Wisconsin Historical Society
Encyclopedia
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and the trans-Allegheny West. Founded in 1846 and chartered in 1853, it is the oldest historical society
Historical society
A historical society is an organization that collects, researches, interprets and preserves information or items of historical interest. Generally, a historical society focuses on a specific geographical area, such as a county or town or subject, such as aviation or rail. Many historical...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to receive continuous public funding. The society's headquarters are located in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, on the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
.
In fulfilling its mission to educate the public on areas relating to Wisconsin history, the Wisconsin Historical Society coordinates many programs to preserve objects and information of historical interest while keeping them available to the public. The society's library and archives, which together serve as the library of American history for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, contain nearly four million items, making the society's collection the largest in the world dedicated exclusively to North American history.
The Wisconsin Historical Society also has an extensive newspaper collection, the second largest in the United States after the Library of Congress.
In addition to this library, the society opearates the Wisconsin Historical Museum
Wisconsin Historical Museum
The Wisconsin Historical Museum is a museum located on the Capitol Square in Madison, Wisconsin. The museum, which features information about the history of Wisconsin, is operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society...
in downtown Madison and a publishing house, the Wisconsin Historical Society Press
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
The Wisconsin Historical Society Press, operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society, in Madison, Wisconsin, is Wisconsin's oldest book publisher and has more than 100 titles in print. The Wisconsin Historical Society Press publishes books that connect people in Wisconsin and the Midwest to their...
, which publishes books on Wisconsin and American history and a quarterly magazine, the Wisconsin Magazine of History. In more recent times, the society complemented its printed materials with a website boasting numerous features that include a large, searchable collection of historical images and a vast digital archive containing thousands of scanned documents relating to Wisconsin history.
Wisconsin Local History Collection
The Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles Collectionis a decades-long project of the Wisconsin Historical Society. It includes newspaper clippings such as obituaries, news stories, and advertisements, placed into bound volumes. In 2006, the collection was placed online in a digital form, and includes 16,000 articles and materials on Wisconsin people and communities from the late 19th and early 20th century.
Historic sites
In addition to all its other pursuits, the Wisconsin Historical Society owns ten historic sites that can be toured by the public. These sites are located in cities across the state.| Historic Site | Location |
|---|---|
| Circus World Museum Circus World Museum The Circus World Museum is a large museum complex in Baraboo, Wisconsin devoted to circus-related history. The museum, which features not only circus artifacts and exhibits, but also hosts daily live circus performances throughout the summer, is owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, and... |
Baraboo, Wisconsin Baraboo, Wisconsin Baraboo is the largest city in, and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. It is situated on the Baraboo River. Its 2010 population was 12,048 according to the US Census Bureau... |
| First Capitol First Capitol Historic Site First Capitol Historic Site is a free admission historic museum located outside Belmont, Wisconsin. The museum includes two of the buildings first used by territorial legislators to meet in Wisconsin Territory... |
Belmont, Wisconsin Belmont, Wisconsin Belmont is a village in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 871 according to the 2000 census.-History:Founded in 1835 by land speculator John Atchison, Belmont was the original capital of the Wisconsin Territory, and the original territorial capitol building is preserved... |
| H. H. Bennett Studio H. H. Bennett Studio The H. H. Bennett Studio is a historic photographic studio located in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The studio building was built in 1875 by noted landscape photographer H. H. Bennett, and was operated by his family until 1999. In that year, the studio was donated to the Wisconsin Historical Society... |
Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Wisconsin Dells is a city in south-central Wisconsin, with a population of 2,418 as of the 2000 census. It straddles four counties: Adams, Columbia, Juneau, and Sauk. The city takes its name from the dells of the Wisconsin River, a scenic, glacially formed gorge that features striking sandstone... |
| Madeline Island Museum Madeline Island Historical Museum Madeline Island Historical Museum is a museum operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society in the town of La Pointe, Wisconsin. As the institution's name suggests, it is located upon Madeline Island, one of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior... |
La Pointe, Wisconsin La Pointe, Wisconsin La Pointe is a town in Ashland County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The town includes all of the Apostle Islands. There is also an unincorporated community named La Pointe on Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands . The population was 246 at the 2000 census... |
| Old World Wisconsin Old World Wisconsin Old World Wisconsin, the largest outdoor museum of rural life in the United States of America, is located near Eagle, Wisconsin, 35 miles southwest of Milwaukee, in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Opened in 1976, this open-air museum encompasses nearly 600 acres of rolling wooded hills and... |
Eagle, Wisconsin Eagle, Wisconsin Eagle is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,707 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Eagle.-Museums:... |
| Pendarvis Pendarvis Pendarvis is a historic site located in Mineral Point, Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The site, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is made up of several 19th century cabins built by Cornish immigrants who came to Mineral Point to mine lead... |
Mineral Point, Wisconsin Mineral Point, Wisconsin Mineral Point is a city in Iowa County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,617 at the 2000 census. In 2008 the city's population had taken a decline and is currently only 2,462, but still the second most populous community in Iowa County... |
| Stonefield Stonefield Stonefield, located at 12195 County Road VV outside Cassville, Wisconsin, United States, was the 2,000 acre estate of Wisconsin's first governor, Nelson Dewey. Much of the original estate has been separated into Nelson Dewey State Park and the Stonefield historic site, an expansive museum operated... |
Cassville, Wisconsin Cassville, Wisconsin Cassville is a village in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,085 at the 2000 census. The village is located along the Mississippi River within the Town of Cassville.-History:... |
| Villa Louis Villa Louis The Villa Louis, also known as Dousman Mansion, is a National Historic Landmark located on St. Feriole island in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Today the site is restored to its appearance during the late 19th Century, when it was the estate of the prominent H. Louis Dousman family. At the center of... |
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin Prairie du Chien is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census. Its Zip Code is 53821.... |
| Sylvanus Wade House | Greenbush, Wisconsin Greenbush, Wisconsin Greenbush is a town in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,773 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The census-designated place of Greenbush is located in the town... |
| Reed School | Neillsville, Wisconsin Neillsville, Wisconsin Neillsville is a city in Clark County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 2,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat.-Geography:Neillsville is located at .... |