The club - The club's history
When more people became interested in local history again in the 1980s and asked about the history of their hometown or the roots of their families, there were also dedicated local history enthusiasts in Seelbach who wanted to promote the research of the local past and the preservation of old customs.
They were particularly inspired by the village renewal plan at the time,
The main focus was the complete renovation of the old school. Eventually, people came together who wanted to found a local history society.
On January 20, 1987, 22 people founded the Herborn-Seelbach Local History and Heritage Association (Heimat- und Geschichtsverein Herborn-Seelbach eV) in the old town hall of Herbornseelbach.
Old school Herbornseelbach with local history museum
Press articles about the founding meeting
At this meeting, the first board was elected, and Hans Benner, who had been a leading initiator even before the founding of the young association, was elected chairman. Within the following weeks, the association members discussed and defined their goals and priorities, which were also recorded in writing.
A general meeting of members adopted the statutes of the Herborn-Seelbach Local History and Heritage Association on February 24, 1987.
The following year saw the first major success in the club's history. The old school building had been renovated, transformed into a gem, and once again became an attractive village center. As planned, the Seelbach Local History Museum was opened there on February 6, 1988, with the support of the town of Herborn. Since then, the museum has been continuously developed, maintained, and operated by the Local History Society on two floors.
In addition to many other activities, such as regular local history research, genealogical research, work projects, hikes, exhibitions, lectures, festivals and other social events, and not least the continuous publication of a newsletter, the association achieved a particularly noteworthy success in 1999. Thanks to the association's initiative and commitment, the Herborn district of Seelbach was awarded a local coat of arms in April 1999, which was ceremonially presented.
Photos of the founding meeting and local history museum (Old School)
Press article about the town's coat of arms
Photos of the museum in the Old School
Objectives of the association
is the promotion of local heritage and local history through:
- Source research and family history
- Lectures and exhibitions
- Publication of a newsletter
- Excursions
- Establishment and maintenance of a local history museum
- Preservation of the old village landscape, as far as this is at all possible. Text
Join the local history society!
The local history society offers space for many different interests. Young and old alike can participate in all activities and projects. Participation and assistance are possible and welcome in almost every area of the society. New members who wish to actively participate receive training, guidance, and are well integrated. Here are some examples of ways to get involved:
- Support with museum work
- Planning, preparation and assistance in carrying out hikes or the club's social events
- Participation in exhibitions
- Assistance with photo work, reproductions and archiving
- Archival work ranging from the Herborn city archive in Schönbach to the Hessian State Archive in Wiesbaden
- Spontaneous participation in projects
- Research in the Seelbach family and personal history
- and much more
…and experience shows that every new member brings some knowledge or previously unknown facts to the club. This knowledge and personal interest can be explored in greater depth, and open questions can be answered.
Those who do not necessarily wish to actively participate can acknowledge, promote and support the activities of the local history society by becoming a member.
Become a member of the Herborn-Seelbach Local History and Heritage Association - Support the association!
