If you’re familiar with our former website, wisconsinheritage.org, the first thing you’ll probably notice about the new site is a new name: Recollection Wisconsin. As part of the process of refreshing our identity, we chose to move away from the name Wisconsin Heritage Online, which we’ve used since the program started in 2005. We think this new name does a better job of describing what we do: create opportunities for people to discover personal connections to the past by bringing together digital collections from across the state.
We collaborated with web designer and branding consultant Dan Saal of StudioSaal Corporation to come up with our new Recollection Wisconsin identity. Some of the ideas behind this name include:
Recollection means: the act or power of recollecting, or recalling to mind; remembrance
Re-collection means: the act of collecting, gathering, or assembling again
It’s a “collection” of Wisconsin databases
It’s a way to “re” connect to our collective history
It’s about “re” interpreting collections
And perhaps most importantly, compared to “WHO,” it’s much easier to use in a sentence and to find in a search engine.
Recollection Wisconsin is a place to discover and share your Wisconsin story. You can use this website to search and browse a growing set of historical resources from collections across the state. You’re also invited to contribute your own memories, images, knowledge and thoughts.
from Wisconsin communities, including photos, postcards, maps, letters, diaries, books, artifacts, oral histories and more. Enter a term or terms in the box below to start your search, or get help with searching.
from Wisconsin libraries, archives, museums and historical societies. Sort collections by category or explore collections on a map to find resources near you.
Add a story or a photo and help build a collaborative history of our state. Or contribute a comment and add your voice to an ongoing conversation about Wisconsin's past.
The story behind our new name
If you’re familiar with our former website, wisconsinheritage.org, the first thing you’ll probably notice about the new site is a new name: Recollection Wisconsin. As part of the process of refreshing our identity, we chose to move away from the name Wisconsin Heritage Online, which we’ve used since the program started in 2005. We think this new name does a better job of describing what we do: create opportunities for people to discover personal connections to the past by bringing together digital collections from across the state.
We collaborated with web designer and branding consultant Dan Saal of StudioSaal Corporation to come up with our new Recollection Wisconsin identity. Some of the ideas behind this name include:
And perhaps most importantly, compared to “WHO,” it’s much easier to use in a sentence and to find in a search engine.