Every so often, it is worth stepping back from one town, one family or one old photograph to notice the larger
network of people who keep local history alive. Around Clark County, central Wisconsin and the state as a whole,
much of that work is done by volunteers who open museums, scan photographs, preserve clippings, answer
genealogy questions and keep asking, “What should we save before it disappears?”
Clark County Historical Society. The Clark County Historical Society was officially incorporated in 1965 at a
meeting held at the old Withee High School. Longtime Withee historians Natalie Scherf and Vieno Keskimaki were
among the founding members. Now headquartered in Neillsville, the society supports the preservation and teaching
of local history throughout the county. It publishes a semiannual newsletter and holds rotating membership
meetings. I attended the group’s June 2026 meeting at the Neillsville History Room, a reminder that local history is
strongest when people from different communities share notes, sources and encouragement. Thank you, Shirley
Anderson and Steve Roberts!
Stanley Area Historical Society. The Stanley Area Historical Society Museum, located at 228 Helgerson Street
in Stanley, is an impressive regional museum of more than 12,000 square feet. Its exhibits cover industry, farming,
logging, military service, schools and community life. Its research library includes family histories, old plat books,
digitized Stanley newspapers and school annuals, making it valuable for Stanley, Thorp and eastern Clark County
research. Thank you, Dave Jankoski!
Kuse Nature Center and regional history. The Medford area offers good examples of how natural history and
local history fit together. Nature centers, county parks and museums help tell the story of settlement, logging,
farming, conservation and recreation in north-central Wisconsin. For historians, the land itself is often one of the
best records we have.
Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS). As one of the nation’s oldest and largest state historical societies, WHS is
marking America’s 250th anniversary with major events and activities. Construction is underway on the new
Wisconsin History Center on Capitol Square in Madison, a five-story, 100,000-square-foot project expected to open
in 2027. The Owen-Withee Area Historical Society is an affiliate of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Clark County History Buffs website. The Clark County History Buffs website remains one of the most important online resources for anyone researching Clark County. It includes biographies, cemetery records, school histories, obituaries, photographs, maps and links to other county resources. Stephanie Zahradka has come on board as the new archives coordinator to assist webmasters Kris Leonhardt-Kobs and Alan Gurtner. Dolores Kenyon, age 87, continues the remarkable volunteer task of transcribing daily obituaries and history-related stories. In 2025, I presented Dolores with a certificate of appreciation, and in 2026 I again visited her Black River Falls home to thank her for her extraordinary service in preserving Clark County history.
Salute to Agriculture. A special 12-page June 2026 “Salute to Agriculture” supplement appeared in the print
editions of the Stanley Republican and the Enterprise Sentinel newspapers. Compiled by staffer Joseph Back, it
included stories and photos about cattle and dairy farming, a farming connection to a signer of the 1776 Declaration
of Independence, and immigration and early farming in north-central Clark County. Agriculture remains one of the
most important threads in our local story. Thank you, Joseph Back!
Kerry Bloedorn, Northwoods Historian. Kerry Bloedorn, a native of the Rhinelander area, is a historian, teacher, storyteller and advocate for preserving Wisconsin history, especially in the Northwoods. He posts frequently on his Northwoods Historian social media page, serves as director of the Rhinelander Pioneer Park Historical Complex and is a member of the Wisconsin Historical Society Board of Curators. His work shows how local history can be shared in lively, approachable ways.

Taken together, these groups and individuals remind us that history is not just stored in archives and behind locked
doors. It is kept alive by people who ask questions, save evidence and pass stories along. I’m proud to add my name
to the ranks of Wisconsin and local history educators and preservers. Thank you, readers and history fans, for being
part of my own history journey. This column, which I have been writing since 2020, is now approaching 250 weekly
stories and memories of Owen-Withee area history.