The Butler County Historical Society will begin 2016 with a new slate of officers when the Board of Trustees meets on Thursday, January 21.  The board’s new president is John A. Whalen, the society’s former treasurer, and the new treasurer is William Groth.  Sara Butler will serve a second term as vice-president and Richard O Jones returns as the society’s secretary.  Kathy Creighton remains the society’s Executive Director.

A new member of the board of trustees will be Katie Wills.  Returning board members are Jack Armstrong, Chris Carroll, Richard Piland, and Brian Smith.  A sixth trustee soon will be named to fill out the board.

The Butler County Historical Society, located at 327 North Second Street, Hamilton, is a private non-profit formed in 1934 to preserve and interpret the county’s rich heritage.  It owns and operates the Benninghofen House museum, a high-Italian style home built in 1863 that is filled with the furnishings of a wealthy family during the Victorian Era.  It is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.  Group tours of the Benninghofen House Museum can be arranged by calling 896-9930.

The society’s Board of Trustees oversees the BCHS programs, exhibits, operations, and efforts to preserve and interpret Butler County’s rich heritage.  More than 4,600 people visited the society to conduct research, tour the house museum, or attend a lecture series program during 2015 and another 2,200 attended a Speaker’s Bureau presentation.

As a non-profit organization with no routine government support of any kind, the BCHS relies on generous volunteer and community support and financial gifts to help it continue the society’s increasingly important civic contributions to increase public awareness of the county’s past.