Membership
in the Lennox and Addington Historical Society
Membership
First organized in 1907 and now moving forward into our second century.
Membership in the Lennox and Addington Historical Society is open to
all individuals and families with an interest in the history of Lennox
and Addington county and Canada.
click here
to skip past the long part of why you should join the Lennox
Addington Historical Society.
The first conversation usually starts like this "I can't join. I don't know any
history."
This of course is just not true and more importantly doesn't matter.
Consider the doughnut as an example of why a knowledge of history isn't
necessary to join the Historical Society. Do you know how to
make a doughnut? What exactly is it about flour, water and carbon
dioxide gas that combines to make a tasty treat? What does doughnut
mean anyway and why exactly is there a hole in the middle?
These are important questions and there are people who have written
entire books about these topics. However just like membership in the
Historical Society. You don't need to know these things to
simply enjoy the taste and texture of either history or doughnuts.
The second question is, "Why should you join the Lennox
Addington Historical Society?
Surprisingly the answer isn't always obvious and for every member the
reasons are unique, equally important and entirely different from your
neighbors.
However the common answer is, I'm interested in local history.
This is a great answer but it is probably true for almost all of our
members but it still leaves the question what part of local history?
Genealogy
Architecture
Preserving history
Macpherson House
Artifacts in the museum
Documents in the archives
Friends with similar interests
Or is it none of these but something else?
Genealogy 
Are you trying to find your families past, researching an ancestor? Was
your grandmother a war bride or was your family one of the many who
followed the Addington Road north. Perhaps they arrived as Loyalists or
were they here even earlier, to greet the arriving Europeans?
Architecture 
Architecture is defined as the style of a building, especially with
regard to a specific period, place, or culture. For some people it is
the particular details of a building or a building style that holds
their interest. Here in Lennox and Addington we are very
lucky as we don't have just a few surviving architectural
gems. Instead in many communities we still have a rich carpet
of heritage buildings in what is known as a cultural
landscape. Architecture can be anything from the gingerbread
trim on a Victorian classic to a line of century old buildings still in
use today.
Preserving history 
This is one of those topics that sounds the simplest but in truth can
be the hardest to define. One person could consider preserving history
the careful restoration and conservation of an artifact. While another
could consider it the act of bringing history to life, keeping it
relevant and interesting to a new generation. so that it isn't the dry
stuff of textbooks but vibrant and alive. The Historical Society does
this and more. Members of the Society can be proud of their role in
preserving history in many different ways. Including the personal
histories of the people who helped to make that history in so many ways.
Macpherson House 
The Lennox and Addington Historical Society has a large collection of
artifacts and many are precious and unique to our community. However it
could be argued that Alan Macpherson's 1826 home is perhaps the jewel
in the crown of the Societies collection. Certainly it is the largest
single object in the collection with an exterior that has now been
restored and preserved to reflect its past. One of the first
stately homes in Napanee not only looks beautiful outside but is an
accredited Ontario museum.
Artifacts at the museum 
If your interested in local history then the Lennox and Addington
County Museum is an obvious place to start. As you explore the
thousands of items on display don't forget to look around you. You are
standing inside history. The museum itself served as the county jail
until quite recently. Now instead of inmates it houses a collection of
artifacts that tells the story of life in Lennox and Addington. The
guards have been replaced by professional curators who work for Lennox
and Addington County to manage a growing collection of
artifacts purchased by the Historical Society.
Documents in the archives
The archives are one of those quiet places that most people, even
members of the Society aren't always aware of. However it has a
following of loyal users and dedicated supporters within the Historical
Societies membership. The archives contain a wealth of knowledge about
the lives and the people of earlier times. The information ranges from
genealogy to tax records with almost everything else in between. As
part of the Historical Societies mandate this knowledge is available to
everyone.
Friends with similar interests 
A shared interest in history is one of the intangible benefits of
membership. On Saturday afternoons, during the winter months the Society holds a General Meeting,
usually with a quest speaker on a particular topic. These meetings are
open to everyone and are not dry historical lectures but interesting,
often exciting talks by people who know and love their topic. The
questions and answers are followed by coffee and conversations that
allow the members to exchange ideas about heritage and history.
Membership in the Lennox and Addington Historical Society is open to
all individuals and families and only costs this much.
SINGLE MEMBERSHIP - $25.00
FAMILY MEMBERSHIP - $35.00
CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP - $30.00
LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP - $525.00
You can download a membership form to print out and mail in as a either an 
pdf document from this link.
As part of your annual membership you will receive by mail the
Historical Society's Newsletter - The County Chronicle
(4 to 5 times per year).
For more information please write to:
The Membership Secretary
Lennox and Addington Historical Society
P.O. Box 392
Napanee, Ontario Canada
K7R 3K9
Or email us: Membership@LennoxandAddingtonHistoricalSociety.ca
For anyone who is curious the Historical Societies bylaws are available as a pdf formatted file from here .