About Us

The Northern Wisconsin Heritage Council came into being in 2016 as the Northern History Council, a loose federation of local history societies in the Northwoods.  The Council’s purpose was to share training for collections staff, offer suggestions and solutions to common problems and collaborate on programming.

By 2020 it became clear that we needed a more formal structure and to apply for non-profit status for the group.  Our projects needed financial support, which required bank services.

As of 2022 we became the Northern Wisconsin Heritage Council and began adding members from additional areas across the north.  Some of those members are heritage groups other than local historical societies.  The new organization will also be open to for-profit groups that occupy or preserve historic properties and make local heritage and culture a part of their business plan.

We believe that local history is as much a financial asset as a cultural one and want to share that asset with a wider community in the Northwoods.  We have a common history that does not rely on political boundaries, like townships and counties.  All of our communities share a history of indigenous peoples, early European settlers and trappers, logging as an economic development and later tourism as a major economic base.