Chapter 44 — HISTORICAL SOCIETIES AND HISTORICAL PRESERVATION

44.01 Historical society; corporate structure. (1) The historical society shall constitute a body politic and corporate by the name of “The State Historical Society of Wisconsin,” and shall possess all the powers necessary to accomplish the objects and perform the duties prescrib…

44.015 Powers. The historical society may: (1) Acquire any interest in real or personal property by gift, bequest or otherwise in any amount and, subject to prior action under s. 13.48 (14) (am) or 16.848 (1), may operate, manage, sell, or rent real estate acquired by gift, beque…

44.02 Historical society; duties. The historical society shall: (1) Serve as trustee of the state in the preservation and care of all records, both printed and written, and all articles and other materials of historic interest and significance placed in its custody, and interest …

44.03 Affiliated societies. (1) County or local historical societies without capital stock may be incorporated as affiliates of the historical society, to gather and preserve the books, documents and artifacts relating to the history of their region or locality. No fees shall be …

44.04 School services. (1) The historical society, as part of its program as an educational institution, shall offer to the schools and teachers in this state all of the following: (a) Materials as the society shall prepare or make available to facilitate instruction in the histo…

44.05 American history research center. (1) The historical society, in order to promote the wider understanding of the significance of the American heritage, shall encourage research in American history in general, and in the history of Wisconsin and the west particularly, throug…

44.06 Depository of public documents. (1) In this section, “state document” has the meaning given in s. 35.81 (3). (2) The director of the historical society shall file with the department of administration, and may revise, lists of state, county, municipal, federal, or other age…

44.07 Museum extension service. (1) The historical society, in conjunction with its museum program and in order to make its collections and the teaching values of museum materials available on a statewide basis and to stimulate more effective local museum techniques, may operate …

44.09 District attorney, county, local and court records. (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), the proper officer of any county, city, village, town, school district or other local governmental unit or a district attorney may offer, and the historical society may accept for preser…

44.10 Regional depositories for records. (1) The historical society, through its board of curators, in its corporate capacity and as trustee of the state may enter into agreements with the University of Wisconsin System or such other public or quasipublic institutions, agencies o…

44.11 Central depository library. (1) In this section, “board” means the board of curators of the historical society. (2) The board may participate in the formation and maintenance of a nonprofit-sharing corporation sponsored by participating colleges, universities, and libraries…

44.12 Educational facilities at Nelson Dewey state park. (1) The state farm and craft museum, located at Nelson Dewey state park, may be developed by cooperation of the department of natural resources, the society, and such other agencies as may be interested therein in accordanc…

44.13 Educational facilities at Old Wade House state park. (1) The state carriage museum, to be known as the Wesley W. Jung Carriage Museum, located at Old Wade House state park, shall be developed by the society. (2) The purpose of this museum as an educational facility is to po…

44.14 Central depository loan collection, federal documents. (1) It is the purpose of this section to establish a more economical system of handling federal documents in this state in such a way as to effect savings of staff and space to the participating libraries, both state an…

44.15 Historical markers program. (2) CREATION. It is declared to be in the public interest to stimulate interest in and knowledge of the state by marking sites of special historical, architectural, cultural, archaeological, ethnic, geological or legendary significance, and maint…

44.16 Circus World Museum. (1) Except as provided in sub. (3), the historical society may enter into a lease agreement with the Circus World Museum Foundation, Inc., for the purpose of operating Circus World Museum, located in Baraboo, Wisconsin. The lease agreement shall not inc…

44.20 Historic sites. (1) (a) The historical society shall operate and maintain the historic sites known as Stonefield Village, Updated 23-24 Wis. Stats. 6 Pendarvis, Villa Louis, Old Wade House, Madeline Island, Old World Wisconsin, H.H. Bennett Studios and, if the First Capitol…

44.21 Historical society parking regulations. The board of curators may promulgate rules to govern parking of motor vehicles on property under the control of the historical society. Whoever violates such a rule shall forfeit to the state not more than $25. History: 1971 c. 170; 1…

44.30 Public policy. The legislature finds that the historic, architectural, archaeological and cultural heritage of the state is among the most important assets of the state and furthermore that the social, economic and physical development of contemporary society threatens to d…

44.31 Definitions. In this subchapter: (1) “Adverse effect” means any of the following: (a) Physical destruction, damage or alteration of any part of a property which would adversely affect the historic significance of that property. (b) Isolation of a property from or alteration…

44.32 Officer. The director or his or her designee shall serve as the state historic preservation officer. History: 1987 a. 395 s. 28. HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM

44.33 Duties of the state review board. The state review board shall: (1) Approve, upon the recommendation of the officer, nominations to the national register of historic places in Wisconsin and the state register of historic places. (2) Review the state surveys and inventories …

44.34 Duties of the state historical society. The state historical society shall: (1) Conduct an ongoing statewide survey to identify and document historic properties, including all those owned by the state, its instrumentalities and political subdivisions. May 22, 2026, are desi…

44.36 State register of historic places. (1) STATE REGISTER. The state historical society shall maintain, publish and disseminate the state register of historic places. (2) CRITERIA OF SIGNIFICANCE. (a) The state register of historic places shall include districts, sites, buildin…

44.39 State agency cooperation. (1) LEAD AGENCY. The state historical society shall serve as the central unit of state government to coordinate the activities of all state agencies in connection with historic properties, to serve as the repository of information concerning histor…

44.40 State agency decisions; negotiation. (1) Each state agency shall consider whether any proposed action of the state agency will affect any historic property that is a listed property, on the inventory or on the list of locally designated historic places under s. 44.45. If th…

44.41 Protection and use of state agency property. (1) LONG-RANGE PLANS. Each state agency which owns listed property shall develop a long-range plan for the management, preservation and improvement of that property. The state agency shall develop the long-range plan as part of t…

44.42 Negotiations with political subdivisions and school boards. (1) Upon receipt of a notice from a political subdivision under s. 66.1111 (4) or a school board under s. 120.12 (21) concerning a proposed action affecting a historic property, the officer shall determine whether …

44.44 Certification of historic preservation ordinances. (1) The state historical society shall certify a historic preservation ordinance if the ordinance does all of the following: (a) Contains criteria for the designation, on the register of a political subdivision, of historic…

44.45 List of locally designated historic places. (1) DEFINITION. In this section, “list” means the list of locally designated historic places under sub. (2). (2) PUBLICATION OF LIST. The state historical society shall maintain, publish and disseminate a list of locally designate…

44.47 Field archaeology. This state reserves to itself the exclusive right and privilege of field archaeology on state sites, and establishes regulations for field archaeology on sites owned by political subdivisions, in order to protect and preserve archaeological and scientific…

44.48 Archaeological resources. (1) MAPPING. (a) The state historical society shall prepare maps of the archaeological resources of this state. (b) Using the best methods practicable with the funds available for that purpose, the state historical society shall prepare: 1. Initial…