In July of 2020, the Executive Board of the Madison Historical Society took a “leap of faith” and acquired the building at 126 West Main Street. This location was originally constructed as a Carnegie Library in 1919, then later served as the Madison Village Administrative Offices and Village Police Department. This acquisition was made with two purposes in mind: we needed a permanent home, which we’ve never had in our entire existence, and we wanted to preserve an historic building.

Renovations to the building are necessary to meet the needs of both visitors and staff. New modifications and improvements are needed to ensure the building can best serve the needs of the community. To accomplish that, several projects have been proposed:

• New entrance for the east side of the building
• Renovate for museum and educational center
• Repair the rear parking lot
• Repair or replace the roof
• Prepare building to accommodate new technology to present Madison history

The Historical Society is excited to bring new life to an historic building. Last year, with the help of a federal grant, we restored the entire exterior brick façade of the building. A second federal grant is now enabling us to construct a new entrance on the lower level. Additional funds will be needed for the cost of the previously described renovations and improvements not covered by the grants. For that purpose, we are launching a Capital Fund Drive campaign designed to reach our goal in 3 years. We are reaching out to the community at large to support our efforts.

Please consider making a contribution or charitable gift to the Madison Historical Society’s Capital Fund Drive. We are a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and in many cases a contribution/gift is tax-deductible. Your support will go directly to the preservation of one of Madison’s remaining historic buildings, while giving the Madison Historical Society greater opportunities to share it with many others.

Please call us at 440-417-1959 if you would like to learn more about our Capital Fund Drive. We greatly appreciate your support.