Friends and Colleagues –

The year of 2025 was a progressive yet very challenging time for the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum. 

On the positive, we as a volunteer Board made considerable strides in advancing the Museum’s long-term strategic plan. That plan has taken shape and been regularly updated since 2019. It has involved the input of dozens of stakeholders, including past and current Board and staff members, endowment and other donors, and the distinct communities we serve. 

The first directives under the strategic plan were for Hamilton to become a stand-alone 501(c) (3) non-profit, ensure specialty expertise on our Board, and negotiate a separation from the Museum’s founder, the Two Rivers Historical Society. That was accomplished with the assistance of The Reva and David Logan Foundation.  All of these significant steps were completed by 2022, and in 2025 our focus turned to new executive leadership.

This past spring, we hired an executive recruiter to identify candidates with museum experience to lead Hamilton. The recruiter’s research included interviews with Two Rivers stakeholders and Museum supporters including members of the print community. We hired and onboarded new accredited and proven executive leadership, and through her efforts we continue to implement fair and compliant workplace policies, document procedures and historic records, and ensure legal, financial, and security protections for our valuable collections. 

But 2025 also brought challenges for Hamilton. Changes made by the board in accordance with the strategic plan created conflict and there was internal resistance to change. As a result, not all decisions were implemented as intended nor communicated effectively. We certainly wish this had not occurred and are especially saddened that misrepresentation of the situation led to reputational harm and funding impacts.

Many supporters and concerned parties have asked for more background information on what happened. Below are the key facts we want to share. While we may not have the loudest voice or financial influence, we do have the truth and we stand by it.

• Budgeting – At the beginning of our fiscal year in July, operational expenses were reduced throughout the organization in anticipation of executive transition. The board made decisions to support their plan to bring a new executive to the museum and give her time to observe and learn so we could get her input for needed improvements in all areas of operations. To make this possible, we intentionally reduced the current budget year activities. Other than Wayzgoose, nearly all programs were reduced or postponed to relieve pressure on the budget and staff. 
• Public programs, improving our practices – We prepared for a full review of programming through the eyes of a new director. While the board knew that public programs at Hamilton have been well-received and exciting to participate in and promote, we expected a seasoned museum professional to bring a fresh perspective as well as an educationally-grounded, and data driven-approach to our public offerings. Hamilton’s reputation for service will be enhanced as a result of these improvements. 
• Workshop/residency cancellations – Despite a Board directive for no new programming to be scheduled or institutional commitments made while Hamilton focused on recruiting, hiring, and transitioning to new executive leadership, staff solicited and accepted proposals for workshops, residencies, and exhibitions. Unauthorized agreements were signed. As such, those activities were cancelled and communicated to those impacted. There was absolutely no malice or malintent, and certainly no racism or discrimination, in the decision to cancel these activities.
• Wayzgoose – Response to the cancelled workshops/residencies impacted participation in this fall event, and, rather than re-tool Wayzgoose, it was cancelled with refunds, as appropriate. The Museum used that time instead to focus on crucial actions to strengthen the organization, including creating and implementing legally compliant workplace policies and procedures, ensuring the security of our building and valuable collections, and inaugurating related professional development activities. 
• The Windgate Endowment – On social media, misrepresentations of why activities were cancelled spread and included efforts to negatively impact the Museum financially. Some of our funders were directly targeted with misinformation. The Windgate Foundation – a long-time supporter of the Museum – in turn made demands for confidential information and leadership changes at the Museum. In response, our Board asked to meet with representatives of the Windgate Foundation to discuss the situation and to address their questions and concerns. Unfortunately, that request was denied. As such, our board unanimously voted to refuse those demands, as detailed here. As of December 2025, the Foundation ceased its support for Hamilton. We are disheartened by this outcome, but we thank the Windgate Foundation for its past generosity.

If you are reading this, please know you are a valuable part of Hamilton. We wanted you to have these facts and for this information to be on the historic record. 

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Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum Board of Directors