The Winnebago County Historical and Archaeological Society (WCHAS) promotes the advancement of local history in Winnebago County through programs and tours of its headquarters, the Morgan House, a Queen Anne style Victorian home built in 1884. 

The Morgan House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is preserved by the Winnebago County Historical and Archaeological Society.  The Morgan House is located in the downtown area at 234 Church Avenue, across from the City Hall parking lot.

Society members celebrated the newly-organized collection of books in the Morgan House Library at the Annual Meeting held in January 2008.  Our thanks to the volunteers who spent many hours on this project.

The Morgan House is a great site to host your event. For ideas, take a look at Rent the Morgan House for Your Next Event.

234 Church Ave.   Oshkosh, WI   54901
Contact Us
920-232-0260 or orvhando@sbcglobal.net

Memorable 2007 Events:

"A Victorian Christmas at the Morgan House"
	Held Dec. 1, 2007 & Dec. 2, 2007

Originals By George, a Vintage Fashion Show

One of the Society's most exciting and well-attended programs, Originals By George, a Vintage Fashion Show, was held in March 2007.  This was the Society's retrospective tribute to the fashion design genious of Oshkosh's Geroge Procknow.gorgeous gowns and dresses designed "By George" for Sharon Singstock Bury, former Miss Oshkosh and Miss Wisconsin, were part of the fashion show held at the Grand Opera House.

Memorable 2006 & 2005 Events:

Celebrate the Holiday Season at the Morgan House

The Morgan House, the Queen Anne style Victorian home built in 1884 and headquarters of the Winnebago County Historical and Archaeological Society, will be open in December for tours of the home.  This year's theme for holiday decorations found throughout the home:  "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"

September 23, 2006

The Winnebago County Historical and Archaeological Society organized a day trip to Chicago via chartered coach.  Destination:  the new Millennium Park area of downtown Chicago.

Annual Historic Tour of Oshkosh
June 25, 2006

Visit the Lutz Home at 1449 Knapp Street.  This is an outstanding example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture that was built in 1904.

Visit the Osborn House at 840 Osborn Avenue, which was built in 1844 and is the oldest home in Winnebago County.  You will see the original log cabin home encapsulated within the modern-day exterior.

Visit the Star Theater at 1124-28 Oregon Street, which has been completely restored to its 1894 origins.  The Theater is only one of two Oshkosh commercial structures that is Queen Anne in design. 

May 6, 2006

Downtown May Gallery Walk

All 50 photographs, matted and framed, for the "Our Town: scavenger hunt through downtown, will be on display at the Morgan House tonight, 234 Church Avenue. For more information on the the Gallery Walk or to participate in the contest, call 426-1970.  The Oshkosh Northwestern will feature clues every day for 50 days to coincide with the contest.  If you miss a clue, check the online Our Town gallery at www.thenorthwestern.com.

Tea is served at the Morgan House
By Sarah Owen
of The Northwestern, Posted April 22, 2006

     Tea is served. Gathered at a low table in the drawing room, ladies gossip and sip primly at their teas, dabbing red lips with crisp white linen. The table, clad in elaborate silver and the finest china, is a meeting place for high society, especially its women. Women such as Oshkosh's Mrs. Morgan. 

     Along with the Sawyers and the Paines, hers was part of the well-to-do upper class families in town. "This is the way they entertained," said Jane Westphal, vice president of the Winnebago County Historical Society. However, "there probably hasn't been a Victorian tea party in the house for a hundred years."

     That's about to change, though, as the Morgan House and the Historical Society invite Oshkosh to tea once again, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Says Westphal, it will be a very sophisticated tea, just like Morgans would've held, or the English hundreds of years earlier, when teatime first began.

     "The idea began amongst the aristocracy" in the early 1800s, said Christine Roth, UW-Oshkosh English professor. Anna Maria Stanhope would get hungry between meals, so the famished seventh duchess of Bedford began holding "low teas," a term coined from the low coffee tables they sat at that allowed for easy conversation. It's not to be confused with "high tea," which developed as teatime trickled down to working class citizens. High tea "was really indistinguishable from what we would call dinner," Roth said.

Sites of the Season:  December 3 & 4, 2005

The 7th Annual Sites of the Season in Oshkosh!  Sponsors included the Oshkosh Northwestern, Theda Care and site sponsors Citizens First Credit Union, VanVreede's, Festival Foods and a special thank you to Ben Franklin Crafts for sponsoring the Morgan House site for this special event!

"An Historic Cake Walk:"  Area pastry shops and bakeries dazzled and delighted visitors with their original cake creations made for this event -- Tamara's, Schoenbergers, Lasure's, Festival Foods and Copps provided visitors with delightful surprises. And, if that isn't enough, we also had:Refreshments! Guided Tours!  Our Popular Christmas Raffle! Decorated Trees - Including a Teddy Bear and Doll Theme Tree! First Public Showing of the Newly-Restored Upper Parlor -- Dedicated to Lynne Webster and the parlor was enhanced by Lynne's own collection of Christmas ornaments.

Special Event held September 10, 2005.  Over 400 people attended.

Concert was held in memory of local historians Lee & Eileen Weigert

1st Brigade Band  ~ free concert ~ September 10, 2005

The Winnebago County Historical and Archaeological Society proudly presented:

The 1st Brigade Band is the oldest re-created Civil War brass band, playing original music from the band books of the period on original antique instruments.

Leach Amphitheater, 303 Ceape Avenue, Oshkosh, WI
Find out more about the 1st Brigade Band at their web site

View our poster with all the details (pdf format)

234 Church Ave.   Oshkosh, WI   54901
920-232-0260
Contact Us