Lakewood Historical Society

What Lakewood Historical Society does

The Lakewood Historical Society is a volunteer-managed, tax-exempt nonprofit organization (IRS EIN 84-0818972) headquartered at the Caretaker's Cottage at Heritage Lakewood, 801 S. Yarrow Street, Lakewood, Colorado, with a mailing address at PO Box 260951. Its stated mission is to bring together people interested in history, particularly the history of Lakewood, Colorado, with the goal of fostering broader understanding of state, national, and American heritage. The organization is governed by a six-member volunteer Board of Directors and operates without paid staff.

Its core offerings are fourfold: (1) the Register of Historic Landmarks, established by the Board on February 17, 2004, which curates 25+ historically significant properties in Lakewood; (2) the Guardians of Historic Lakewood (GOHL) citizen archaeology program, launched in 2023 in partnership with Community Connections LLC, through which community members document artifacts and use the Artifact Identifier educational tool; (3) a tiered membership program offering Individual ($20/yr), Household ($30/yr), Patron ($100/yr), Lifetime ($200 one-time), and Business ($70/yr) tiers; and (4) donation and volunteer support services, including online and mail-in donations via Square checkout and enrollment in the Kroger Community Rewards program at King Soopers and City Market.

The business model is community-led and subscription/donation-funded. Revenue streams comprise recurring annual membership dues, one-time lifetime memberships, direct donations, and affiliate-style quarterly contributions from Kroger loyalty-linked shopping activity. Marketing is entirely organic, relying on Facebook and LinkedIn presence, email newsletters, community events such as Cider Days and International Archaeology Day, and word-of-mouth through municipal and partner channels. Technology is minimal: the organization runs a static Google Sites website and uses Square for payment processing, with no proprietary platform, API, or mobile application. Distribution is regional, restricted to Lakewood, Colorado, and the society's programmatic reach is materially dependent on its partnership with Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, the City of Lakewood's 20th-century history park housing 15 historic buildings and 40,000+ artifacts.

Name

Lakewood Historical Society

Legal name

Lakewood Historical Society

Website

https://lakewoodhistoricalsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lakewood Historical Society is a volunteer-run nonprofit that preserves and promotes Lakewood, Colorado history through a Register of Historic Landmarks, a citizen archaeology program, tiered memberships, and community events, serving local residents and history enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historical preservation and heritage education services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

Keywords

• Historical preservation services
• Citizen archaeology programs
• Historic landmark registry
• Community heritage education
• Nonprofit membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at multiple tiers providing access to society updates, programs, and benefits
2. Direct Donations: Online and check-based donations accepted
3. Kroger Community Rewards: Nonprofit receives a percentage of Kroger brand shopping spend from enrolled members using loyalty cards at King Soopers and City Market stores

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lakewood Historical Society is a nonprofit organization that preserves and shares the history of Lakewood, Colorado through membership-based programs, citizen archaeology initiatives, and a register of historic properties. It sells annual and lifetime memberships, accepts tax-deductible donations, and runs educational events for community members interested in local history and heritage preservation.

Product overview

Lakewood Historical Society operates as a nonprofit historical preservation and community education organization offering a single integrated suite of programs and services. The core offerings include the Guardians of Historic Lakewood (GOHL) citizen archaeology program, the Register of Historic Landmarks for property preservation, and membership programs with multiple tiers. Additional services include donation processing, volunteer coordination, and community events such as Cider Days and annual meetings. The society partners with Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park for physical programming and collaborates with Community Connections LLC for specialized archaeological services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guardians of Historic Lakewood: A citizen archaeology program where citizens explore and understand artifacts found in their own backyards, bridging Lakewood's past with the present.
• Lakewood Historical Society's Register of Historic Landmarks

