DC Historical Society & Museum

For over 60 years the Dawson County Historical Society has been documenting and collecting the history of Dawson County, Nebraska. The Historical Society was founded in 1958 by a group of people who understand the importance of preserving the history of their community. The Dawson County Museum opened in 1970 and since then has been a place for visitors to learn about Dawson County's rich history through exhibits and historical documents, newspapers, and photographs.

Over the last 10 years, the Give BIG Lexington community has been extremely generous in helping the Dawson County History Museum reach its goals. Maintenance and restoration are ongoing and many projects would not have been possible without help from Give BIG Lexington donations. 

New lighting in the main gallery was made possible by GBL donations in 2018, and electricity was added to the Fairhaven Baptist church due to the 2020 Give BIG Lexington campaign. The restoration of the 1937 International Firetruck was completed in 2022, and the #485 Baldwin Locomotive was cleaned and a new coat of paint was applied in 2023 thanks to money raised in the 2019 Give BIG Lexington campaign and an individual donor. 

This year we have been working on the Reed Schoolhouse. New windows were installed in May and repairs are badly needed on the overall structure of the building. In December, a wedding will be held in the Fairhaven Baptist Church so we are raising money to update the floor in the vestibule and make any needed repairs in the sanctuary to make it usable space.

Thank you so much for your continued support of the Dawson County Historical Society and Museum. History is continually being created, therefore, we will never stop making new exhibits and displays for our visitors to enjoy!