Mission Statement:
The DuPont Historical Society’s mission is to preserve, interpret and promote the historical heritage of the City of DuPont and surrounding areas for present and future generations.

Vision Statement:
Through leadership and education, the DuPont Historical Society will continue to preserve DuPont’s rich cultural heritage by operating the DuPont museum and developing historic sites, resources and visitor destinations.

Board of Directors
President: Lee McDonald
Vice-president: Ruth Egger
Secretary: Barbara Jackson
Treasurer: Joe Babb
Lorraine Overmyer (charter member)
Bert Wyant
Wes Westby
Steve Shaffer
Museum Manager: Johanna Jones

History of the DuPont Museum
When the E.I. DuPont deNemours Company of Wilmington, Delware announced in January of 1977 that the 3,2000 acres occupied by the DuPont Powder Works were being sold to Weyerhaeuser Company, Mayor John Iafrati appointed City Councilwoman Lorraine Overmyer to form a historical group with the mission to preserve history and artifacts.

An organizational meeting was held at February 1977 in the home of Lorraine Overmyer and a committee comprised of the following members was formed: Chair, Lorraine Overmyer; Asst. Chair, Ruth Iafrati; Treasurer, Eloise Hill; Secretary, Ruth Bryans, May Munyon and Wendall Laughbon. Their goal was to establish a museum focusing on the history of Ft. Nisqually, DuPont Plant, DuPont the company town and Weyerhaeuser.

The City approved the use of the old City Hall, formerly Carston’s meat market, at 207 Barksdale to house the artifacts. The building consisted of 2 rooms: a large room in front heated by a gas heater and a back room kitchen with a make-shift bathroom at one end. A small back porch was extended from the kitchen.

After refurbishing the building and obtaining artifacts, on June 26, 1977, the Committee officially opened the DuPont Historical Museum with a Silver Tea reception.

From June 1977 until 1982, volunteers worked hard to improve the museum. The gas heater was replaced with electric heat, a new bathroom and storage room were built, a diorama of the old fort was installed and a Hudson Bay Company era piano belonging to Factor Edward Huggins was restored and placed in the museum. Accessions were catalogued and new displays were added.

By 1982 a non-profit organization was formed to be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the museum. The City would retain ownership of the building and responsibility for its utilities and maintenance.

In 1982 a new back room addition was added to the museum. Revenue sharing funds received by the City provided most of the materials, and labor was supplied by volunteers. New displays were created. The front of the museum was dedicated to Ft. Nisqually, the middle room depicted an early DuPont kitchen and the new addition housed the DuPont plant, village and school displays. In recent years, a mural of a 1910 DuPont Company era home was added to the addition and replicas of a 1906 tar paper shack, and wooden porch and pillars depicting a home in Northwest Landing were installed.

In 2000 President Robby Robinson reorganized the Historical Society Board and helped the organization grow and expand its mission. In 2005 he oversaw the City’s hiring of its first museum manager, Johanna Jones.

The museum owes its existence entirely to the efforts of countless volunteers and the City of DuPont officials, who had the foresight to rescue, preserve and house the many artifacts, photos and documents that you see in the museum today.