Douglas Historical Society

About Douglas Historical Society

The Douglas Historical Society operates the Douglas-Williams House Museum in Douglas, Arizona, where visitors explore exhibits highlighting the town's past. The museum's period rooms honor the Douglas and Williams families, who occupied the house for more than eighty years. James S. Douglas was the son of Dr. James Douglas, instrumental in developing Arizona copper mining operations. Ben F. Williams, a borderlands cattleman, miner and inventor who served as Douglas Mayor, purchased the house in 1943. Regularly changing displays showcase Douglas memorabilia, including a Marty-Dess camera collection, Douglas smelter artifacts, school memorabilia, and Fire Department history. The museum also features exhibits on the Elías family. A current featured exhibit, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, explores Douglas transportation life during the first half of the twentieth century. The museum maintains a research library and sits adjacent to Church Square and Raúl Castro Park.