SHE IS CURATOR OF LOCAL MUSEUM
The Missouri State Genealogical Association (MoSGA) was honored to bestow Lisa Wittmeyer, Platte County Historical and Genealogical Society (PCHGS), with the organization’s 2025 Award of Merit.
Wittmeyer, who in addition to being active in the Platte County Historical Society is the curator of Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum in Platte City, was nominated by Kenneth Klamm, also a member of the PCHGS.
The awards were announced at the annual meeting on Aug. 9.
Below is the text of Klamm’s nomination of Wittmeyer:
Lisa Wittmeyer has served PCHGS in several capacities including several three-year terms as a member of the PCHGS Board of Directors, and as a docent and curator at the Society’s Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum in Platte City.
She also voluntarily stepped in as editor of the Society’s trimester “Bulletin” newsletter in 2023, and has stayed in that role. Lisa has also successfully written and submitted several grants for the benefit of the 1882 Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum.
She has given “100%” to the Society and has done a fantastic job.
It is Lisa’s ability to direct the Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum as curator and director of docents, to help organize written historical and genealogical materials pertaining to Platte County, and writing grants for the upkeep of the museum (built in 1882) that has perhaps benefitted the society the most. The museum is officially open to the public from April to October, but Lisa also directs or helps with off-season activities including the annual Christmas Tour of the museum every December.
Lisa has spent untold hours driving the 20 miles to the museum in Platte City, from her home in Kansas City (north of river) to help with the museum’s upkeep including extensive unpaid yard work, cleaning and decorating that she did on her own or directed.
Lisa was formerly an English teacher at several area colleges, including work as a “remote” (online) teacher of English at Park University in Parkville until her retirement about 10 years ago.
Lisa was a natural to assume the position as editor of the PCHGS “Bulletin” in 2023 and has continued to enthusiastically produce a great publication, in addition to the work she has continued to do as museum curator.
In 2018 Lisa Wittmeyer was presented the annual “Betty Soper Award” offered by the Platte County Historical and Genealogical Society. The award was formerly known as the Outstanding Platte Countian Award, and which in 1996 was renamed the Betty Soper Historical Award, presented annually in recognition of members who have shown dedication, service and commitment in preserving the history, architecture, and genealogy of Platte County.
Lisa Wittmeyer is a native of Platte County, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Wittmeyer. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
After retiring she became interested in her Platte and Clay family histories, both lines settling in Platte and Clay Counties in the middle 1800s. Her mother inherited several old family heirlooms, pictures, etc., including a family Bible brought over to America in 1852. They were stored in her family’s attic and Lisa became bitten by the genie bug when she came to realize the significance of her family keepsakes.
