Special Projects
Since its founding in 1961, the Dane County Historical Society has started several special projects. To help the public find out more about each of them, DCHS has developed a page for each one. You’ll find summaries below.
2021 Wisconsin Humanities Council Recovery Grant
In November 2021, the Wisconsin Humanities Council awarded the Dane County Historical Society $5000 from its Recovery Grant program. The funding will help the Dane County Historical Society recover financially from the pandemic.
Ferdinand Kronenberg Architectural Drawings Digitization Project
The Cardinal Hotel in downtown Madison is one of Kronenberg’s most significant commissions.
The Dane County Historical Society recently received a generous grant of $500 from The Madison Trust for Historic Preservation to advance this particular project.
This funding from a fellow private non-profit is most welcomed and fitting, considering it was the Madison Trust that donated the Kronenberg drawings to DCHS in 1986, over 25 years ago. The scanning project is now in full swing. To see a preview of the scanned drawings click here.
2020 Wisconsin Humanities Mini-Grant
The Friends of the Capital Springs Recreation Area received a Wisconsin Humanities Council Mini-Grant. As a result, FOCSRA will be partnering with us, Ho-Chunk Nation, Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District, and Dane County Parks to develop an interpretive plan for cultural and natural resources within Lunney Lake Farm Park and the Capital Springs Recreation Area.
Madison Mozart Club
1905 Madison Mozart Annual membership group photo. Note that The names of everyone in the photo I in the caption below.
The Madison Mozart Club collection is one of Dane County Historical Society’s more notable. The white male choir was active from 1901 to 1958 and gave 200 concerts across southern Wisconsin. The collection includes several group photos and membership rosters. DCHS has digitized several group photographs along with home addresses and occupations for each photographed member. This project has made these records more accessible to genealogists and the general public. To access this information, please visit the Madison Mozart Club page.
Historical Markers
Robert M. La Follette: The Early Years Marker
Since 1963, the Dane County Historical Society has erected 48 historical markers noting significant historical figures, locations, and events. Visit our Historical Markers page to learn more, including an interactive map for all 48 historical markers.
To learn more about the Wisconsin Historical Society’s marker program, click here.
I Remember Madison Central High School
1915 Postcard of Madison’s Central High School
The Dane County Historical Society sponsored the “I Remember Madison Central High” project to collect the history of Madison’s Central High School. In addition, DCHS scanned copies of the school’s newsletter, The Madison Mirror, and yearbook, the Tychoberahn. Links to both of these and more can be found on our Madison Central High School page.