PRESERVING THE PAST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Caledonia Historical Society Posted on by

 

What Is The CHS And The CHV And What Is The CHS Mission?

Learn the history of Caledonia. Preserve the history of Caledonia. Share the history of Caledonia. The Caledonia Historical Society (CHS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the collection, preservation and dissemination of materials and information relating to the history of Caledonia. The Society promotes the understanding of the history of the Village through a number of buildings and the artifacts within them.

The Caledonia Historical Village (CHV) located on 5 Mile Road just east of Hwy 38 is owned and operated by the Caledonia Historical Society (CHS).  The Caledonia Historical Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, and all members are volunteers.  Therefore all renovations, all maintenance, all activities at the Caledonia Historical Village are undertaken by those volunteers.  All funding of those renovations, maintenance and activities is through donations, grants, membership and fund raising.

The Beginning of CHS

By preserving historical structures and artifacts from our past, we can enjoy them in the present and the future. The Society shares Caledonia’s history with its residents and visitors to enrich our appreciation of who we are and where we have been.  The Caledonia Historical Society began in 2001 as a loose association of individuals and officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2003.  As described previously, the beginning of the CHS was the desire to save the original 1877 Caledonia Town Hall.

In 2009, the CHS made a decision to expand its efforts by securing the funds necessary to save and relocate the 1902 Sturtevant (Milwaukee Road) Railroad Depot. After moving it to the Caledonia Historical Village in four pieces, the staggering restoration process began.  Funds obtained through individual and business donations, fund-raising efforts and community organizations such as Preservation Racine and the Racine Community Foundation, provided much-needed support. In 2010 the CHS relocated and refurbished a circa 1927 caboose, and the historic settlement was becoming a reality. The next acquisition came about by luck. Alan and Patty Ruud unearthed an 1840’s log cabin on their property in the core of a nondescript home prior to its destruction. The Ruud’s offered the cabin to the Historical Society along with enough funding to cover the disassembly and reconstruction in the Caledonia Historical Village. With the project completed in the spring of 2012, the “Ruud Cabin” is named in their honor.   More of the CHS and CHV history coming in the next website update!

ANNUAL DECEMBER BAKE SALE AND CHRISTMAS IN THE CABIN!

Mark the date on your calendar.  Christmas in the cabin and the CHS bake sale in the Town Hall returns on December 1st at 3 pm and on December 2nd at 10 am.  More information about this in the next website update.

Come Join Us!

The Caledonia Historical Society  meets the third Thursday of every month with the next meeting scheduled for November 16th at 6:30 pm at the Caledonia-Mt. Pleasant Memorial Park, 9416 Northwestern Ave.   The meetings are open to the public and everyone is welcome.  Become a CHS member and envelop yourself in the history of Caledonia.  Help CHS spread the word!  Membership forms can be downloaded from the ABOUT page on this website.

The CHV Is Closing For The Season!  

The buildings are closed up for the 2017 season but special arrangements can always be made to rent the park and the buildings for that special occasion.  Hold your wedding or family reunion while enjoying a historic vista.  For more information, use the Contact Us page on this website or contact Chuck Miles , the CHS President at [email protected] .  What could be better than the beautiful back drop of the Caledonia Historical Village located at 5 Mile Road and Hwy 38 for your special occasion.

CHS Is Everywhere!

The Caledonia Historical Society is on Facebook.  Like CHS at Caledonia Historical Society.  The Caledonia Historical Society is on Twitter.  Follow CHS at Caledonia Historical.  Check this website for updates regarding CHS events.  Visit the Caledonia Historical Village, east of Hwy 38 on 5 Mile Rd.  Contact the CHS through the Contact Us page on this website or

 

 

 

PRESERVING THE PAST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

Caledonia Historical Society Posted on by

What Is The CHS And The CHV And What Is The CHS Mission?

Learn the history of Caledonia. Preserve the history of Caledonia. Share the history of Caledonia. The Caledonia Historical Society (CHS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the collection, preservation and dissemination of materials and information relating to the history of Caledonia. The Society promotes the understanding of the history of the Village through a number of buildings and the artifacts within them.

The Caledonia Historical Village (CHV) located on 5 Mile Road just east of Hwy 38 is owned and operated by the Caledonia Historical Society (CHS).  The Caledonia Historical Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, and all members are volunteers.  Therefore all renovations, all maintenance, all activities at the Caledonia Historical Village are undertaken by those volunteers.  All funding of those renovations, maintenance and activities is through donations, grants, membership and fund raising.

The Beginning of CHS

By preserving historical structures and artifacts from our past, we can enjoy them in the present and the future. The Society shares Caledonia’s history with its residents and visitors to enrich our appreciation of who we are and where we have been.  The Caledonia Historical Society began in 2001 as a loose association of individuals and officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2003. The genesis of the Society was a desire to save the original Caledonia Center Town Hall from the wrecking ball due to its deteriorating condition and the potential widening of Hwy 38. In the late 1990’s, the town Chairman, Dennis Kornwolf, realized the historic value of the building and gathered a small group of like-minded citizens in an effort to save the structure. That group grew into the Caledonia Historical Society. Built in 1877 when Joseph Fuhrman was the Town Chair, the Caledonia Center Town Hall had served the Town well until a “new” Town Hall opened on Nicholson Road in Husher in 1952. Located on the Mary O’Conner property a quarter mile south of Five Mile Road and a scant few yards off Hwy 38, the building was moved across the highway and over a field to its new location in the Caledonia Historical Village where it began its second life as a museum and educational tool. The CHS completed the restoration of the structure in 2003 and it is the foundation of our preservation efforts.

More information about the CHS and the CHV will be shared on this website in the coming months!

Come Join Us!

The Caledonia Historical Society  meets the third Thursday of every month with the next meeting scheduled for October 19th at 6:30 pm in the 1877 Town Hall in the Caledonia Historical Village.   The meetings are open to the public and everyone is welcome.  Become a CHS member and envelop yourself in the history of Caledonia.  Help CHS spread the word!  Membership forms can be downloaded from the ABOUT page on this website.

The CHV Is Closing For The Season!  

The buildings are closed up for the 2017 season but special arrangements can always be made to rent the park and the buildings for that special occasion.  Hold your wedding or family reunion while enjoying a historic vista.  For more information, use the Contact Us page on this website or contact Chuck Miles , the CHS President at [email protected] .  What could be better than the beautiful back drop of the Caledonia Historical Village located at 5 Mile Road and Hwy 38 for your special occasion.

CHS Is Everywhere!

The Caledonia Historical Society is on Facebook.  Like CHS at Caledonia Historical Society.  The Caledonia Historical Society is on Twitter.  Follow CHS at Caledonia Historical.  Check this website for updates regarding CHS events.  Visit the Caledonia Historical Village, east of Hwy 38 on 5 Mile Rd.  Contact the CHS through the Contact Us page on this website or via email at [email protected]