History

During Indiana's centennial celebration in 1916, members of the Kokomo Woman's Department Club, along with civic-minded residents of Howard County, banded together to create the Howard County Historical Society, which was dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of local and state history. The society's first museum was established in the Carnegie Library in 1923. In 1937 its collection was placed in the basement of the newly dedicated Howard County Courthouse. Funding for the position of curator was appropriated by the county commissioners in 1956. Mrs. Eos Richardson was the first curator, followed by Rev. O. B. Ransopher and Josephine Hobson.

In 1972, under the direction of Josephine Hobson, the museum was moved to the Seiberling Mansion following a successful fund drive for its restoration. Today, the beautifully restored Seiberling Mansion is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a centerpiece of community pride. In 2008 the Indiana Historical Society named the Howard County Historical Society as the state's "Outstanding Local History Organization."

As the custodian of Howard County's unique heritage, the historical society preserves our community's collective experiences. In sharing local history, the society helps to foster a sense of community - connecting us to our neighbor, the past to the future and our home to the world.