MM&HS HISTORY & OBJECTIVES
Society efforts are rooted in both Modesto and Stanislaus County preservation
The first locally organized ‘historical societies’ appeared during the mid 1960’s. In 1965, a Citizens’ Cultural Center Committee (the Committee) came into being and was affiliated with the City of Modesto. The Stanislaus County Historical Society (the Stanislaus Society), affiliated with Stanislaus County, was established in 1966. Both organizations had similar scopes in documenting, collecting, and preserving local history. However, each had a distinct geographical focus: Modesto, the former; and Stanislaus County, the latter. Both had fledgling collections, but neither had a facility open to the public where the artifacts they obtained could be made available for locals to experience.
In the early 1970’s, the City of Modesto partnered with the Committee to renovate the soon-to-be vacated McHenry Library, renaming it the McHenry Museum. This allowed for collections of historic memorabilia and artifacts to be made available for public viewing. In 1972, the McHenry Museum had its official opening.
As the activities of the Committee became more focused on the preservation of history and historic artifacts, a name change was in order. The group became the McHenry Museum Society, incorporating as an independent, nonprofit organization.
Throughout, the Stanislaus Society remained active. Lacking a facility of to call home for display of it its physical collections, this group began to emphasize the recording, written preservation, and publication, of county history.
In the late 1980’s, the two society organizations joined together. Rather than continuing adjacent parallel activities (collecting, preserving, etc. of city and county history separately), the merger capitalized on the strengths of each group, simultaneously ensuring that our extraordinary local historical museum is robust, and that ongoing local historical documentation is vigorously maintained. The resulting organization, the McHenry Museum & Historical Society (MM&HS), and remains richly active in these pursuits today.
The MM&HS pursues ongoing fulfillment of these objectives and purposes:
To help the City of Modesto maintain and support the McHenry Museum as a cultural and historical entity including but not limited to: providing docents, conducting activities at the Museum, acquiring items for display, and advising the Museum on the evaluation, procurement, and preservation of items donated;
To help the City support the recognition of the McHenry Museum edifice as an historical landmark of Stanislaus County;
To foster and encourage cultural activities and appreciation of the history of Stanislaus County and its residents;
To encourage the collection and preservation of historical artifacts and archives, including but not limited to: the acquisition or creation, preservation and promotion of the physical, oral and written history of Stanislaus County and its residents, both at the Museum and elsewhere.
To do all things necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the above purposes.
The MM&HS committees and responsibilities are:
The Acquisitions Committee
Acquisitions: (a) evaluates all donations to the Museum and makes a recommendation to the City of Modesto as to whether to keep, sell or return said donation; (b) evaluate all donations of artifacts to the Society and determine whether to keep, sell or return said donations; (c) can purchase items to display in the Museum and elsewhere; and (d) sell artifacts that are Society/Acquisitions property with Board approval.
The Docents Association
The Docents have the responsibility of conducting educational tours of the Museum; greeting, welcoming, and informing visitors of the historic value of the building and items displayed; and performing other services as requested.
The Guild
The Guild, has the purpose of providing financial support and promoting community interest in the museum and the Society. The Guild raises funds and conducts various social and cultural functions for the Society and the Museum.
The Press and Publications Committee
Press and Publications has the purpose of preserving history in its written form, through publishing a historical journal Stanislaus Stepping Stones and various historical books and papers concerning Stanislaus County. These books, periodicals, historical articles, and objects d'art are made available to the membership and general public through the museum store. The proceeds from the store are used to publish books, monographs, and other historical data that authenticates the history of Stanislaus County.