INDIANA — Two new Indiana county historians have been appointed in Marshall and Martin counties, with their terms beginning January 2022.
New Martin County Historian Mary Wildman serves as a board member for the Martin County Historical Society and Museum. She has been an avid genealogist for more than 40 years and currently works in the genealogy room at the museum, where she assists people with genealogical inquiries and carries out local history research.
New Marshall County Historian Kurt West Garner was born in Bremen to a family who traces its roots to the pre-county organization and is a lifelong resident of Marshall County. In 2008, Garner established a historic preservation-focused consulting firm and has worked in nearly three-quarters of Indiana’s counties. He is the founder of the Wythougan Valley Preservation Council and co-founder of the Historic Michigan Road State Byway Association as well as the author of more than 200 National Register of Historic Places nominations. He has developed driving and walking tour materials in Marshall County and is a regularly featured speaker at historical society programs, conferences, and more.
In addition, at the close of 2021, the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau reappointed 24 county historians to new three-year terms. County historians reappointed to new three-year terms are as follows:
- Erica Cline (Jefferson County)
- Dennis J. Latta (Knox County)
- Dan Coplen (Kosciusko County)
- Bruce R. Johnson (La Porte County)
- Bryan McCoy (LaGrange County)
- Scott Bocock (Lake County)
- Steven R. Barnett (Marion County)
- Glenda Murray (Monroe County)
- Diana Elijah (Newton County)
- Sarah Knopp (Noble County)
- Cliff Thies (Ohio County)
- Jeffrey A. Lane (Orange County)
- Randall Wright (Parke County)
- Molly Hall (Perry County)
- Larry Tippin (Putnam County)
- Michael Stratton (Ripley County)
- John D. Wilson (Rush County)
- Stephanie Kirby (Scott County)
- Travis Childs (St. Joseph County)
- Janet Hendricks (Switzerland County)
- Quentin Robinson (Tippecanoe County)
- Stan Schmitt (Vanderburgh County)
- Ronald L. Woodward (Wabash County)
- Judith Baker (White County)
The Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau thank all Indiana county historians for their service and dedication to local history.
In 1981, through an effort to improve the historical communication network in the state, the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau established the Indiana County Historian Program.
County historians serve as volunteers appointed by the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau to promote local history in their counties, connect individuals and groups with history resources, promote collaboration between local history organizations and maintain connections with the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Historical Bureau.
