Historical societies throughout the country use a variety of programs and events to keep the past alive in their hometowns. From historic home tours to vintage baseball games, cemetery walks to dinner theaters, societies are at work producing events that are fun and informative. These events, and the museum exhibits assembled by hard-working volunteers, are what the public mentions first when asked what goes on with a historical society.
Behind all these wonderful events and exhibits is another world, the unique cultural and historic resources each society collects and preserves. These artifacts include such treasures as clothing, furniture, musical instruments, tools, toys, as well as newspapers, reference books, family histories, and thousands of photos. Local historical societies collect and store these materials in ways that will keep them available for generations to come. It’s one thing to preserve all this amazing stuff; but what really gets a local historian excited is being able to share the stories behind the collection.
Merrill Historical Society is pleased to use their extensive collections to help local authors with informational and pictorial research. The latest publication to which the Society has contributed is They Came to Work in the Woods – A Pictorial History of the Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1608 by Scott and James Henderson. Earlier books include Town of Scott, Established 1881, researched and compiled by Catherine G. LeMay-Brown, Nobody Walks Now-a Days, a history of Merrill Railway & Lighting Company written by Thomas E. Burg, The Rangers’ Reign: A Glimpse of Semi-Pro Baseball in the ‘50s by Louis Paetsch and Michael Weckwerth, Images of America: Merrill by Robin L. Comeau, and The History of Merrill, Wisconsin: The Jenny Years, 1847-1881 by Sharon S. Thatcher. Each of these books, available at the Merrill History & Culture Center gift shop, showcases a different aspect of our local history, bringing the past alive for a new generation to enjoy.
For help in researching your own projects, please call 715-536-5652 to make an appointment to meet with one of our volunteer historians.
The Merrill Historical Society’s mission is to educate the public about our heritage using the unique historical and cultural resources we collect and preserve. For further information on the programs and activities of the Merrill Historical Society, or to become a member, please contact the Society at 715-536-5652 or [email protected], or see the website at www.merrillhistory.org.