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Wangaratta Historical Society
Ford St, , 3677 Phone: 61 03 5721 3222 wanghistsoc.org.auAbout
Wangaratta Historical Society is situated in the city centre, in the Old Fire Station building. The Wangaratta Historical Society was formed in 1959 by a group of mostly teachers who saw the need to preserve the heritage of Wangaratta and district before it was lost. The Museum houses over 2,000 objects, items and 10,000 glass negatives from the Thelma and Vine studios of the 1840s to the 1950s. The collection showcases the lives of the districts' peoples in peace and war, on the farms and in the towns. The Museum is open Sunday afternoons and at other times by appointment. The Museum has many schools and groups visit and they encourage visitors. The Museum is a not for profit organisation. A fee is charged for membership, for research, photograph printing and photocopying, they are always glad of any donations. Volunteers work at the Museum on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 am to 12 noon. There are no paid staff and they have a great band of volunteers and support from many quarters. The Museum is on council owned land and assistance is always available from them. The highlight of the collection is the 2011 Heritage listed Marianne Gibson Quilt; the world's finest example of a crazy patchwork quilt made by a local woman, Marianne between 1891-1896. It incorporates the story of the times and styles of the late 1800's and amongst many motifs featured local and fauna. This quilt was given to the Wangaratta Historical Society in 1976 by Miss Alma Gard, a housekeeper for the Gibson's who was given the quilt by the daughters of Marianne. The quilt is kept in a special temperature controlled atmospheric room.
