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Whitewater CIty Market at the Train Depot
The Legacy of George Esterly at the Whitewater  Historical Society

THE SOCIETY

The Whitewater Historical Society is an all-volunteer group that works to preserve, collect, and share the history of Whitewater and its surrounding towns.  The society holds four general interest meetings each year and operates the Depot Museum of Local History, located in the historic Whitewater Passenger Depot on Whitewater Street. 

 

The Whitewater Historical Society was founded in 1947 as a community-wide organization to help preserve the history of Whitewater. The society began meeting in the basement of the old White Library (the White Building, which now houses the Whitewater Arts Alliance), and began collecting local artifacts at that time. Later, the society moved to the basement of the old City Hall (not extant). In 1974, the society moved into the old Whitewater Passenger Depot and began to operate the building as a local history museum. 

 

The Whitewater Historical Society has a wealth of historical objects, paper artifacts, photographs, and manuscripts related to Whitewater history.  These resources are used to create historical exhibits in the museum and are available to the public doing research on Whitewater history. 

Whitewater Historical Society Image Collection

OUR MISSION

The Whitewater Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Whitewater and surrounding towns.  To fulfill this mission, the society holds four general interest meetings each year that feature programs and/or speakers on topics of local history.  The society operates a museum of local history that is housed in the historic Whitewater Passenger Depot, and it oversees the preservation of the historic Stone Stable nearby. 

Exterior of Whitewater Train Depot

THE MUSEUM

Since 1974, the Whitewater Historical Society has operated a local history museum in the historic Whitewater Passenger Depot. In 2013, funded by a Federal Transportation Enhancement Grant, the City of Whitewater, and donors to the Whitewater Historical Society, the building underwent a complete restoration while maintaining its historic character as an old railroad passenger depot.  At the same time, the Whitewater Historical Society made plans to reinterpret its local history exhibits. 

 

Currently, the Depot Museum of Local History consists of two galleries, the Main Gallery and the Temporary Gallery. For more information about the galleries, please see the “Exhibits” menu item on the main page. 

The Stone Stable

STONE STABLE

In 2007, the historic pioneer-era stone-constructed building known as the “Stone Stable” was moved to the other side of the parking lot from the society’s museum building.  Originally it had been located behind the First English Lutheran Church and began its life as a workshop, but soon became a residential outbuilding for horses and/or buggies.  A complete history of the building is given on the interpretive panel located nearby.

 

The Whitewater Historical Society agreed to oversee the preservation and interpretation of the building, in conjunction with the City of Whitewater. 

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