Form 990-EZ for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$55,182

Total expenses

$54,575

Contributions and grants received

$47,398

Grants paid

— not reported

Program service revenue

$1,075

Membership dues (line 3)

— not reported

Investment income (line 4)

$523

Gain or loss on sale of assets (line 5c)

— not reported

Gaming and fundraising events, net (line 6d)

$3,432

Gross profit on inventory sales (line 7c)

$2,754

Other revenue (line 8)

— not reported

Total assets, end of year

$318,144

Total liabilities, end of year

$763

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$317,381

Program service expenses (Part III)

$46,089

Program services were 84.5% of total expenses calculated — Part III's total program service expenses over total expenses, both as filed.

Mission and programs · 2023

• NEWSLETTERSDuring 2023, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. continued the writing and publication of four quarterly newsletters that are mailed to approximately 550 full-time and part-time residents of the Swan Valley, Montana. Each newsletter is filled with program and project updates, local historical information, recipes, and personal stories. Public information is also available on the organization's web-site that features information on programs and activities for the benefit of the organization and the community. During 2023, there were approximately 4,000 visits to the web-site.

  Expenses $8,817

• MUSEUM AND HERITAGE SITEOne of the programs of the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. is management of the organization's Museum and Heritage Site established to showcase historical items, artifacts, and exhibits and to archive information and materials. There are no other government, cultural, or historic offices in this small, unique, rural community. The goals to provide preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the Swan Valley, Montana and to provide educational and research opportunities for public benefit and enjoyment are being continued. During 2023, the organization continued to improve the building and land at the local Museum and Heritage Site, including expansion of the outdoor interpretive exhibits with additions to the Native American Camp exhibit. Various exhibits and displays of items from early day one-room schoolhouses, fire lookouts, sawmills, hunting and fishing camps, homesteads, and other historic memorabilia were viewed by the estimated 740 visitors who toured the museum during 2023. The Museum's exhibits and displays chronicle the community's settling and the spirit of the homesteading pioneers. The annual August story-telling program theme was the Native Camp Exhibit. Tim Ryan, the Chair of Cultural and Language Studies at the Salish and Kootenai College, told tales about the Salish and Pend DOrielle in the Swan Valley, including stories of the Tribes' seasonal rounds and travel in the Swan Valley. In the fall, area students toured the museum, learned about the sawmill and farm and ranch implements, pressed apple cider, played traditional games, and experienced a one-room school while finding artifacts on a scavenger hunt. In addition to maintaining the exhibits and displays in the Museum, plans for the future include continuing to expand the outdoor interpretive exhibits and the Native American Camp exhibit.

  Expenses $30,724

• FROSTBITE FESTIVALIn December 2023, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc.'s Program Coordinator developed and organized the annual Frostbite Festival and Holiday Bazaar featuring local artists and crafters. During the Frostbite Festival, adults and children enjoyed a family-oriented event held at the local elementary school to bring the community together for activities and camaraderie.

  Expenses $405

• FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONDuring the annual Fourth of July community celebration, more than 160 adults and children visited the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc.'s annual history displays, photo and memorabilia exhibits, and historical cabin exhibits at the Museum and Heritage Site. In addition to the popular Historical Society photo and memorabilia exhibits, the organization served huckleberry ice cream, a 4th of July tradition. The 2023 theme for the 4th of July celebration was the Fire Lookouts and Fire Finders Exhibit.

  Expenses $594

• ORAL HISTORY PROJECTOver the past decade, The Upper Swan Valley Oral History Project has recorded over 175 interviews with the early residents, along with collecting photographs, maps, documents, and other memorabilia. In 2011, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. produced a book, "Montana, Voices of the Swan", containing 65 historical summaries of recorded interviews with earlier settlers, their descendants, or others who knew the Swan Valley in former years. Their "voices" tell the story of lives of mingled hardship and joy in earlier days in the Swan Valley of Montana. During 2013, and periodically updated since then, the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society, Inc. produced "As Time Goes By: A Chronology of the Swan Valley" that includes information about historical events such as exploration, homesteading, logging, and development occurring from 1854 through 2023, and provides an easy-to-use reference about the natural, cultural, and historical aspects of the Swan Valley. The history of the historic lodge at Lindbergh Lake in the Swan Valley, Montana, was documented in the first DVD film produced by USVHS that debuted in February, 2014. During 2015, the video project film, "Wrangler, Dudes, and Homesteaders", using techniques of oral storytelling, photographic documentation, and historical research, was continued documenting the history of the Gordon Ranch and Holland Lake Lodge areas to capture the history of the historic lodges before it is lost. In continuation of the oral history project, during 2015, the USVHS published the "Huck Book" full of local recipes, photos, memories, nostalgia, and historical accounts including recipes that came from early day homesteaders and settlers that have been handed down through the generations. During 2017, the USVHS published "The Gathering Place, Swan Valley's Gordon Ranch". The book includes historical anecdotes, comments, and tales that document the life and times around the Gordon Ranch. During 2023, work was continued on summarizing and transcribing recorded interviews for the purpose of making the stories suitable for inclusion in a future oral history book. The objective of the Oral History Project is to preserve the history of the Swan Valley and make it available for present and future generations. The goal is to continue collecting oral histories of Swan Valley residents by conducting interviews, preparing transcripts, and sharing the stories with the local community and other interested people. Plans include continuing the Oral History Project with interviews, photos, and historic stories.

  Expenses $5,549

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part IV

Compensation is as filed in Part IV of the Form 990-EZ: compensation, contributions to benefit plans, expense account, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990_ez

Tax year

2023

Filed

16 May 2024

IRS schema version

2023v5.0

Source object

202431379349202188

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