Westminster Historical Society

The Mission of the Westminster Historical Society is to preserve our city’s history by collecting, researching and displaying local artifacts and records at the Westminster Museum to increase community knowledge and appreciation of our heritage.

The Westminster Historical Society (WHS), founded in 1974, stewards Blakey Historical Park, a two-acre site donated by Leaora Blakey, who arrived in Westminster Colony in 1894. WHS offers exhibits, programs,t ours, and community events that explore and preserve the area’s rich history—from early Native American, Rancho, and Mission periods to the founding of Westminster Colony in 1870, life in the 1920s–1940s, the city's incorporation in 1957, and its growth to the present day.

The park features the 1915 Warne Family Farmhouse, the Warne Family Barn, Pumphouse, and the McCoy-Hare House—Westminster’s first pharmacy, established in 1874. The park also features the 1929 Midway City Women’s Club building, which houses the Westminster Museum. Also calling Blakey Park home is the Shutter Shak, a unique 1976 structure, once a beloved photo film developing hub, and now houses an exhibition of vintage cameras. The grounds also include a 1904 windmill, a historic El Toro Marine Base flagpole. WHS hosts a variety of events, including civil servant and enthusiast gatherings, ice cream socials, holiday open houses, and dedications of historical artifacts and structures.

Our primary audience includes residents of Westminster and surrounding communities, especially members of Westminster’s vibrant Vietnamese and Latino populations. The majority of our over 200 annual visitors are students, as we focus on encouraging the study of local history.