Help Us Save Lake County’s History

For over 150 years, Lake County has been shaped by the people, events, and stories that built our communities. The Lake County Historical Society, Inc. has been dedicated to preserving these stories since our founding—protecting artifacts, photographs, documents, and treasures that date from the county’s earliest days in 1875 through today.

Now, we are facing one of the most critical moments in our organization’s history.

We Need Your Help to Safely Relocate Our Museum Collection

Our museum is preparing to move to a new location - an exciting step that will allow us to expand access, improve exhibits, and better serve our community. But to get there, we must safely relocate thousands of delicate, irreplaceable artifacts that tell the story of Lake County’s past.

These items include fragile textiles, century-old documents, historic tools, photographs, household items, military memorabilia, and countless other treasures entrusted to our care. Moving them requires proper packing materials, climate-controlled storage, and specialized transportation to ensure they survive the journey intact.

Without the funding to do this properly, pieces of our shared heritage could be put at risk.

Why This Matters

Our collection doesn’t belong to us—it belongs to every resident of Lake County, past and present. These artifacts help us:

• Educate local students about our region’s roots

• Provide meaningful exhibits for visitors and families

• Preserve the stories of the people who built and shaped our communities

• Honor veterans, pioneers, farmers, business owners, and everyday citizens

• Inspire future generations to appreciate and respect our history

Every item we protect is a piece of our identity as a county.

How Your Donation Helps

Your support will go directly toward:

• Professional transport of fragile artifacts

• Temporary climate-controlled storage, as needed

• Preservation materials such as archival boxes and protective wraps

• Safe setup of collections at the new museum site

No donation is too small. Every dollar helps us protect the very history that defines Lake County.

Join Us in Safeguarding Our Heritage

This move is more than a project—it’s a responsibility to the past and a promise to the future. With your help, the Lake County Historical Society can continue preserving our community’s heritage for generations to come.

Thank you for supporting our mission and helping us keep Lake County’s history alive.