MCHS
125 Lawrence St Box 172
Westfield, WI 53964
608-296-4700
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.Guest speaker Mark Kramer
Rueben Hunter & Jules Standke
share stories from Nam
Peggy Murray & Cheryl Murray with the sign celebrating their parents.
The Tom Murray Honor Guard uniform behind them.
Our grounds include the Nelson/Cochrane house, the restored Riverside Schoolhouse, and the Kerst research building and museum.
Marquette County, Wisconsin is the boyhood home of John Muir, often called the Father of our National Parks.
Dennis Glunn with the fatigues he wore in Viet Nam
Some of Mark Kramer's exhibit..
Marquette County Historical Society 1962
Marquette County, Wisconsin 2024
May 19
The veterans presentation of May 19 was well attended with many exchanges of stories..
The Marquette County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, all donation operated 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It is located at 125 Lawrence Street in Westfield, Wisconsin, but serves all of Marquette County. The location includes the 1903 Cochrane Nelson house built by T. Harry Cochrane, son of Robert Cochrane, a settler from Westfield, New York, who built a mill on the local creek in 1850 and who owned the land platted for the Village of Westfield.
After Cochrane moved to Portage in 1906, Nels Nelson purchased the home. He owned and operated a grocery and ice cream parlor across the mill pond.
The Society also manages the Kerst/Cant/Robinson Exhibit and Research building which houses an extensive collection of early artifacts from the 14 Townships, 4 villages and 1 city of Marquette County as well as records that aid in genealogy research.
Also on the grounds is the Henry Ellis Section House filled with early railroad memorabilia and the Riverside School, one of the earliest school buildings in the county and the oldest one still standing. It is connected to John Muir, who spent his boyhood in Buffalo Township in Marquette County.
Marquette County owns the land and buildings which are managed by MCHS. MCHS donated funds are used for upkeep of the building and additions to the buildings as well as all collections and activity expenses. Marquette County has shared in the cost of house preservation and grounds improvements under the auspices of the Property Department of the County.
MCHS was started by a group of dedicated volunteers in 1962.
Upcoming Events
April21 Presentation:Tagatz/Guderjahn/Zabel Families History in Marquette County 1:00 p.m. @ Historical Society
May 19
Presentation:
105th Anniversary of American Legion 1:00p.m. @ Historical Society
May 24-25
Garage Sale
June 10
Strawberry Sociable
July 3-7
Marquette County Fair
August 9
Pie Social w/outdoor concert
Nov. 22-23
Cookie Walk