Polk County Historical Society
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENCOURAGE THE STUDY, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OREGON AND POLK COUNTY. TO COLLECT, PRESERVE, EXHIBIT AND INTERPRET OBJECTS AND PUBLISH INFORMATION RELATING TO THE HISTORY OF POLK COUNTY. TO ACQUIRE, EXHIBIT AND INTERPRET THE MATERIAL CULTURE OF POLK COUNTY AND TO BUILD, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A HISTORICAL MUSEUM OR MUSEUMS IN POLK COUNTY.
- Income
- $138,821
- Spending
- $68,713
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 85%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 40
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 51% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 40% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 50 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $23,903 spent. IN 1990 THE POLK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MOVED THE POLK COUNTY MUSEUM FROM DALLAS OREGON INTO A NEW BUILDING IN RICKREALL OREGON. THE NEW MUSEUM OPENED FEBRUARY 12, 2000. THE POLK COUNTY MUSEUM HOUSES THE LARGES AND MOST IMPORTANT LOCAL HISTORY RESEARCH COLLECTION IN POLK COUNTY OREGON. ITS LIBRARY INCLUDES OREGON REFERENCE TITLES AND COUNTY RELATED HISTORIES AND GENEOLOGIES. SUBJECT PAMPHLET FILES PROVIDE BOTH BROAD AND DEEP COVERAGE ON HUNDREDS OF SUBJECTS. THE SEPERATE DOCUMENT ARCHIVE INCLUDES MANUSCRIPT AND SCRAPBOOK COLLECTIONS, INCLUDING THE POLK COUNTY ARCHIVES IN THEIR ORIGINAL FORMAT. THE CC STEVENS AUDIO/VISUAL ARCHIVE INCLUDES THE LARGE STARFRIN AND SWENSON PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONS, AS WELL AS MANY SMALLER COLLECTIONS, WHICH ARE BEING CATALOGUED, DIGITIZED, AND PRINTED FOR DISPLAY AND RESEARCH. RECORDED, TRANSCRIBED, AND FILMED INTERVIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN DIGITIEZED AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEWING AND COPYING. ARTIFACT COLLECTIONS SUPPORT A WIDE ARRAY OF THE INTERPRETIVE DISPLAYS, INCLUDING BASKETRY AND STONE TOOLS CRAFTED BY INDIGINOUS KALLAPUYA. ON LOAN COLLECTIONS INCLUDE ANTIQUE VEHICLES, FIREARMS AND BREWERY EQUIPMENT, A LUMBER CARRIER, AND A VINTAGE FIRE TRUCK. OUR SHOP IS USED FOR ARTIFACT RESTORATION AND EXHIBIT CONSTRUCTION.
- $27,054 spent. IN 1975 THE SOCIETY ACQUIRED A PORTION OF THE HARRISON BUNK CENTURY FARM, LOCATED IN EOLA, OREGON. THE 1861 HOUSE FEATURES ORIGINAL AND PERIOD FURNISHINGS, AS WELL AS PERSONAL BRUNK FAMILY ARTIFACTS. THE FARMSTEAD WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE HARRISON BRUNK CENTURY FARM IN 1959 AND IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES. THE FARMSTEAD INCLUDES AN ORCHARD HOUSE, CARRIAGE HOUSE WITH TOOL ROOM, EQUIPMENT BARN WITH FULLY EQUIPED BLACKSMITH SHOP AND ORIGINAL GRAINARY. THE GROUNDS INCLUDE CONTEMPORARY ADA COMPLIANT RESTROOMS, PARKING AND PICNICING AREAS SUITABLE FOR GROUPS OF UP TO 75 PERSONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1994.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.