History:

The Columbia County Historical Society established in 1914 and the Central Susquehanna Valley Genealogical Society started in 1976 both felt they shared a number of common interests, and that there were many advantages to combining their organizations. These two organizations merged on April 10, 1999 , to form the Columbia County Historical & Genealogical Society (CCHGS). CCHGS is committed to the collection, preservation, and publication of the history of Columbia County and to develop resources to aid individuals to discover their family history. It is a charitable and educational organization run entirely by loyal volunteers who collect and index important documents such as church records, cemetery listings, genealogies, manuscripts, photos, pamphlets, clippings, and many others, along with maintaining the Society’s museum and library. Located on the second floor of the Bloomsburg Public Library, it has a library and limited museum collection that is open to the public. The Society's Web site was established in January, 2000, using FrontPage software. In October, 2005, a new format was adopted using Dreamweaver software. You can still see the original vs. the new as you click through the site. There is a variety of resources that can easily be accessed. Its operating expenses are met primarily by membership and user fees, sales of publications and materials, fund-raising events, gifts, grants, and investment income. The Columbia County Commissioners have recognized the Columbia County Historical and Genealogical Society as the official historical society of the county.