About the Bowler Historical Society
Located conveniently on Main Street in Bowler, the Historical Society is housed at the historic St. Matthew church built back in 1913. Our museum serves as the home for over 100 years worth of photographs, historic maps, atlases, newspaper clippings, books, documents, artifacts, and files from Bowler, Wisconsin and surrounding townships such as Bartelme, Morris, Seneca, and Almon.
Open on the first Tuesday of every month May to December (or call for appointments), stop in for tours or to take in the history that shaped the Bowler area into what it is today.
Mission
The mission of the Bowler Area Historical Society is to identify, preserve, present, and promote through education, the history of the Bowler area, to include the Village of Bowler, Towns of Almon, Bartelme, Morris and Seneca. The society will provide safe perpetual care of both artifacts and archives, and will use the best available technology and procedures to preserve the Bowler Area history for the enjoyment of future generations. Small towns may wither and die, but our obligation is to preserve the records, histories, and memories for future generations.
Tours
We are open the first Tuesday of the month from May to December, from 9am to noon. Stop by for a tour of the building and an abundance of history wrapped into our museum. We’re also available by appointment, please contact us if you’d like to schedule a different time to stop by.
Events
Each year the Bowler Area Historical Society hosts the Bowler Bash and other community events! More information coming soon.
History of the Building
The Founding
St. Matthews Lutheran congregation was first organized on June 1, 1913. The church site was purchased from Frank Matz on September 5, 1913 and the was dedicated on December 20, 1914.
The Village of Bowler had only two churches, St. Matthews (the white church) and St. Paul (the brick church). Both Lutheran churches flourished for many years, even sharing the same pastor from 1973 to 1982.
The Closing
St. Matthews celebrated their 100th anniversary in early June 2023, but due to a decline in membership and lack of financial support, St. Matthews’ church board voted to cease operations. The last service was held on Sunday August 25, 2013.
The Idea
A group of people with Bowler ties decided that this unique and beautiful building was too important to be abandoned. They decided to acquire the building and to start an all-volunteer organization called the Bowler Area Historical Society, Inc.
The Plan
It was decided that we would seek 40 dedicated people with Bowler ties to make a one-time donation of $1,000, or larger, to be an Original Founder. We are incorporated as a 501c (3) nonprofit. Original Founders become lifetime members of the Bowler Area Historical Society, Inc. and have their names engraved on a special plaque in the entrance. We currently have 60 Original Founders and still get several new ones each year.
Epilogue
You may have moved from the Bowler area years ago and established your roots and family in different areas, but if you were from Bowler and have an interest in preserving and restoring the history and artifacts from our past, we would like your support and help. Please don’t throw away your old pictures, articles, letters, and memorabilia. Encourage your kids and grandkids to share them with us - we welcome them.
Ten years may have passed, but the Bowler Area Historical Society has greatly surpassed our expectations. We have a dedicated Board of Directors and volunteers who spend many hours receiving collections, cataloging, and erecting displays in our museum. We invite you to visit and see what has been accomplished. Call for a special appointment if you wish.