History Room

The Jackson County History Room is located in the Black River Falls Public Library, 222 Fillmore Street, Black River Falls, WI.  The History Room is open, free of charge, every Monday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Tuesday through Friday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please call ahead to confirm hours.  Saturday appointments can be arranged. Tours and group visits are encouraged and should be arranged in advance.

Goals of the History Room:
1. To assist in the collection and preservation of written historical information concerning Jackson County and its people.
2. To disseminate that information to the public for the purpose of enjoyment, education, and research, including genealogical research

Many of the resources you use during your visit to the Jackson County History Room are acquired by monetary donations. Your donation is greatly appreciated.  Questions regarding the History Room should be directed to Mary I. Murray Woods, Historian, at m.woods@wrlsweb.org.

New to the History Room:
Swiss in Wisconsin by Frederick Hale
Welsh in Wisconsin by Phillips G. Davies
Warrens Cranberry Festival 1973-1997
Black River Falls High School 50th Class Reunion 1960-2010
Norwegians in America, their History and Record: a translated version of the 1907 and 1913 Nordmaendene i Amerika, deres Historie og Rekord written by Martin Ulvestad, translated into English by Olaf Tronsen Kringhaug and Odd-Steinar Dybvad Raneng, transcribed from Gothic script by Benjamin Keith Huntrods
Zimmerman-Buttke Connection and Associated Families by Mary J. and Louise M. Knutson
Descendants of Michael & Lois (Blodgett) Ebert, James & Jane (Everton) Annis, Leif & Susan (Stanton) Hall, and Joseph & Mary (Warner) Ware by Joanne Nash

Century Farm & Home Award Applications Now Available
In celebration of Wisconsin’s agricultural heritage, long-time farm and home owners are encouraged to register for a 2011 Sesquicentennial or Century Farm and Home Award. To qualify for the award, continuous family ownership of a property in the state of Wisconsin for the past 150 or 100 years must be proven.

Applications are now available from the Department of Agriculture or the Wisconsin State Fair office and are due by March 2011. Honorees will receive complimentary State Fair tickets for a program to be held there next August, an awards breakfast, commemorative photo, certificate and outdoor display sign provided by Hillshire Farm, who has been a longtime program sponsor.

The Century Farm and Home Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the State’s Centennial Celebration. There are currently over 8,400 Century Farms and Homes nestled throughout the Badger State. The Sesquicentennial Program originated in 1998 as part of the State’s Sesquicentennial Celebration. Since that time, nearly 590 families have been honored. In 2010, 118 Century properties and 31 Sesquicentennial properties were honored for carrying on Wisconsin’s rich family farming tradition.

To request a copy of either application, call 414-777-0580.

“The least people can do is to have a history
of themselves for those who come after.”
-Noah Webster