Our Old Bookcase: Behind the scenes

This is the “Behind the Scenes” history of the founding of the Mercer County Historical Society, Inc., and the Mercer County Historical Museum, beginning in 1957 at the Mercer County Courthouse, by the Mercer County government elected officials, the Mercer County commissioners.

In 1957, the three Mercer County commissioners met privately, and made the following request of Municipal Judge Carleton Reiser, Retired

Prosecuting Attorney C.A. Stubbs and President of the Citizens Commercial Bank Roscoe Riley.

The county commissioners requested the three civic leaders to file “Articles of Incorporation,” and the “Appointment of an Agent” for the new county institution, Mercer County Historical Society for administration of the Mercer County Historical Museum. The Articles of Incorporation and the Appointment of an Agent were dated Oct. 18, 1957, with the legal confirmation that the Mercer County Commissioners were planning to implement the Mercer County Historical Society, Inc., for the administration of the Mercer County Historical Museum, for the future preservation of Mercer County’s History, for the long term commitment.

Honoring the 1957 Mercer County Commissioners’ original request, as President of the Mercer County Historical Society, Inc. since January 1973, I have filed these Articles of Incorporation every five years, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020. May this tradition of the Mercer County Commissioners and the Mercer County Historical Society, continue serving Mercer County’s citizens in the future, in the preservation of their heritage.