The JHS occupies a museum of local history located at 1860 Mill Road, in the Town of Jackson. To arrange a tour, email JHSHeritage @sbcglobal.net
Jackson Historical Society
Life after Death – From “Immanuel” to “Jackson Historical Society”
Yes, Immanuel Lutheran Church closed its doors as a worshiping congregation on November 10, 1974. Nine months later the doors opened again as historically committed citizens incorporated as the Jackson Historical Society on August 28, 1975, under the aegis of the Wisconsin State Historical Society.
Article 3. spells out the purpose of the new non-profit:
exclusively educational and specifically shall be to collect and preserve records and physical objects relating to the history of the town and the village of Jackson, Wisconsin. To this end said corporation may establish and operate a local history museum, a local history library, and one or more historic sites…. (2)
To that end the carpenter gothic brick church and one-room school, a Washington County landmark, have become depositories of many local historical artifacts, ranging from farming, educational, business, genealogical, religious, and sports, etc. items. The Karl Groth two story log home was moved to the Jackson Historical Society site in 2003. Now fully restored and furnished with many period items, it is an excellent example of an 1850’s log home. An upstairs bedroom serves as the society’s office. The Karl Groth family belonged to Immanuel Lutheran Church.
In addition to burials which still take place in the Immanuel Cemetery, the church and grounds have been used for family reunions, weddings, worship services and other gatherings.
The big event and fundraiser of the year is the Raspberry Festival held every year on the Sunday after Labor Day. It features food, displays, silent auction, live music, tours of the Karl Groth log home, neighborly visiting, and for the kids, classes in session in the one-room school. The society has maintained all our historic structures so they may be enjoyed by future generations. The Jackson Historical Society newsletter, The Church Mouse, is published several times a year.
Here is a listing of the 27 family history volumes in our collection:
Barelmann, Gerhardt; Bast-Loos (2 vols.); Berg-Lewis; Bock-Schneider; Brinker- Wolmes; Bublitz-Jackson; Dannenfelser- Eppler; Faber-Roos; Garbisch-Riedel; Groth-Spradau; Gutzman-Laabs; Heckendorf, Friedrich; Hembel-Senft; Herrmann-Klumb; Klumb-Holtz; Koepke- Lange; Koepsell, Friedrich; Krueger- Schroeder; Marth-Bublitz; Natzke-Wendt; Oehlhafen-Beck; Rader-Lorenz; Reider- Ziegler; Schowalter, Henry, Sr.; Schubert- Schmidt; Wolf-Buth; Zarling-Koeller; Ziemer-Raasch
Board meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November. Visitors are welcome. Arrange for a group or individual tour by contacting us at [email protected].
