Wisconsin Historical Society Partners with The Water Council to Record History in Real Time
June 24, 2014

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Schooner Docked on the Milwaukee River

A 19th-century Milwaukee River scene created by H.H. Bennett. View the original source document: WHI 2082.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee-based Water Council announced today that it has formed a partnership with the Wisconsin Historical Society to document the ongoing water initiative that the Council believes will shape the economic future of the state. The Water Council is a conglomerate of industries, educational institutions, nonprofits and other organizations that share a mission to establish the Milwaukee region as the World Water Hub for water research, economic development and education.

The significance of the movement being spearheaded by The Water Council will one day be viewed as a vital part of Wisconsin's history and thus should be well documented now, while the individuals responsible for the Council are still around and able to contribute to that process, says Ellsworth Brown, the Society's Director. "The Water Council idea is new, just a few years old, so the records are fresh. The people who created it are still here. They have memories and records, so the idea was to do this now rather than later," said Brown.

The Wisconsin Historical Society will hire a public historian to be housed in The Water Council's office at the Global Water Center, recently opened in Milwaukee. This historian will link Society staff and resources in Madison with The Water Council, providing assistance and training with records management and archival documentation, as well as access to the Society's extensive water-related research collections, including maps, images and primary sources that tell the story of the western Great Lakes and Wisconsin's water resources. The Society and The Water Council also plan to partner in providing outreach and educational programming throughout the Milwaukee area in the future. The intent is to fill this position by late summer or early fall.

Dean Amhaus, President and CEO of The Water Council, said, "There is no question that water will be shaping the future, not only determining where people choose to live but where people do commerce," therefore, the importance of water in Milwaukee, and Wisconsin, will take an even more significant role in shaping the future.

About The Water Council

The Water Council, the only organization of its kind in the United States, was established in 2009 by Milwaukee-area businesses, education and government leaders. With more than 150 water technology companies in the Milwaukee area, the region's water industry is a $10.5 billion dollar market and accounts for four percent of the world's total water business. The nonprofit organization, consisting of more than 160 members, is linking together global water technology companies, innovative water entrepreneurs, acclaimed academic research programs and, most importantly, some of the nation's brightest and most energetic water professionals. The Water Council is capturing the attention of the world and transforming the Milwaukee region into a World Water Hub for freshwater research, economic development and education. For more information, visit The Water Council website or call 414-988-8750.

About the Wisconsin Historical Society

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.

Media Contact

Robyn Kitson, Wisconsin Historical Society Marketing Director

robyn.kitson@wisconsinhistory.org

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