Lake County Historical Society

The earliest origins of the Lake County Historical Society are lost in the mists of the past — for now. It is believed, however, that the organization was founded some time during the 1930s before being disbanded at the outset of World War Two for the duration of that conflict.The first meeting after the war for which there are minutes was held on January 10, 1946, in Bachelor Valley. It was noted in the surviving minutes that no bylaws for the Society existed, so a committee was formed to do so and to schedule the election of officers for October of that same year. Guido DeGitalete was elected as the reconstituted group’s first President. Interestingly, the stated purpose for commencing with the organization was to take advantage of Bachelor Valley’s schoolhouse, which was then standing empty, as a meeting place! The Lake County Historical Society became a county organization on August 9, 1955, mainly through the efforts of Madora Davidson Johnson. In August of 1963 the Society formally acquired its current non-profit, tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. The rest, as they say, is history!

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Lake County Historical Society Presidents

Bennett Green — 1956

Henry Mauldin — 1957 to 1959

Ed Ruyon — 1960

Phil Nunnemaker — 1961

Glenyth Johnson — 1962 to 1966

Bill Smart — 1967

Hal Wolf — 1968 to 1972

Charles J. Freeman –�1973 to 1974

Ruby Glebe — 1975

Norma Wright — 1976 to 1981

Ruby Glebe — 1982

Norma Wright — 1983 to 1993

Donna Howard — 1993 (In the spring the Vice-President finished the term.)

Norma Wright — 1994 to 1997

Ruby Glebe — 1997 (In the spring the Vice-President finished the term.)

Randy Ridgel — 1998 to 2003

Tony Marchese — 2004 to 2005

Randy Ridgel — 2006 to present