To our friends and family around Warren County:
I want to share some of the great things happening around the Warren County Historical Society and future plans with you. We’re a volunteer-led organization, and as Board President of the WCHS I know I speak for everyone on the board when I say: We sincerely appreciate the community support dedicated to preserving and celebrating our history. And we’re all equally committed to this organization’s success for the sake of future generations.
Among those most supportive are our volunteers. We have dozens of volunteers who devote thousands of hours each year to help us with everything from planting flowers at the Schowengerdt House to organizing and cataloging research and genealogy materials. We’re exploring staffing expansions to help, but this organization would cease to function without volunteers.
That said, we can always use more volunteers. Whether your skills are in genealogy, landscaping, board leadership, woodworking, or just helping tidy up the facilities, you can become a valuable contributor, even if it’s just helping once or twice a year.
We’re excited about a slate of programs, talks, and exhibits coming to the Museum and Schowengerdt House this year. A full calendar will be announced soon, but several nationally-renowned authors and speakers are coming. One recurring theme in 2023 will be German immigration and its impact on shaping our community. New books are already available in our store and gift shop. Our popular Christmas-time Tablescapes will be returning this December, too.
Looking long-term, we’re always interested in physical expansion. We increasingly need a proper meeting space that can enable us to host more and better events comfortably. There are always more historical items to store as donations also come into the Museum and Research Library.
Indeed, we have so many fascinating heirlooms, artifacts, books, and family histories it’s become challenging for us to share everything we have! That’s why we’re working to bring awareness to everything we have ready for you to browse, read, see, and explore. The best way, of course, is simply to visit the Museum and Library.
The stewardship of this Society and the items in our care is a big job. We know accepting, storing, maintaining, and preserving century-old items in addition to the buildings and facilities is a challenge, and it’s one we’ve gladly accepted. We know that a community without an understanding of their history and where they come from is a community that can’t fully understand who they are or where they’re going.
If you’d like to stay informed of future events, join our email list for free. You can also become a Member, granting you perks and discounts at the Museum and Research Library, or make a donation. Memberships and donations are tax-deductible, too.
Sincerely,
David Avis
President, Warren County Historical Society Board of Directors
