Wisconsin Council for Local History | Wisconsin Historical Society

General Information

Wisconsin Council for Local History

Wisconsin Council for Local History | Wisconsin Historical Society
Black-and-white logo for the WCLH

 

The Wisconsin Council for Local History is an association of over 400 local, county, and specialized history and cultural 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 cultural 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 history.

Local history or cultural 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 cultural groups. The Council provides opportunities for history and cultural 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 annual Local History & Historic Preservation 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 cultural 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 history. 

Learn more about the program and how to nominate individuals and groups below:

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:Cody W. Schreck
Ephraim Historical Foundation
3060 Anderson Lane, PO Box 165
Ephraim, WI 54211-0165
920-854-9688
cschreck@ephraim.org
Vice PresidentTamara Schutz
Barron County Historical Society
PO Box 242
Cameron, WI 54822
715-548-2080
museum1@chibardun.net
TreasurerJohn Harry
Portage County Historical Society
PO Box 672
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-600-1352
jharry@pchswi.org
SecretaryMia Phifer
America's Black Holocaust Museum
401 W. North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53212
414-209-3640
mphifer@abhmuseum.org
Past President
Cynthia Arbiture
Museum Professional Services, Inc.
N5863 Hickory Hill Drive
Sullivan, WI 53178
262-593-8099
info@musprosvc.com
Directors at LargeCynthia Arbiture
Museum Professional Services, Inc.
N5863 Hickory Hill Drive
Sullivan, WI 53178
262-593-8099
info@musprosvc.com

Jamila Benson
Wisconsin Black Historical Society & Museum
2620 W. Center Street
Milwaukee, WI 53206
414-372-7677
jamilabenson@wbhsm.org

Karen Sailer
Eagle River Historical Society
PO Box 231
Eagle River, WI 54521
715-479-4357
karenjsailer@gmail.com

Tamara Schutz
Barron County Historical Society
PO Box 242
Cameron, WI 54822
715-458-2080
museum1@chibardun.net

Vacancy

Vacancy
Board of Curators RepresentativePending
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
Director of Outreach, Wisconsin Historical Society
105 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-836-2250
janet.seymour@wisconsinhistory.org
Regional Representatives
CapitalJennifer Gurske
Madison Trust for Historic Preservation
PO Box 296
Madison, WI 53701
608-441-8864
info@madisonpreservation.org
NorthwesternSheree Peterson
Bayfield County Historical Society
86460 Martin Road
Bayfield, WI 54814
715-779-5016
frogbay@cheqnet.net
CentralJohn Harry
Portage County Historical Society
PO Box 672
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-600-1352
jharry@pchswi.org
NorthwoodsBen Clark
Marathon County Historical Society
410 McIndoe Street
Wausau, WI 54403
715-842-5750
bclark@marathoncountyhistory.org
East CentralJim Frasier
Princeton Historical Society
630-632 W. Water Street
Princeton, WI 54968
920-295-9008
jim.frasier28@gmail.com
SoutheasternMerrilee Lee
William D. Hoard Museum
401 Whitewater Avenue
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
920-563-7769
mlee@hoardmuseum.org
MetropolitanMia Phifer
America's Black Holocaust Museum
401 W. North Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53212
414-209-3640
mphifer@abhmuseum.org
SouthwesternChris Connors
Norskedalen
PO Box 235
Coon Valley, WI 54623
608-452-3424
chris.connors@norskedalen.org
NortheasternCody W. Schreck
Ephraim Historical Foundation
3060 Anderson Lane, PO Box 165
Ephraim, WI 54211-0165
920-854-9688
cschreck@ephraim.org
West CentralRachel Lange
Chippewa Valley Museum
1204 E. Half Moon Drive, PO Box 1204
Eau Claire, WI 54703
r.lange@cvmuseum.com

Learn More

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

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