The first attempts to create a historical society were apparently in the early 20th century; the issue went nowhere. For many years, the William Perkins Bull collection of art and artifacts was housed in the Brampton High School. In the 1950s, the Board of the school decided to renovate and redecorate, and asked the collection be removed. Bull Collection publisher C. V. Charters, Everett Briggs, Alex McKinney and other citizens moved to create a historical society, focused on life in Peel County from the late 18th century to the 1930s. There was an apparent disinterest in heritage, during the immediate post-War era, and the Peel County Historical Society Association became inactive in 1957.