Sheboygan County Historical Research Center

What Sheboygan County Historical Research Center does

The Sheboygan County Historical Research Center is a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 518 Water Street, Sheboygan Falls, that preserves and provides public access to historical materials specific to Sheboygan County. Its archival collection comprises over 1.5 million documents and more than 750,000 photographs, including scrapbooks, school yearbooks, church histories, tax records, diaries, local history books, Garton Toy catalogs, Phoenix Chair and other furniture company catalogs, and Sheboygan Press newspapers. The Sheboygan Press Collection is highlighted as one of its newest special collections. The institution serves genealogists and family history researchers (including out-of-state clients tracing Sheboygan ancestry), local history enthusiasts, educators, students, and visiting researchers.

The center monetizes and sustains operations through four primary revenue streams: (1) retail sales of an online and physical storefront catalog of approximately 80+ published local-history books priced between $3 and $26.95, plus a Genealogy Forms Starter Kit; (2) a recurring membership program positioned as the institution's core support base; (3) donations and fundraising campaigns including Giving Tuesday, Annual Campaign, and sponsorship opportunities; and (4) on-site research services offered Tuesday through Friday plus Saturday by appointment. The technology foundation is a conventional archival document management system, with digital extensions including an Online Sheboygan County Resources portal and a YouTube channel (@SCHRC) hosting digitized video and audio recordings. Distribution channels include the schrc.org e-commerce storefront, the physical Millhouse Store at headquarters, and direct in-person research assistance.

The organization's go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored by programming such as monthly Book Club, Genealogy Classes, Gravestone Cleaning workshops, Second Saturdays, History on the Move, and Taproom History events. Marketing channels include the website, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, email newsletters, and word-of-mouth referrals. No public revenue, funding rounds, or institutional financials are disclosed; the organization is privately held as a charitable nonprofit with no parent company or external investment structure.

Name

Sheboygan County Historical Research Center

Legal name

Sheboygan County Historical Research Center

Website

https://schrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Sheboygan County Historical Research Center is a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves and provides public access to over 1.5 million documents and 750,000 photographs specific to Sheboygan County. It serves genealogists, local historians, educators, and out-of-state family researchers through an online store, membership program, donations, on-site research services, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical Archives and Local History Research Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

Keywords

• Historical archives preservation
• Genealogy research services
• Local history publications
• Document collection management
• Community history education

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheboygan Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Book and Publication Sales: The center operates an online store selling books about local history, including titles like 'Peach Crates and Comic Books' ($14.95), 'Sheboygan County Chronicles' ($8.00), 'Dark and Twisted, Crime and Criminals in Sheboygan County' ($15.00), and various other local history publications. Prices range from approximately $3 to $26.95.
2. Membership Program: The center maintains a membership program, with messaging stating 'Members are the strength of the Research Center.' Members receive benefits including access to collections, newsletters, and possibly discounts on products and events.
3. Donations and Support: The center accepts donations and support through various programs including Giving Tuesday, Annual Campaign, Donor Recognition, Volunteer opportunities, and Sponsorship Opportunities.
4. Genealogy Forms Starter Kit: Sale of physical genealogy research materials including forms starter kits containing various research documents, charts, and worksheets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Sheboygan County Historical Research Center is a nonprofit historical archive and research center that preserves and provides public access to more than 1.5 million documents and over 750,000 images specific to Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. It sells local history books and publications through an online store and physical Millhouse Store, offers on-site genealogical and document copying services, runs educational events such as Book Club, Genealogy Classes, and Gravestone Cleaning workshops, and distributes digital content via a YouTube channel. The organization is supported through an annual membership program, donations, and sponsorships.

Product overview

Sheboygan County Historical Research Center operates as a historical archive and museum offering books, educational programs, events, and digital content focused on Sheboygan County and Wisconsin history. The core product portfolio consists of published books covering local history topics (genealogy, immigration, industrial history, military history, and cultural heritage), a Genealogy Forms Starter Kit for family research, educational events including Book Club and Gravestone Cleaning Workshops, videos and audio recordings, and online research resources. The collection contains over 1.5 million documents and more than 750,000 images. The center also operates a shop for local history merchandise including books, mugs, and other items.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program
• On-site Research and Document Copying Services
• Book Club
• Gravestone Cleaning Workshop
• Genealogy Forms Starter Kit
• Online Sheboygan County Resources
• Videos and Audio Recordings
• Local History Book Store (e-commerce + Millhouse Store)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Newspapers.com: Historical newspaper archive platform operated by Ancestry; overlaps specifically with SCHRC's Sheboygan Press newspaper collection as a competing access channel for digitized historical press content.

Direct peers

• Milwaukee County Historical Society: Wisconsin-based county-level historical society maintaining archives, exhibits, and publications about Milwaukee County history; structurally identical operating model to SCHRC with archive + membership + publication + event programming.
• Outagamie County Historical Society: Wisconsin county-level historical society operating the Houdini Historic House and related sites; comparable as a peer heritage organization in the same state with similar archival and educational mission.
• Wisconsin Historical Society: Wisconsin's statewide historical society operating a major archive, museum, and research library in Madison; directly comparable as a historical research center with archival collections, publications, and educational programming across the same state SCHRC serves.
• Manitowoc County Historical Society: Wisconsin county-level historical society operating the Pinecrest Historical Village and local history museum; directly comparable as a peer operating museum, archives, and educational programming about a single Wisconsin county.
• Brown County Historical Society: Wisconsin county-level historical society operating the Hazelwood Historic House Museum and maintaining archival collections about Brown County; comparable as a county-focused archive and museum with similar programming and funding model.
• Sheboygan County Museum: Located in the same Sheboygan County, this museum focuses on local history preservation and interpretation; directly comparable as a peer cultural-heritage institution serving overlapping audiences with exhibits and collections about Sheboygan history.

Broad incumbents

• Old World Wisconsin: Operated by Wisconsin Historical Society as a large outdoor living-history museum site; comparable as a Wisconsin heritage institution focused on historical preservation and education, though operating at significantly larger scale and scope than SCHRC.
• Ancestry.com: Largest subscription genealogy platform with extensive historical records, family trees, and DNA services; directly competes with SCHRC's genealogy research assistance for Sheboygan County researchers who can access many Wisconsin records through Ancestry's database.
• FamilySearch: The free global genealogy platform operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; overlaps with SCHRC's genealogy research value proposition as the dominant free digital destination for family history researchers, increasingly including local historical records.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SCHRC
• Xx.com/ResearchCenter2
• Facebookfacebook.com/ResearchCenterSF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sheboygan-county-historical-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sheboygan County Historical Research Center