About Us

The Board of Directors was formed and first slate of officers was appointed in January 1991. the first President, Karl Westover, is still a Board member. Original Board members Steve Dunkle and Jimmie Allison also are still on Board.

The first order of business was to select a permanent site for the KVHS Museum. The "King Home" on Main Street in Allensville was purchased in April 1991. The "King Home", built in about 1840, had a colorful history as a stagecoach stop, tavern, polling place and ice cream parlor.

The first three years were spent enlarging the museum and making the first few acquisitions. One that has proven to be most interesting to the public was Engine #3 bronze plate from the K.V. Railroad.

Donations of Kish Valley historically significant items, as well as acquisitions of major artifacts, has picked up considerably in the past five years. Among the Society's most prized artifacts are: 1890 Plank painted salt box; 1920s Allensville Post Office; local artist Isaac Peight collection; Indian arrowheads; and a beautiful 1770 Chippendale secretary from early settler John W. Wilson donated by his descendent, Board member Jimmie Allison.

The Society's status as a not-for-profit 501c(3) organization qualifies virtually all donations as tax-free charitable contributions at the items' fair market value. (Please contact your accountant for an opinion on the deductibility of larger value donated items.) The Historical Society is always seeking donations of items of particular interest to Kish Valley historians and residents, and with construction of the Barn Museum in 2004 will have room for items of any size.

KVHS also has an expanding genealogy section. Under the leadership of Board members Molly Metz Bourg and Ron Wilson, the Society has added to its collection of family histories, established a microfilm desk for reviewing copies of the Belleville Times and County Observer from 1909 to 1993, and compiled a data base of more than 35,000 names of Kish Valley residents and their relatives. Visitors are encouraged to begin their family history research here or to work with these two KVHS Board members to further plumb their family histories.