Become a Member of the Washington County Historical Society

The Historical Society has depended upon its membership ever since it organized back in 1934. There was a drive to organize a county historical society as far back as 1881, but because of indifference and lack of support the idea died and it took 53 years to resurface. In that time, most of all the Civil War veterans in the county died, and business leaders such as Elam Greeley, John McKusick, Isaac Staples, Michael Marsh of Forest Lake, and John Furber of Cottage Grove also had passed on. Just think of the history that could have been saved!

Those people who gathered at the Stillwater Public Library in 1934 were tired of seeing the history of one of Minnesota's first counties fading away. They vowed to "investigate and study the history of Washington County," and to "provide for the collection and preservation" of our history.

In 1941, the Washington County Historical Society purchased, from the State of Minnesota, the old Warden's House of the Stillwater Prison. In June 1941, the Historical Society opened that house as a museum, the second house museum open to the public in the state.

In 1974, the Washington County Historical Society took over the role of operating the Hay Lake School as a museum. This one room, brick schoolhouse was purchased by the society in 1978. It is still today available to students and teachers to discover how children learned over 100 years ago. This unique rural school has preserved the heritage of the one room school in Washington County.

Also in 1978, the Historical Society had the opportunity to preserve a family cemetery in Stillwater Township, the resting place of the Rev. Wm. Boutwell and family. The society purchased 15 acres of land to help preserve the graves of this national figure, his two wives and two of his children.

The Washington County Historical Society also has a research library for people who want to find out about their ancestors. There are also many photographs, manuscripts, and books that cover Washington County history from the beginning to present day. Not only can you find information about people, but also places, businesses and home histories can be researched at the library.

Today the Society does so much more! Staff and volunteers reach out to the county schools to bring county history to the classroom. The Historical Society writes and publishes books about county history, keeps an informative history web site (www.wchsmn.org), sponsors a vintage baseball team (look for them in your hometown next summer), and develops history displays, lectures and workshops at many locations around the county.

Membership is one way that you can help support the Washington County Historical Society. With a membership to this organization you will be able to visit the museums for free, and be able to research in the library without paying a research fee. You will receive a quarterly newsletter filled with information about upcoming programs and informational articles about some aspect of Washington County history. Each year the Society holds two membership meetings with excellent speakers on a variety of historical subjects. A member of the historical society also receives 10 percent off any of the books and other items for sale in our gift shop, which has the best selection of local histories in the county.

The cost of a membership to the Washington County Historical Society is nominal. For seniors and students under 18 the cost is only $10 per year. An individual membership is $15, a family membership is $25, patron membership is $50 and a life membership is only $500. Please fill out the membership form and send it to the WCHS Membership, PO Box 167, Stillwater, MN 55082-0167.

It must be mentioned that the Washington County Historical Society runs off your donations and memberships. If there are no members, there will be no Historical Society. And without the Historical Society, who will there be to preserve today for the generations that follow?