types and the historical significance embedded in gravestone shapes and their meanings. Learn practical strategies for cemetery preservation planning, including how to prioritize cleaning and resetting efforts, manage cemetery landscaping, and thoroughly document all preservation work. The session will also feature valuable visual demonstrations illustrating the correct techniques for gravestone cleaning, highlighting both the dos and don'ts, as well as a demonstration on the proper methods for gravestone resetting.

Preservation Strategies with Local and National Designation

For historic properties, local designation as a landmark and federal designation in the National Register of Historic Places function in radically different ways and have very different implications for properties and their current owners. In this session, we'll discuss the differences and how to employ these different tools toward long-term goals.

Historic Preservation and Latinx History in Wisconsin

This session will share the results of a collaborative project between UW-Eau Claire, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and the National Park Service to create a comprehensive context study on the history of Latinos in Wisconsin. Funded by an NPS Underrepresented Communities Grant and the Society's State Historic Preservation Office, this project aims to diversify the nominations listed in the National Register of Historic Places to better represent the state's history. Presenters will share the goals and processes of researching and writing the context report as well as an overview of the marginalized histories uncovered through the project.

Lessons in Small and Scrappy Historic Preservation

In this session, Brian draws upon decades of involvement in solving historic preservation conundrums of small-scale buildings, speaking to examples and strategies that work and lessons learned through trial and error. In particular, this presentation will focus on a case study of the preservation of a 1937 catalog order gas station in Brian's hometown of Gordon, Wisconsin.

Lights On! Renovation of the Historic Auditorium in St. Croix Falls

The Historic Auditorium was erected in 1918 as a vaudeville theater on the St. Croix River. When the current owner purchased the building in 2023, it was with one goal in mind: renovate the building keeping its historic integrity intact as much as possible. This project required additional usable space beyond the original footprint to accommodate an elevator, ADA-compliant restrooms, more seating areas, a loading dock to stage level, and storage space. All design and construction work had to meet Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation because the project applied for Historic Tax Credits. This presentation will address the reuse, financial, programmatic, design, and construction challenges associated with the Historic Auditorium renovation project.

Truths and Myths of the National Register Program

This session will detail the National Register Program, including the process of listing individual properties and historic districts, implications of what listing does and does not entail, the myths, the truths, and tax credit opportunities for listed properties.

Case Studies in Local Design Review

Evaluating proposed alterations to historic properties is the core duty for Historic Preservation Commissioners. Practice and experience help us make better decisions. In this panel discussion, preservation planners from three Wisconsin cities will present case studies of project reviews that illustrate difficult, common, and successful design reviews under local design standards.

Wanna Buy a Bridge? Truss Bridges in Wisconsin

Truss bridges in Wisconsin are a disappearing resource. WisDOT and other parties are working to document and preserve the history of these unique resources. Come learn about their history and steps you can take to help save this resource.

Prescriptive Standards: An Alternative to Using Design Guidelines as Standards

When the City of Madison updated its historic district standards, preservation staff planned to take the traditional preservation approach of using basic standards supplemented by design guidelines. At the advice of our City Attorney's Office, we ended up adopting what would traditionally be design guidelines as our actual standards of approval. Learn how this approach has been working for Madison's Landmarks Commission.

Research & Discovery Sessions

Level Up Learning with PBS Wisconsin Education

Looking for ways to offer more robust learning experiences for school and community groups without breaking the bank? PBS Wisconsin Education makes free media resources that can enhance pre-visit and post-visit plans and spark conversations and connections with your audiences. Join us to explore our local history collections that cover a range of topics, time periods, and locations, and discover how you can plug them into your programming today!

Join us at the Local History & Historic Preservation Conference! Connect with fellow history enthusiasts, explore unique tours, and dive deep into our region's rich heritage. Don't miss this chance to be part of something truly special—reserve your spot today!

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Any questions? Please contact lhhpconference@wisconsinhistory.org.