Mission :

The mission of the Hanover-Horton Area Historical Society is to immerse visitors into the past by illustrating life in rural America through its exhibits and events.

About Us :

In 1977 the Hanover-Horton Area Historical Society was formed and incorporated. At that time the main concern of the founding group was the care and preservation of a unique and extensive collection of antique reed organs belonging to a local resident who was seeking an enduring organization to assure the perpetuation of his collection.With foresight and dedication the historical society assumed the charge  to preserve not only the organ collection but also to expand it and acquire other local artifacts and information.

A year after it's formation the society contracted with the local school system to lease the old Hanover High School building, built in 1911 on an original 1874 school site. The building had sat in disrepair for many years and it's rehabilitation presented a very significant challenge. Later the Society purchased the school building and an adjacent school bus garage that has been renovated to house offices, a meeting room, an organ repair workshop area and an artifacts storage area. In 2000 the old school building was designated a State of Michigan Historic Site.

During the past 27 years the society has worked diligently to repair and maintain the building, care for the organ collection and collect other local historical artifacts. The organ collection has grown to over 130 working organs that are displayed in the gymnasium. The museum has restored one of the classrooms to represent a circa 1900 classroom, one of the upstairs classrooms houses a typical turn of the century home interior, a third classroom is currently being refurbished to house a genealogical and research library.

In 2000, the community undertook the formidable task of raising $180,000 to purchase 82 acres of farmland adjacent to the museum. We now have achieved that goal and are beginning to develop a historical  agricultural park that has hosted many Historical  Society events during 2003 and was the site of the Land 'O Lakes Boy Scout Council's 2004 Spring Camporee.