Products and services

• Guardians of Historic Lakewood (GOHL) Program Citizen archaeology program for Lakewood community members to explore, document, and submit artifacts found locally, supported by a companion guidebook and an Artifact Identifier tool. Free to participate; aimed at history enthusiasts, residents, and volunteers.
• Register of Historic Landmarks Curated, publicly listed register of 25+ historic buildings, sites, and structures in Lakewood, Colorado, including properties such as Casa Bonita and Car 25. Designed to increase pride of ownership and community interest in historic preservation and is open to nominations.
• Membership Programs Tiered membership offering for individuals, households, patrons, businesses, and lifetime supporters of the Lakewood Historical Society, providing access to society updates, programs, events, and (for Business tier) promotional placement in society materials. Annual subscriptions range from $20 (Individual) to $100 (Patron), with a $200 Lifetime option and a $70 Business tier.
• Donation and Support Services Financial support mechanisms for the nonprofit, accepting online and mail-in donations (checks to PO Box 260951), volunteer sign-ups for board, research, and program support roles, and participation in the Kroger Community Rewards program at King Soopers and City Market which directs a percentage of enrolled members' shopping spend to the society.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Connections LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-owned archaeological consulting firm in Denver that partnered with Lakewood Historical Society to create the Guardians of Historic Lakewood citizen archaeology program. Provides project design, public outreach, education, and specialized services including augmented reality historical tours. Created the Artifact Identifier tool for cultural stewardship.
• Heritage Lakewood (City of Lakewood)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Lakewood's 20th century history park and museum located at 801 S Yarrow St, Lakewood. Home to 15 historic buildings, 40,000+ artifacts, rotating and permanent exhibits. Lakewood Historical Society board meetings held at Heritage Lakewood Caretaker's Cottage.
• FactorEarthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital tour solution provider. Featured on Lakewood Historical Society's Favorites page as a recommended partner for museums, destinations, nonprofits, and local businesses to create augmented reality historical tours and boost local economy.
• Kroger (King Soopers and City Market)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipates in Kroger Community Rewards program. Registered members' shopping spending at King Soopers and City Market generates quarterly donations to the society, up to $125,000 per quarter per organization.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Community Connections LLC: A women-owned archaeological consulting firm in Denver that co-developed the Guardians of Historic Lakewood program with the society. Comparable in focus on citizen engagement with local heritage and emerging as a niche provider of community archaeology services.
• FactorEarth: A digital tour solution provider serving museums, destinations, and nonprofits. Comparable as a partner enabling augmented reality historical tours and a peer in the local heritage tech ecosystem, though its product focus is technology rather than stewardship.

Broad incumbents

• History Colorado: The statewide historical society and museum operator for Colorado. Directly comparable as a heritage-focused nonprofit organization serving Colorado communities, operating at a larger institutional scale and offering exhibitions, educational programs, and historic preservation services.
• National Trust for Historic Preservation: The leading national nonprofit focused on saving historic places. Directly comparable in mission to preserve local heritage and landmarks, but operates at a national scale with significantly more resources and programming.
• American Association for State and Local History: The national professional association for state and local history organizations. Comparable membership-based nonprofit model serving the same population of historical societies, though it functions primarily as an industry association rather than a site operator.

Others

• Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park: The City of Lakewood's 20th-century history park and museum, hosting 15 historic buildings and 40,000+ artifacts. While a direct program partner rather than a competitor, it is highly comparable as a Lakewood-focused heritage institution that the society relies on for physical infrastructure and programming.

Direct peers

• Jefferson County Historical Commission: A county-level historical preservation body serving Jefferson County, which surrounds Lakewood. Directly comparable as a small, volunteer-led historical organization operating historic landmark registries and educational programming in the same metro area.

Regional players

• Colorado Preservation Inc. A statewide nonprofit dedicated to saving historic places in Colorado. Comparable mission around historic preservation and community engagement, but operates statewide rather than within a single city.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lakewoodcohistoricsociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lakewood-historical-society-colorado
• Xx.com/vintagelkwd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Lakewood Historical Society