The Constitution of the Wachovia Historical Society was adopted in Salem in 1895 by Moravians determined to preserve their heritage. Almost 115 years later, the group’s mission is just as steadfast: increasing the collection, preservation, and dissemination of history, with an emphasis on Forsyth County.

Today’s Wachovia Historical Society — with more than 250 members — is the oldest group of its kind in North Carolina, and one of the oldest in the country. The Society’s collection includes more than 6,800 artifacts that vary from a cup and saucer to pottery pieces to a horse-drawn firetruck. The collection is managed and exhibited by Old Salem Museums and Gardens.

A 1754 Hoger map is one of the oldest artifacts in the collection. Recent research on this revered item has taught Old Salem new things about the area. Other notable parts of the society’s holdings include the Frank B. Jones Jr. Photograph Collection, the Adam Spach Rock House, and the Salem Tavern building.

Much of the society’s work includes making grants to individuals, institutions, and publications that follow its mission. An important grant from the group aided in the restoration of local Tannenberg organs in Old Salem’s Gray Auditorium and Single Brothers House, and also sponsored a current exhibit about Old Salem’s restoration at the Boys School — the society’s birthplace.

Fulfilling its commitment to education, the group hosts annual meetings and bus tours, which give participants a chance to hear from experts in the field and see firsthand artifacts typically off-limits to the public.

“The society is a valuable resource and asset for our community,” notes its president, Lester Morris. Molly Grogan Rawls, the group’s secretary, adds, “The intangible part of what we do is create pride in our county and its heritage.”

For more information, go to wachoviatract.org (under construction). For membership, call Lester Morris at 336-766-4851.