About Us

On November 22, 1919, A meeting was called to organize a branch of the State Archaeological and Historical Society in Winnebago County. Clarence T. Olen, Charles Koehn, Ralph Buckstaff, Nile Behncke, and Arthur Kannenberg met and formed the Winnebago Archaeological and Historical Society. In its early days, the society was a major proponent in marking and preserving historical sites and surveying archaeological sites in Winnebago County. The society also helped establish the Oshkosh Public Museum.

Today, the organization is known as the Winnebago County Historical Society and maintains a strong presence in historical preservation in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. The society is located at 234 Church Avenue in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the former residence of John R. Morgan–founder of the Morgan Company. The Morgan House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 and is a house museum consistent with 1880s furnishings and fine art.

Our Mission

WCHS unravels history by breathing life into forgotten tales, collecting and sharing stories and artifacts that define our community, and inviting community members to actively participate in preserving the rich history of our area. View our strategic plan here.

Our Vision

WCHS unearths, cultivates, and shares the vibrant history of Winnebago County through engaging programs, education, and preservation efforts.

House History

This Queen Anne style home was built in 1884 for John R. Morgan (1833-1906) and Eleanor (Hughes) Morgan (1832-1909). John and his brother, Richard, arrived in Oshkosh in 1855 and founded one of Oshkosh’s earliest and prosperous saw mills, Morgan Brothers & Company. The mill fell victim to financial hardship several times as a result of fires. The Great Fire of 1875 that devastated Oshkosh started in the lumber yard of the Morgan mill. Despite the setbacks, they persevered to become one of the leading saw mills in Oshkosh into the 20th century.

To reflect the family’s new-found success and wealth, John hired local contractors Adam Bell and Edwin Cole to design and build this house. The Queen Anne style was the popular choice of architecture in post-Civil War America. The ornately decorated house with 1880s modern conveniences cost approximately $12,000 to build. After the Morgans died, the house was owned for a brief time by their children but was eventually sold outside of the family. Constance Misky bought the home in the 1940s where she operated a cosmetology school on the first floor until 1963 and lived on the second floor until 1970. The Winnebago County Historical Society acquired the home from the Misky family through bequest and purchase in 1987 and began an extensive effort to restore original features of the home. It is now restored and furnished to reflect how a family of the Morgan’s social status lived in late-nineteenth century Oshkosh. The Morgan House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Board of directors

Austin Frederick – President

Stacey Frank – Vice President

Secretary – Vacant

Greg Bellmer – Treasurer

Catie Gullickson

Verna Hasenfeldt

Julie Johnson