The Cornish Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of our town and the people who have called Cornish home.
Your support helps us care for our museum and collections, preserve photographs and historical documents, maintain our archives, and offer programs and events that connect the community with Cornish's past.
Every contribution, large or small, helps us continue this work.
There are many ways to support the Cornish Historical Society:
Financial contributions help us maintain our facilities, preserve our collections, and support our programs and activities.
Membership is another important way to support the Society while becoming involved in its activities. Visit our Membership page to learn more.
We welcome volunteers to help with events, museum activities, tours, archives, and other projects.
Stories, photographs, documents, and recollections of life in Cornish can be valuable additions to our historical archives. If you have something you think might be of interest, please contact us.
If you'd like to make a financial contribution to the Cornish Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) entity, please contact us for information about making a donation.
The Historical Society welcomes non-financial donations that support its mission to preserve, document, and interpret the history of the community and its people. To ensure that collections remain relevant, manageable, and properly cared for, the Society reserves the right to limit the types of donations it accepts.
The Society will generally consider donations of:
Historical documents, photographs, correspondence, diaries, maps, and other original records with a clear connection to the community or its history.
Objects, artifacts, clothing, tools, household items, and other material culture that have documented historical significance or relevance to the Society’s collecting priorities.
Publications, books, and printed materials that directly relate to the local community, its residents, organizations, businesses, or history.
Digital materials and audiovisual recordings that document significant people, places, events, or activities within the Society’s area of interest.
The Society generally does not accept materials that:
Have little or no documented connection to the Society’s geographic or historical scope.
Duplicate items already adequately represented in the collection, unless they provide significant additional historical value.
Require resources for preservation, storage, conservation, or management that exceed the Society’s capabilities.
Present legal, ethical, safety, environmental, or preservation concerns.
Are offered with conditions that conflict with the Society’s mission, policies, or ability to care for the material.
Have uncertain ownership, questionable provenance, or restrictions that prevent the Society from appropriately managing or using the donation.
Acceptance of a donation is at the discretion of the Society and does not guarantee that an item will be placed on exhibit or retained permanently. The Society may decline, transfer, return, or otherwise dispose of materials in accordance with its collections policies and applicable law.
Donors are encouraged to provide as much information as possible about the origin, history, ownership, and significance of offered materials. The Society appreciates every offer of historical material, even when it cannot accept the item.