In the winter of 1987-88, Janice McGinnis and a few interested volunteers came together to form a committee to work toward establishing a permanent museum for Westwood's memories and memorabilia. They met, at first, in their homes. The task was formidable, but they had a clear goal in mind; they wanted to have a historical display in place when Westwood celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1988 and establish a permanent home for Westwood's history and artifacts. McGinnis and the other volunteers began contacting people that they knew had been saving treasures over the years. They also began interviewing, investigating funding sources and soliciting donations from others in the community. The process was slow. After much effort, the Westwood Museum came into existence. After changing locations for a while, it found a home in the Westwood Community Services District Building on Ash Street in Westwood. In 2013, the museum formalized its structure by incorporating and gaining its non-profit status. A Board of Directors oversees the museum operation. No building could ever contain all the history, artifacts and stories from this community, but the Westwood Museum contains many original items from the town's past. Logging and railroad memorabilia are well represented as are household items from the different eras. Special displays pay tribute to people who played a large role in the town over its span. Oral and written histories, collected by museum docents, flesh out the sage of Westwood. Binders feature major events such as the theater fire and the snow of 1952, the opening of the Big Store and the organizations that provided the social network for the residents.

There are several books on the Red River Lumber Company, which founded Westwood in 1912 and ran the lumber mill until 1944.