Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society is now taking nominations for the 2018 Board of Curators Awards. The deadline for nominations is March 15, 2018.
“Each year, the Wisconsin Historical Society’s governing Board of Curators recognizes individuals and organizations from across the state for meritorious work in areas relating to the Society’s mission,” said Ellsworth Brown, the Ruth and Hartley Barker Director, Wisconsin Historical Society. “These awards represent an exceptional commitment to the preservation and sharing of Wisconsin’s history.”
Nominations are accepted in the following categories:
- Book Award of Merit: This award is given to the author of a book on Wisconsin history which made the most valuable contribution to public understanding of Wisconsin’s past during the preceding calendar year.
- Genealogy Book Award: The Genealogy Book Award is given to a published genealogist that detailed the history of Wisconsin families.
- Governor’s Award for Archival Advocacy: This award honors an individual or organization for notable contributions to archival programs through organizational leadership, public advocacy, and financial or volunteer support.
- Governor’s Award for Archival Innovation: This award recognizes individuals, programs, or organizations that successfully experiment with new ways to demonstrate the significance or relevance of historical records for understanding the past.
- Governor’s Award for Archival Achievement: This award recognizes a historical records repository that has made an outstanding contribution to the archival profession, archives community, or constituents.
- Historic Preservation Award: This award will recognize the best work in protecting a threatened historic property in Wisconsin. The historic property may be a building, structure, object, site or district.
- Historic Restoration Award: This award will recognize the best restoration work of a Wisconsin historic property. Eligible projects should involve comprehensive work to resort a historic building, structure, object or site.
- Museum Exhibit Award (under $50K annual budget & over $50k annual budget): Two awards for historical exhibits on Wisconsin themes are offered: one for an organization with an annual operating budget of $50,000 or less and one with an annual operating budget greater than $50,000.
- Public Program Award: This award honors outstanding work in a new Wisconsin history public program.
- Reuben Gold Thwaites Trophy for Local History: Presented to one affiliated historical organization for continued excellence and overall service to its community over a period of at least five years.
- Wisconsin History Website Award: This award is given to the creator of the website that makes the most valuable contribution to presenting history during the previous year.
Awards in the archival categories are presented in collaboration with the Wisconsin Historical Records Advisory Board and the Genealogical Book Award is presented in collaboration with the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society. Nominations are received in the spring and final selections are made and approved by the Board of Curators in the summer.
For information about the Board of Curators Awards including criteria, past recipients, and how to apply, visit the Society’s website at wisconsinhistory.org.
About Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs, and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org
