The Northam Historical Society was established in 1973 when local people gathered together to ensure the history of Northam and surroundings districts would be preserved and available for future generations. The Society was incorporated as the Northam and Districts Historical Society under the Associations Incorporation Act 1987 (WA) on 20 April 1987.
The relocation of the Northam Town Council to new award winning offices allowed the Northam Historical Society to make use of the Old Town Hall rooms, especially the former Mayor’s parlour, in the Northam Town Hall. The Society has held most of its meetings in the former Mayor’s parlour in the Town Hall, but now meets at the old Railway Station.
By arrangement with the Shire of Northam, the Society manages Northam’s oldest surviving building, the historic Morby Cottage (1836) (pictured above) and its contents. The cottage was built by John Morrell a trained carpenter and was the first house built in Northam. Morby Farm Cottage is open mainly on Sunday but can be opened at other times if required. It has been entered in the Register of Heritage Places on an interim basis
The Society is also associated with the preservation of the old Northam Railway Station and an extensive collection of railway related artefacts. Here the Society has five rooms as well as a locomotive, carriages, guard van and historic railway machinery items on the platform. Each item is recorded displaying commercial and industrial artifacts of Northam’s history. Under the banner of Northam Heritage Forum the old Station opens on a regular basis.