A LOOK AT HISTORICAL SOCIETIES: THEIR ROLE AND PLACE IN HERITAGE WORK

 Heritage Moments | Madison Carmichael 

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When we think about the cultural sector, more specifically institutions and organizations work in heritage, oftentimes we think first of galleries, libraries, archives, and museums – those institutions that form the GLAM sector. But in many cases, such institutions were preceded by, and continue to operate alongside, historical societies. 

Simply put, a historical society is an organization that strives to preserve, collect, research, and interpret historical ephemera. They vary wildly in scope, specialization, and geographic jurisdiction. You most often find them under the guardianship of provinces, towns, or universities, though I promise you that they can be found almost anywhere. Regardless of their scope, historical societies are defined by their location, as this is what distinguishes them from one another. Unlike larger museums, historical societies are very particular, place-based organizations, collecting and preserving the artifacts and buildings significant to the location in question.

The Ontario Historical Society in 1914, though the society itself was founded in 1888. (Source) 

The first historical society in Canada was the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, which was established in 1824. It was followed by the Royal Nova Scotia Society in 1878, and the Ontario Historical Society was formed in 1888, following the publication of its journal Ontario History the year prior. Since the centennial in 1967, regional and local historical societies have sprouted like daisies. Despite their size, they operate almost exclusively on volunteer assistance. 

On the whole, North America saw its first historical societies in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The justification for their establishment is aptly – though very much in the spirit and verbiage of his time – summarized by Robert Seton, who read the following for the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia in 1885, "Historical societies sprung from a joint notion of men “of similar and conservative tastes – men of patriotism and religion – to preserve the records of the past, to confer upon present occurrences, and to form a rallying-point for future generations.” Patriotism and religion aside, he was able to capture the heart of historical society movement. The “amateur historians” who founded historical societies strived to promote and celebrate the growth of their communities. 

That being said, the communities in question at that time mostly consisted of prominent settler families and other such social elites. These "amateur historians" mostly worked to preserve the legacy of their ancestors, to commemorate local heroes, and preserve historic architecture. While conservation work provides communities a historic narrative, it only provides them with one. As historical societies moved into the twenty-first century, they have come to realize that the communities they still serve have transformed dramatically and may not connect to previously accepted narratives.

The Ontario Historical Society maps out societies across the province. (Source)

So, what role do historical societies currently play in cultural heritage? What is their place in their communities? Vince Michael states that people expect historical societies to preserve artifacts of the past, to be an archive of the community, and to accept donations of important historic items – which is to say that people tend to empty their attics into historical societies. This can be a double-edged sword, as you might end up with boxes upon boxes of who knows what, but some people keep gems in their attics. To be honest, most historic material – regardless of its perceived importance – can help cultural workers to contextualize, broaden, and deepen a community’s historical landscape. As such, the contemporary historical society jointly prioritizes conserving their artifacts and educating the public about its shared history, which is most often accomplished through the use of their collection. Michael critically notes, however, that the conservation of such artifacts and archives can only happen if people care about their shared heritage, so education and interpretation are equally important to the mission of any historical society. 

Historical societies generally have the same aim as museums: to make history more accessible, more relevant, and more useful. The difference is, they specifically strive to do so in a local context and their audience is indubitably their community. The work carried out by historical societies, often by volunteers and student interns, continues to increase awareness among communities of their history, encouraging others to investigate their familiar landscapes, to pursue genealogical research, and other such projects. 

If you’re curious about historical societies and other such associations in Ontario, the Ontario Historical Society has a helpful map here.