Keep the past of Forest County, Wisconsin alive by joining and/or renewing your membership to the Historical Society.

Membership Application (in pdf format) 

Please send check or money order to:

Forest County Historical and Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 432
Crandon, WI  54520

Annual Dues as of 01.01.2007

Individual:  $10
Family:  $15
Business:  $25
Lifetime:  $100

Donor:  $250
Sponsor:   $500
Patron:  $1,000
Benefactor:  $5,000 or more

Biography Project
Short historical sketches of Forest County families written by Historical Society members.

Kentucky Century Families Project
The Century Families project celebrated those Kentucky families that lived in Forest County 100 years (1905-2005).

Research Room
Access to the Research Room files coming soon

Forest County Historical Museum 

The Forest County Historical Museum is located on what is known locally as the “Old Carter House.”  But it had a life of its own prior to being bought by Henry Carter. 

The building and property’s history begins with Samuel Shaw, the founder of the City of Crandon.  Shaw was the original developer and platted the city.  On July 8, 1902, Samuel Shaw and his wife Louise, sold the property where the museum now sits, to the Rt. Reverend R.H. Weller, John Boyd, and G.C. Hauser, trustees of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Crandon.  The property, Lot 5, Block 4, of Shaw’s First Addition sold for the sum of $175.00

By August of 1902, the building was under construction under the guidance of W. E. Laird.  Laird was also the contractor for the old high school and numerous other buildings in Crandon. 

The first services at the new St. Clements Mission, later named Guild Hall, were held in November of 1902 with Rev. G. Babcock presiding.  Anyone who was interested in renting the hall could do so as long as the entertainment presented was “respectable”.

In May of 1903, the hall was sold for taxes.  A reorganization of the church took place and it became St. Clements Mission.  Officers of the mission were:  Wardens H.C. Terry and James L. Walsh, M.D.; Treasurer, E.C. Paul and Clerk, G.C. Hauser.  There were about fifteen families who were supporters and members of the mission.

By February of 1912, the property had again changed hands.  A warranty deed was made between the trustees of the church and E.R. Murphy.  The deed was subject to a $600 mortgage.  In 1914, Murphy and his wife Marie gave a warranty deed to the trustees of the church, again subject to a mortgage.  Lack of support caused the failure of the mission by 1910. 

In 1919, the property was sold to the Forest County Military Association for $550.  The association held it until 1920 when it was sold to Henry Carter.  Henry turned the hall into a family home.  In 1932, Henry sold the property to Etta A. Carter.  In 1957, it again changed hands when it was bought by Erwin and Marie Poppy.  Marie was the daughter of Henry Carter.  A grandson of Henry’s, Glen Carter, obtained the home from his aunt, Marie.   The property remained in the Carter family until July of 1994 when it was purchased by the historical society.         

(Photos of the museum before the Historical Society purchased the home and began their restoration projects)