Kosciusko County Historical Society Museum Director Sally Hogan shows off one of the pianos in the Old Jail Museum. The piano was owned by Winona Lake vocalist Katherine Carmichael, then Rodeheaver Music Center and finally the Westminster Hotel. Linda and Larry Patterson found it in a warehouse, purchased and restored it and donated it to the museum. It is an example of the many local historical items on display at the museum. (Photo by Amanda McFarland)

WARSAW — Preserving local history takes a lot of time and resources. According to Kosciusko County Historical Society Museum Director Sally Hogan, donations of time, funds and historical items are always appreciated.

The Kosciusko County Historical Society will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year, the same year Indiana celebrates its bicentennial. According to Hogan, there are a lot of special activities planned and every little bit helps.

One such activity is the Passport to History tour book. Visitors pick up a book listing 70 historical locations throughout Kosciusko County, then take the book around, acquiring stamps, stickers or code numbers for each location.

“Those who complete it will be entered in a prize drawing,” Hogan said.

Another activity the society is considering is an “oldest T-shirt” contest to discover who has the “oldest” T-shirt in the county. While there is no way to know this for sure, those with old shirts listing historical places, businesses and/or events are encouraged to enter them. The graphic on the shirt must list a date to qualify.

As far as the state bicentennial, each community is encouraged to complete a legacy project and the historical museum’s is a book on old schools from the 1840s to 1975. Hogan encourages anyone with photos or memories from Kosciusko County schools during that era to share them for the book.

“A lot of the really old one-room schoolhouses are gone, but a lot of people have photos of the country school where they went or their grandparents went to,” Hogan said.

With all of this going on, the museum could always use donations, but not just of money. Time and items of historical value are always needed, Hogan said.

“We just ask that they be Kosciusko County-related,” Hogan said of donated items.

This holiday season, the society is in need of sponsors for its annual Christmas house tour. It is also looking for sponsors for an old house tour in 2016, part of its 50th anniversary celebration. Corporate sponsors are also welcome to place an ad in the society’s newsletter, “The Thaddeus,” which Hogan said is a popular publication.

Monetary donations are also useful for the society’s film collection. Several years ago, museum personnel began the process of copying reel-to-reel film to VHS. Now, they are working on making electronic copies of the film.

Donations of time are also valued and anyone age 18 and older can volunteer with the historical society in areas like clerical work, tour guiding, help with displays and office work. Those age 14 and older are welcome to volunteer in the museum library, as well. There is no required time commitment for volunteering with the historical society.

“We’re happy just to have them come and help whenever,” Hogan said.

Volunteers are also needed to help with technology. Upgrades are in progress and, according to Hogan, the society is looking for computer-savvy volunteers to help with the website.

Hogan noted that much of the society’s programming is supported by the county and through funds like the Castaldi Family Trust Fund and the Coolys, which help keep the Old Jail Museum, Pound Store and Chinworth Bridge and Park operating.