Waterman Area Heritage Society

The Waterman Area Heritage Society was established in 1994 by residents who wanted a historical museum for Waterman, Illinois. In 1999, the society purchased a building at 180 West Lincoln Highway to serve as a permanent museum. The museum showcases exhibits on local history and memorabilia from residents, including Jack Smiley’s uniform and items from his University of Illinois days, professional basketball player Duane Swanson’s artifacts from the 1936 U.S. Gold Medal Olympic Basketball team, and phones and artifacts from the early 1900s to today.