The Jefferson County Historical Society received welcome news this week: a $20,000 grant from the Kinsman Foundation to continue renovation work on a historic Madras church being transformed into a permanent county history museum.
The grant, announced Monday, represents the latest in a series of investments the foundation has made in the project — one that community historians and preservationists have worked toward for years.
A Building With a Story, for a County With Many
Jefferson County, established in 1914, carries a layered history that spans thousands of years — from the Indigenous peoples of the Warm Springs Reservation who have called this land home since time immemorial, through the homestead era that brought ranchers and farmers to the high desert, to the development of Madras as a regional center and the growth of agriculture, irrigation, and outdoor recreation that define the county today.
The historical society has long sought a permanent home to tell that story — housing artifacts, photographs, oral histories, and archives that connect current and future residents to the county's past. A renovated historic church in Madras offers exactly that: a structure with its own history that can become a keeper of history for others.
Kinsman Foundation's Continued Investment
This $20,000 award follows earlier Kinsman Foundation grants to the same project. In August 2026, the Madras-based philanthropic organization granted the historical society $25,000 directly, plus a $25,000 matching commitment designed to leverage additional donations from other sources.
The Kinsman Foundation has focused on architectural preservation and historic building rehabilitation since its founding — a mission that aligns directly with the society's renovation goals.
Combined, the foundation's contributions and earlier grants put the project well past the $70,000 mark in private philanthropic support — a strong signal from the broader community that the museum has real backing.
How to Get Involved
Jefferson County residents interested in supporting the museum project — through donations, volunteer labor, or by contributing historical materials such as photographs, documents, or artifacts — are encouraged to contact the Jefferson County Historical Society.
The Madras Bulletin will continue following the museum project as renovation work progresses toward an eventual opening date.