Preserve your memories, keep them well, what you forget, you can never retell. Louisa May Alcott

Thanks to your donations and a very generous grant from the Indiana Historical Society and exceptional work by Helming Brothers, Inc., the bell tower restoration is now complete!

As part of our continued goal to make the museum more accessible, we have completed renovation of the sidewalks leading up to the museum and bison.

We are currently writing grants for some of the next projects including:

• Renovating the bathrooms
• Addressing heating, cooling and moisture issues in the museum
• Protecting and securing the windows
• Climate controlled building for artifact storage

The Martin County Historical Society is 100% volunteer run.  We are always busy working on one project or another. Currently, our volunteers are working to digitize family scrapbooks.  Each Saturday a group of volunteers gets together to scan documents and enjoy each other's company.

We have plenty of jobs for everyone!  Whether you want to volunteer an hour a month or ten hours a week, there is a job with your name on it! Click the link below to find out more about volunteering.

 A generous donor has agreed to give MCHS $20,000 for every 200 new members who commit to a five year membership, up to $100,000. Members can sign up a year at a time, 5 years at a time or for a lifetime. 

We had an exciting 2020 goal: To have 1,000 active members by July 4, 2020. We were unable to reach that goal due to being shut down related to COVID.  We aren't giving up! 

We are currently at 850 active members, so we know it won't be long until we reach our goal! 

Thank you all for your support!

We have suspended  member meetings for all of 2020. We hope that there will be a return to normalcy in 2021 and with that a re-opening of the museum and related activities.

The board and officers will continue to have closed meetings each month to discuss business and make decisions.

We will continue to use social media, the website and newsletters to continue to keep our members informed. 

In the last two years, the Martin County Historical Society expanded its walls, collection and duties!  The Martin County Genealogical Society has moved its artifacts and operations under the care of the Martin County Historical Society.  We are honored to keep those precious historic genealogical records and continue the great work of the Genealogical Society.

 We were also given the Allbright House in Shoals (103 High Street) by the family of Mary Lou Allbright Doty. The Historical Society is honored that the family has made this generous donation and placed their trust in their ability to preserve the historical value of the home.  

As you know, the Historical Society runs on dues, sales, grants and donations.  Our primary funding comes from grants. We have been concentrating on identifying and writing  a LOT of grants.  We are excited to see that organizations recognize our need and are willing to support the work we are doing!

April 2019 - We received a grant from the Indiana Historical Society to pay for lightening protection for the bell tower.

June 2019 - We received the third $20,000 membership match.  We will save this money with the goal of finding a matching grant for one of our larger projects.