The Water Council Partners with Wisconsin Historical Society to Record Real Time History
MILWAUKEE – The Water Council announced today that their organization has formed a partnership with the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) to document the water initiative happening in Wisconsin that they believe will shape the economic future for the state. It was decided that the significance of the water movement being spearheaded by The Water Council would one day be viewed as a part of Wisconsin’s history, and thus should be well documented now, while the individuals responsible for The Council are still around, and able to contribute to that process. Says Ellsworth Brown, Society Director, “The Water Council idea is new, just a few years old, so the records are fresh. The people are still there, the people who created it, they have memories, records; so the idea was to do it this now,” rather than later.
The first step in the partnership will be the establishment of public historian that will be housed in The Water Council’s office at the Global Water Center, recently opened in Milwaukee. This historian will serve as liaison between the WHS and The Water Council. The primary goals of this position will be to assist The Council with its records management and documentation, and develop water history content for public programming opportunities in the Milwaukee area.
Both parties will benefit from this new partnership; The Water Council will receive assistance and training in records management and archival documentation. The WHS will make available their extensive water-related research collections, including maps, images and primary sources that tell the story of the western Great Lakes and Wisconsin’s water sources. Furthermore, WHS will assist The Council with outreach and educational services to communicate their mission and accomplishments thus far to public audiences. This collaboration will give the Wisconsin Historical Society greater brand awareness in the Milwaukee region. Additionally, it will supplement the Society’s collections documenting Wisconsin’s inland water resources and the integral role of water throughout the state’s history and future.
Dean Amhaus, President & CEO, The Water Council, had this to say, “There is no question that water will be shaping the future, not only where people choose to live but where people do commerce,” therefore, the importance of water in Milwaukee, and Wisconsin will take an even more significant role in shaping our future.
About The Water Council
The Water Council, the only organization of its kind in the United States, was established in 2009 by Milwaukee-area businesses, education and government leaders. With more than 150 water technology companies in the Milwaukee area, the region’s water industry is a $10.5 billion dollar market and accounts for four percent of the world’s total water business. The non-profit organization, consisting of more than 160 members, is linking together global water technology companies, innovative water entrepreneurs, acclaimed academic research programs and, most importantly, some of the nation’s brightest and most energetic water professionals. The Water Council is capturing the attention of the world and transforming the Milwaukee region into a World Water Hub for freshwater research, economic development and education. For more information, visit www.thewatercouncil.com or contact us by phone at 414.988.8750.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services.
###