The Chisholm Trail History and Genealogy Center was formed in January 2001 by the Sumner County Genealogical Society.
With the help and generosity of the Wellington City Manager Carl Meyer, Memorial Auditorium Director Ellen McCue, Vice-President of the SCHGS, Sherri Theurer, and the Wellington Public Library, as well as many members of the Sumner County Genealogical Society, we were able to open our research center in May of 2001.
Our official grand opening took place June 10, 2001. Located in the Memorial Auditorium in downtown Wellington Kansas, we are within two blocks of the Sumner County Courthouse and Chisholm Trail Museum, as well as a short walk to the Wellington Public Library.
In the summer of 2001 the Sumner County Genealogical Society and the Sumner County Historical Society voted to merge the two societies. The new Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Society hopes to be able to better serve the researchers of Sumner County and to operate the Chisholm Trail History and Genealogy Center to further this goal.
In 2005 the Society voted to change the name of the Chisholm Trail Historical and Genealogical Center to the Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Center. We hope this change will help alleviate any confusion between the Center and other entities.
In 2012 the City of Wellington received a grant, and with matching funds from the Horton fund the City of Wellington was able to renovate the auditorium and bring it into ADA compliance. New bathrooms were constructed as well as painting and carpeting the lobby. An elevator was also installed to allow easier access to the second floor.
As a result of the renovations the Center moved to the south end of the auditorium lobby. This will give us more space to utilize for archives and storage and office space. After months of renovations, cleaning, unpacking, and organizing the Center opened in their new rooms April 2, 2013. We hope that our new space helps us to better serve researchers in search of their Sumner County roots.