Wisconsin Historical Society Press

Wisconsin Historical Society Press is the publishing unit of the Wisconsin Historical Society, a Madison-based historical institution devoted to preserving, interpreting, and sharing the history of Wisconsin and the wider Midwest. The Press is described as Wisconsin's oldest book publisher and has maintained a substantial backlist of more than 100 titles. Its publishing program is closely connected to the Society's archival, museum, educational, and research activities, allowing it to turn historical collections and scholarship into books and other publications for both specialist and general audiences. The Press's publishing history reaches back to 1855, when it issued the first volume of the Wisconsin Historical Collections. That early publication presented materials held by the newly established Wisconsin Historical Society and established a continuing relationship between the organization and documentary historical publishing. Over time, the program expanded beyond collections and scholarly reference works to include booklets, research guides, regional studies, biographies, narrative history, and accessible accounts of significant people, places, and events. Among its larger undertakings is the six-volume History of Wisconsin series, which presents a broad chronological and interpretive account of the state's past. The Press has also developed books intended to reach readers beyond academic and archival communities. Its more recent list emphasizes narratives about individuals and events, explorations of historical subjects, and works rooted in Wisconsin or Midwestern experience while remaining relevant to readers elsewhere. In 2005, Wisconsin Historical Society Press began The Badger Biography series for young readers. The series presents the lives of Wisconsin figures in an accessible format and extends the Society's educational mission to a younger audience. The Press also publishes the Wisconsin Magazine of History, a quarterly periodical that has appeared since 1917 and uses images, documents, and historical interpretation to present stories from Wisconsin's past. The magazine is provided as a benefit of membership in the Wisconsin Historical Society. WHS Press publications are distributed through bookstores and the Wisconsin Historical Society's own store. As an institutional press rather than a commercial publishing conglomerate, its identity is based on regional authority, documentary research, public education, and the preservation of Wisconsin's historical memory. Its catalog serves researchers, teachers, students, residents, visitors, and general readers interested in Wisconsin and Midwestern history.

Wisconsin Historical Society Press developed from the Wisconsin Historical Society's early effort to publish primary historical material. The Press's first identified book was Volume I of the Wisconsin Historical Collections, issued in 1855. The publication documented material held by the recently founded Society and helped establish publishing as part of the institution's role in collecting, preserving, and making Wisconsin history available to the public. During the following decades, the publishing program broadened in form and subject. In addition to historical collections, it produced booklets, research guides, and other works supporting the study and teaching of Wisconsin history. Its scope remained strongly regional, but the subjects addressed the political, social, cultural, environmental, and personal dimensions of the state's past. This combination of documentary material and interpretive history enabled the Press to serve both academic researchers and readers seeking an introduction to Wisconsin's heritage. A major long-form project was the six-volume History of Wisconsin series. The series represented an effort to provide a comprehensive account of the state's historical development rather than limit the Press's catalog to narrowly focused archival publications. Alongside such substantial works, the Press continued to issue softcover titles and shorter publications, making historical content available in formats suitable for classroom use, personal reading, and general-interest distribution. The Press also became associated with the Wisconsin Magazine of History, a quarterly magazine published since 1917. The periodical presents images, documents, and written accounts concerning Wisconsin's past and functions as an ongoing public-history outlet. Its connection with Wisconsin Historical Society membership places the magazine within the Society's broader educational and public-service program. In the twenty-first century, Wisconsin Historical Society Press placed greater emphasis on books that could attract readers outside specialist historical circles. The catalog increasingly included narrative treatments of people and events, accessible investigations of historical themes, and regional stories with significance beyond Wisconsin. This approach retained the Press's documentary and scholarly foundations while making its books more approachable for residents, educators, visitors, and readers interested in the Midwest. The launch of The Badger Biography series in 2005 extended that audience strategy to young readers. The series interprets the lives of Wisconsin people for a new generation and reflects the Society's interest in history education at different age levels. The Press's publications are sold through bookstores and the Wisconsin Historical Society store, linking its institutional mission with ordinary book distribution. It remains an active publishing operation of the Wisconsin Historical Society, with a catalog centered on Wisconsin and Midwestern history and a backlist reported at more than 100 titles.

• 2005

  The Badger Biography series launched

  [1]Wisconsin Historical Society Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The Press introduced The Badger Biography series to present stories of Wisconsin people for young readers.

• 1917

  Wisconsin Magazine of History begins publication

  [1]Wisconsin Historical Society Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The Wisconsin Magazine of History began its long-running quarterly publication, later becoming a regular periodical associated with Wisconsin Historical Society membership.

• 1855

  First Wisconsin Historical Collections volume published

  [1]Wisconsin Historical Society Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The Press's publishing tradition began with Volume I of the Wisconsin Historical Collections, issued to present materials held by the newly established Wisconsin Historical Society.

A mission-driven historical and regional publisher combining institutional scholarship with accessible books and periodicals for general readers, educators, students, and researchers.

• Historical source publications · 1855

  Wisconsin Historical Collections

  This publication tradition began with Volume I in 1855 and reflects the Society's early role in making archival and documentary materials available. The collections connect the Press directly to the Wisconsin Historical Society's preservation mission and provide source-based material for researchers, educators, and readers studying the state's past.

• State history series

  History of Wisconsin

  A six-volume history series presenting an extensive account of Wisconsin's historical development. It represents one of the Press's major scholarly and interpretive projects, offering a broad framework for understanding the state's political, social, economic, and cultural history.

• Young-reader biography series · 2005

  The Badger Biography

  A series launched in 2005 that introduces young readers to notable Wisconsin people. Its accessible biographical format extends the Society's educational work beyond specialist audiences and encourages a new generation to engage with the state's history.

• Historical magazine · 1917

  Wisconsin Magazine of History

  A quarterly historical magazine presenting images, stories, and interpretations of Wisconsin's past. Published since 1917, it serves as a continuing public-history channel and is provided as a benefit of Wisconsin Historical Society membership.

1. 1Wisconsin Historical Society Pressen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Wisconsin Historical Society Press records and informationwisconsinhistory.org