The Society is a nonprofit educational institution dedicated to collecting, preserving, and communicating the history of Cheshire County, New Hampshire.

The Historical Society of Cheshire County (HSCC) was unique from the beginning because it was, and remains, the only county historical society in New Hampshire. The first public meeting was held in July 1927. At the meeting bylaws were adopted and officers were elected. Samuel Wadsworth, a Keene jeweler, surveyor, and local historian, was selected as the first president. The interest in the Society was enormous as 250 charter members were enrolled. The Keene Public Library made available meeting and museum space. Historical lectures were presented at regular meetings as they are today. Most importantly, the newly established society laid a strong foundation for the encouragement of donations and important artifacts.

In 1974 the Society opened a local history museum at the Colony House on West Street in Keene. Building on their already extensive collection of local glass and pottery, the Society transferred its remaining collection from the public library to its new home at the Colony House Museum.

Today, the Historical Society of Cheshire County has evolved too more than 900 members, five employees, 60 volunteers, and a 13,000 square foot facility that includes a research and genealogy library with more than 300,000 local history items in the collection. The dreams that Frank Kingsbury, Clifford Wilbur, and Ella Abbott had of an organization to preserve the county's history have been realized, and the Society itself has now been a part of the region's rich history for more then 75 years.