The Dane County Historical Society is a private non-profit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. In January 1961, DCHS affiliated with the Wisconsin Historical Society. Our charter meeting was held on February 13, 1961, at the Dane County Fairgrounds. In our first year, 143 people were awarded “Charter Memberships.”
Intro
The Society’s mission is to preserve and promote Dane County’s history. We do this in several ways:
The Otto Schroeder Archives and Record Center
Newspaper article announcing the end of a successful fundraising campaign by DCHS to secure a location in the Lussier Family Heritage Center
The Dane County Historical Society collects published and unpublished materials and other primary and secondary sources relating to Dane County history. Once collected, these materials are housed at the Otto Schroeder Archives and Record Center on the lower level of the Lussier Family Heritage Center. A generous gift of $50,000 from Amy Gilliland made it possible for DCHS to be part of the Lussier Family Heritage Center building project. In honor of Amy’s gift, DCHS named the Otto SchroederArchives and Records Center after Amy’s grandfather.
We want everyone to use our materials. Making an appointment is as simple as emailing us at danecountyhistory@gmail.com. Generally, it’s best to review our online catalog before making an appointment. In some cases, we may be able to copy the material you want. This might involve a charge for staff time and copying but might save you a trip to the archives.
1968 newspaper article about the formation of the Dane County Records Center.
The precursor to the Schroeder Archives and Records Center was the Dane County Records Center, established in 1968 through a partnership with DCHS, the Madison Public Library, and the Dane County Library Service. With this partnership in place, Madison’s central library provided space for the Dane County Records Center in the basement. Library services offered free transportation. This unique partnership was so well received that it won a national award from the American Association of State and Local History.
Collections and Projects
The Dane County Historical Society has several ongoing collections and projects. To learn more, please go to Digitized Collections.
Publications
The Dane County Historical Society has published two books about Dane County history. Both are available for sale. In 2001, the Dane County Historical Society published Forward! A History of DANE The Capital County. Although written 20 years ago, it is still the best reference work for anyone studying Dane County history. Dane County Historical Society has also published Back to Beginnings: The Early Days of Dane County, which is richly illustrated and suitable for adults and children alike.
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Below is an introductory video with Rick Bernstein, DCHS’s Executive Director. Before joining DCHS, Rick retired from the Wisconsin Historical Society. He worked there for almost thirty years and brought that experience to bear. The archives is available upon appointment. Call us at 608 224-3605. Better yet, for a faster response, please email us at danecountyhistory@gmail.com to set up an appointment.
Legal Documents
Articles of Incorporation (1963)
Current Bylaws
IRS Form 1023 Application for Exemption
IRS Determination Letter (1985)
IRS Receipt for Filing of Form 990-N (3 year rolling)
WDFI Charitable Fundraising Registration
Current WDFI Information Return or Affidavit
Lease
Current Dane County Operating Agreement
Conflict of Interest Policy
Document Retention Policy
Budget (3 year rolling)
Current Board and Staff Roster
Current Committee Roster
Board Meeting Minutes (3 year rolling)
Annual Meeting Minutes
Special Membership Meeting Minutes
Current Correspondence (3 year rolling)