Walworth Historical Society and Museum
      
 
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History
  
     
 
The Walworth Historical Society is a volunteer organization that was officially established in 1975. Prior to this time, meetings were held at the homes of those interested in preserving the local past. Two meetings were held at the Walworth High School to discuss the possibility of creating an historical society. Several meetings were also held at the Freewill Elementary School. Some of the people who were instrumental in organizing the Walworth Historical Society were: Ethel Henning, Dorothy Petty, Chuck Bills, Hazel Bassage, Howard and Pearl Billings, Cliff and Bernice Nortier, Cliff and Emily Huntley, Gene Bavis, Joe Finley, and John Traas to name a few. A provisional charter was received from New York State in January of 1979 and was extended in 1985 and 1987. The permanent charter was finally received in 1996.

In 1987, Mrs. Clifford (Emily) Huntley donated a parcel of land on Academy Street for a museum. When the Walworth Grange sold its building on Main Street, Hazel Bassage and Emily Huntley persuaded them to give a substantial amount of money to the Walworth Historical Society for a new museum. The Hoffman Foundation also provided funds. Other fund raisers were conducted toward building a museum.

Commemorative plates of the three-story Walworth High School (erected in 1857) and the old cobblestone Walworth Academy (erected in 1842) were sold. Both of these buildings were razed in 1930 to erect the Walworth High School building that still stands across from the museum. John Traas and Charles Pembroke wrote books about different aspects of Walworth history. Money from the sale of these books goes into the Walworth Historical Society treasury. Still another source of revenue for the WHS has been the sale of calendars, Christmas ornaments, and coverlets depicting scenes from Walworth.

Individual members bought the metal chairs in the museum, Ethel Henning donated money for the tables and donated the vacuum cleaner, and Robert Pembroke gave the museum the long display table. Gwyn Bassage and the Reverse Curves Quilt Club designed the wall quilt and donated it to the WHS. It was a real group effort to get everything ready for use. The old school bell, which is prominently displayed outside the museum, originally came from the Walworth Academy.

 
 
Walworth Museum Quilt
Walworth Museum Quilt
Old Walworth School Bell
Old Walworth School Bell
 
     
 
On July 10, 1988, a ground-breaking ceremony was held on Academy Street at the site for the new museum. The cost of the building was about $45,000. The contractors for the project were Don and Cheryl Eaton; some of the work such as interior painting was done by members Hazel Bassage, Jay Taber, Howard and Pearl Billings, and Kay Scott as well as many other volunteers. On September 18, 1989, the Walworth Historical Society, in cooperation with the Walworth Grange, opened and dedicated the current museum at 2257 Academy Street in Walworth at its first meeting.
 
 
July 10, 1988 Groundbreaking Ceremony on Academy Street
 
     
 
Present from left to right are as follows: Jessie Keymel, Dorothy Petty, Hazel Bassage, Bernice Nortier, Jay Taber, Carlyle Darron, Pat Stark, Kay Scott, Howard Billings, Pearl Billings, Dorothy Hack, Congressman Frank Horton, John Traas, two women standing (unidentified), Emily Huntley (seated), and Doris Traas (with back to the camera).
 
 
Walworth Museum soon after Construction
The Walworth Museum soon after its construction
 
 
The first officers of the Walworth Historical Society were:
President
Gordon Youngman
Vice President
Faith Reynolds
Secretary
Anne Walczyk
Treasurer
Hazel Bassage
The first trustees were:
Charles Bills Evelyn Schoenwald
Marcia Englert Jay Taber
Jeanne Flye Raymond Welker

Because the town historian works closely with the Walworth Historical Society, the town historian’s office is also located in this museum. Mildred Reynolds became the first Walworth Town Historian in 1947 and served for 30 years; Gene Bavis succeeded her. John Traas was next to hold this position. In recent years, Gene Bavis once again took over as Walworth Town Historian and still holds the position. The past presidents of the Walworth Historical Society include Gordon Youngman, Faith Reynolds, Anne Walczyk, Gene Bavis, John Traas, Kay Scott, and Mary Jane Devlin; Jessie Keymel is the current president.

The purpose of the WHS is to collect, preserve, and display items and artifacts that are of historical importance to the people of the Town of Walworth. Its membership has almost doubled in the years since 1975. Current members reside from Hawaii to South Carolina and many places in between. Many collections and individual items have been donated to the museum over the years.

With the recent addition of a computer, it is possible to copy and scan photos, newspaper clippings, and documents as well as print copies of them. The WHS has hundreds of old and new photographs stored on the computer as well as membership, meeting, and local historical information. The potential is almost endless.

 
 

The Walworth Museum Computer
As part of the ongoing process of preserving the past, the WHS members have begun to document the history of houses in the town, road by road, and interviewing those who have lived there. Other projects of the museum include co-sponsoring with the Walworth-Seely Public Library the Walworth Memories program, when local citizens meet to recall and discuss topics of Walworth’s past.
 
     
 
The museum has collections of books by Walworth authors. Other collections include sets of old china, dishes, and local advertising memorabilia. Scrapbooks containing hundreds of newspaper articles concerning local, national, and international people and events, were compiled by Anna May, Dorothy Petty, and others. A recent donation to the Walworth Museum is an index of records from all eight local cemeteries. WHS member Doug Churchill has organized this cemetery information into books that have information on dates and grave locations.

The Walworth Historical Society meetings are held at 7:30 pm on the third Monday of March, May, September, and November for the general membership to attend. There is usually an informative historical program at these meetings for all to enjoy. In the fall, the museum hosts a fall festival.

 
 
2006 WHS Fall Festival
2006 WHS Fall Festival

2006 WHS Fall Festival
 
 

In the summer from June through September, the Walworth Museum is open for visitors on Sunday and Wednesday from 2 – 4 PM and other times by appointment. Please call museum curator Kay Scott, the president Jessie Keymel, or Town Historian Gene Bavis. Youth and school groups are encouraged to schedule a tour and visit. Membership is open to anyone who is interested in preserving the local history.
 
     
 

Walworth Museum 2257 Academy Street