Scottish-American Heritage Society

The Scottish-American Heritage Society is an educational and historical organization on Scottish heritage and Scottish-American Heritage. There are 28 million people in the world of Scottish decent. Five million of them live in Scotland and 16 million of us live in America (Canada-U.S.).

I'm more Scottish than anything else. My great, great-grandfather, Archibald Smith, emigrated from Scotland in the 1840s and homesteaded our family farm north of Brodhead. My mother's maiden name is Caldwell. The Caldwells are part of the Stuart (Stewart) or Royal Clan of Scotland. My grandmother's maiden name was Smith. The Smith's are part of Clan Chattam. I'm very proud of my Scottish heritage. The only political party that I'm a member of is the Scottish National Party.

The main goal of the Scottish-American Society is the creation of the Scottish-American Heritage Center at Brodhead, WI. There is no Scottish-American Heritage Center. A number of other ethnic groups have cultural or heritage centers. There is a Norwegian-American Cultural Center at Decorah, IA. There is a Swedish-American Cultural Center in Chicago, with a branch at Bishop Hill, IL. A Swiss-American Cultural Center is being established in New Glarus, WI.

What would a Scottish-American Heritage Center include? I believe that it should include Caledonia Hall (an auditorium, meeting facility and theatre), Scotch Hill-A Scottish American Farmstead and Settlement, the Scottish American Archives and Library, the Scottish Festival, Scottish-American Hall of Fame, and the Scottish Heritage Hall. It would also be nice but probably impractical and to expensive to include a reconstruction of a Scottish castle. I would welcome input from others. One thing this center will not include is a golf course.

Why the choice of Brodhead for the location of a Scottish-American Heritage Center? The Brodhead area does have a Scottish heritage. Brodhead was late in being founded and was not founded until 1856 when the Southern Wisconsin rail line was constructed. At that time, several small villages and Decatur, a major town in Wisconsin, picked-up and pretty much moved lock, stock and barrel to the new town of Brodhead. One of these little villages was a settlement about five miles northeast of Brodhead called Scotch Hill. All that is left of Scotch Hill today is the Scotch Hill Cemetery and a few foundations. Many of my ancestors on my mother's side of the family are buried in this cemetery. The Scotch Hill School was moved to Brodhead in the 1950s and converted into a home. Brodhead has a population of about 4,000.

Why the choice of Wisconsin for the location of a Scottish-American Heritage Center? In the 2000-2001 Wisconsin state budget there was a matching grant from the state to establish a Swiss American Cultural Center in New Glarus. The group in New Glarus must raise $4 million nationally and in Switzerland in order to be eligible for this $2 million grant. Supposively, any other ethnic or nationality group that has yet to have established a national cultural or heritage center and has an interest in establishing one is eligible for a $2 million grant from the state if they can raise $4 million.

A Scottish-American Heritage Center already has commitments from two Scottish heritage organizations of support and to provide displays and exhibits for the Scottish Heritage Hall.

~Dave Searles
Founder and President
MA, History, Washington College, MD
BA, Milton College, WI, History-Political Science major and minors in Criminal Justice and Natural Resources