Founded on July 4, 1976, in celebration of the nation’s bicentennial, the Washington County Historical Society was created to promote the understanding and appreciation of Washington County’s rich history by collecting and preserving historically significant items.

The Society established its first physical location in 1979 at the “Old Jail” and sheriff’s home located at 129 Jones Street in Sandersville. This location served as the Society’s headquarters and as a Washington County Museum for twenty years. In 1999, the Society moved to its permanent offices and museum to the Brown family house, known as Woodland Terrace, located at 268 North Harris Street in Sandersville. This historic pre-Civil War house had been vacant for more many years and required a complete renovation. The house is now known and referred to simply as “The Brown House.”

The Society Board proudly oversees two centers in Washington County: The Genealogy Research Center and The Brown House Museum. Over the years, the Society has expanded its historic preservation outreach by creating additional committees to manage and promote various Washington County locations, educational events, and local landmark tourism.

The Washington County Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The organization is governed by a board of directors elected by the Society’s patron memberships.

Throughout the years, the Historical Society has branched out into several sub-committees as the need arose, each responsible for handling the specific needs of its historical cause.