Dartford Historical Society

Purpose

The purpose of the Dartford Historical Society is to preserve the heritage of the community, to tell a complete story of people and nature in our area, background as well as details, and showing history as a continuing movement of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The Society hopes to provide each visitor, from the youngest to the oldest, with a feeling of participation and pride in this flow of history.

History

The Dartford Historical Society was formed in 1956. The first meetings of the Society discussed saving the stone arches that were part of the mid 1800's mill in the center of Dartford. The first meetings were held in the Village Board Chambers. In 1961 the Green Lake State Bank built a new building. The Society found a home to store and exhibit its collections in a basement room of the bank. In 1974, the original Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Railroad depot was donated to the Society for a museum. In early 1975 the depot was relocated to the Friday Club Park in downtown Green Lake. After renovation the building was opened as a museum on July 4, 1976 as part of Green Lake's bicentennial celebration. The Society continued to collect materials related to the history of the Green Lake area and by 1994 had outgrown the Depot Museum. Thomas Caestecker donated the former Caestecker Public Library to the Society. The Dartford Historical Society opened its new archives and exhibit galleries in June of 1995. Over the years the Society has collected over 6,500 artifacts, 3,200 newspapers, 15,000 visual images, 900 books and 250 cubic feet of archival materials related to the history of the Green Lake area.