Preserving Sheboygan County History

A Growing Collection

Even before the formal establishment of the Sheboygan County Historical Society in 1923, efforts were underway to collect objects of local significance. A sizable archaeological collection was designated for a “suitable institution” and held at the then Sheboygan Public Library. The local chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution also began collecting and displaying historic materials, along with Jefferson School and Sheboygan High School. By 1933, the organization began formally accepting many of these materials, creating the foundation of today’s Museum collection.

Following the establishment of the Museum at the Taylor House in the 1950s, collecting efforts began to expand. Many of the objects added to the collection were typical of those collected by local historical societies – furniture, clothing, decorative home textiles, and military memorabilia – along with artifacts related to the three added historic buildings.

Today, the Museum stewards an estimated 35,000 objects representing the diversity of people, history, and experiences of the Sheboygan County area. These objects serve not only as the backbone of the exhibitions of the organization, but also as valuable resources for researchers, students, and others interested in the history of Sheboygan County. Providing stewardship for the collection is a vital component of Sheboygan County Museum’s work to not only interpret the history of Sheboygan County, but to provide a platform to understand our place in it now and into the future.