Warren County’s History Museum, genealogy resource, and Research Library
We’re on a mission to preserve and understand history vital to Warren County, Missouri
Beautifully preserved and designated a National Historic Place.
Genealogy and Research Library
Understand the present by learning your family’s past.
Hundreds of collections, photos, items, exhibits, and more to see and do.
Membership comes with benefits for you and Warren County, including discounts.
Deck the halls with this commemorative local ornament
The Schowengerdt House looks as beautiful on your tree as it does in person. This $20 commemorative ornament is available now for pick-up in the Museum gift shop or get it shipped to your door. All proceeds benefit the house and its preservation.
Don’t forget to check out the Schowengerdt House this December during festive open house tours.
Recent stories, updates, and news
Circle of Neighbors gathering at Warren Co. Historical Society
Associated with the Symposium on the Shared History of Germans and African Americans in Missouri that was held on September 16, 2023, this video is a Collaboration between the Deutschheim Verein and the Warren County Historical Society with partial Support from the Missouri Humanities Council, Visit Hermann and Cross-Cultural Strategies Inc.
150 years of ferryboats across the Mississippi and Missouri near Warren County
Before bridges, ferries were a vital link for Warren County residents and regional transportation. See how and where in this look back.
Ask a genealogist: What goes into the family bibles and other church records?
Family Bibles are sometimes considered official records despite their lack of “legal” standing. But because they’re primary sources often written by a person who was physically present at a life event, they are often vital records.
Christmas Tablescapes returns this December
See all the times you can view these beautifully curated tablescapes, plus special viewing dates.
7 unique things to do in Warren County, Missouri
Find free and low-cost things to do, see, and explore around Warren County, Warrenton, and Wright City, Missouri.
Here’s what’s in probate records and how they help genealogists
Probate records can reveal a lot about your ancestors in a specific county or region. Here’s how professional genealogists lean on them in their research.
Curated collections spanning 200 years of Warren County history
Thousands of artifacts, beautiful gardens, one-of-a-kind photos, research materials, family histories, and more.
Thousands of artifacts to explore
The history of Warren County, Missouri runs as rich and deep as the soil that graces much of our county.
Our local history includes amazing stories like Daniel Boone’s family settlement on the Missouri River in the Southern part of our county to the establishment of historic German Central Wesleyan College and related orphanage for the children of the Civil in Warrenton in the late 1860’s.
We are blessed with some of the most interesting and inspiring stories America has to tell.
Here because of the gracious support of donors like you
We’re also blessed with one of the very best history Museums, libraries and archives offered by communities of our size and larger. Formed in 1970, the Warren County Historical Society’s corps of dedicated volunteers have made preserving our history a priority through the collection and housing of artifacts, documents and family stories housed in a state-of-the-art Museum built through the generation donations of hometown people.
Some went on to achieve great things on a world stage; others lived and worked their whole lives here and generously donated funds from their estates so that the history of our area could continue to be told for generations to come. These contributions and the facility built largely from them are a testament to the specialness of our beloved community and its history.
Take a tour beyond the Museum to the Schowengerdt House
In addition to the Museum and its collections, another jewel is the historic Schowengerdt House, which is on the Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places. The Schowengerdt family bequeathed the Victorian home and gardens to the historical society, and we enjoy sharing it with our community whenever possible.
The home was built along the historical Boone’s Lick Trail that took many through our area during the Westward Expansion until it met up with the Santa Fe Trail farther west.
A visit well worth your time
If you live here, have lived here before, or have or have had relatives from our community, a visit here is well worth your time. Our community is honored to have a best-in-class physical facility and expanding library.
While you’re here, make time for all the beautiful trails, state parks, national forests, and more natural wonders in southeast Missouri.