Sunday, February 12th -2 to 4 PM

Museum Meeting Room

Please bring your own artifacts

and discoveries found in Minnesota!

The McLeod County Historical Society will feature a special program and display highlighting early Native American artifacts found in Minnesota.  The program will be led by Lynn Kolstad and feature a display of the many varied items she and her friends have found throughout her walks and exploration of different sites in the area.  Lynn has compiled a book,  shown above, “Every Hill has a Story”, in which she uses beautiful photos to show just some of the unique and still little known and understood artifacts that she and others have found.  Although not a trained archaeologist, Lynn has had many of her pieces evaluated by experts in the field and has learned a great deal about dating and placing these finds into their proper historical context.

Lynn’s personal collection of items she has found on numerous walks and site tours will be on display at the Museum throughout the month of February.  Lynn will talk about her collection of pieces at her program on the 12th, and she and the Museum staff encourage guests to bring in unique stones, bones, or other pieces they have found or have in their family collections to share with the group.  “Its always great to see what people are finding out there”, says Lynn and, “what can be learned about Minnesota’s earliest people.”  We hope you will join us for this look at found artifacts of Minnesota.

Author Book Signing & Program:  “Pursuit”  by Dean Urdahl

Sunday, January 15th,  2-4 PM

Museum Meeting Room

Dean L. Urdahl is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 18 B, which includes portions of Meeker and Wright counties.    Urdahl graduated from Litchfield High School in Litchfield. His roots run deep in the area, as his ancestors helped to settle Litchfield Township in 1856.  He attended St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, earning a B.S. in Social Studies. 

Urdahl was an American History teacher and coach for the New London-Spicer School District from 1971-2006. In July 2008, he was appointed as the Minnesota representative to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

Also an author, Urdahl has written many books, three of which are historical fiction books set in Minnesota during the Dakota War of 1862.  Urdahl has done a vast amount of research and taught classes on this portion of Minnesota’s history.

As a part of the Museum’s 2012 theme, “Understanding the Conflict of 1862”, Dean will be giving a program on his third book in a series, “Pursuit”.  From his first fictional telling of the tragic Minnesota War, “Uprising”, to “Retribution” and now “Pursuit”, Dean will share his vast research knowledge of this sad chapter in our State and Country’s history. 

Mr. Urdahl will be signing books after the program and all three books will be available for purchase in our gift shop.  The Museum will have coffee and cookies for guests, as well as our two gallery spaces open for tours from 1 to 4 P M.

Christmas Auction Fundraiser & Potluck Dinner

Silent Auction-

Monday, December 12th thru Monday,

December 19th-ends at 7 P M

Live Auction & Potluck Dinner-

Monday, December 19th –5-7 P M

It’s time again for some holiday cheer here at the McLeod County Historical Society.  We are continuing our Society Christmas Potluck and gift auction, as members, volunteers, and the public have great fun bidding on all the great gifts that local businesses so generously donate and the wacky white elephant gifts brought by the guests!  If you have not been to our  Christmas Potluck and Auction dinner, here’s how it works.  Everyone brings a dish to pass and a gift to be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to support the Museum’s mission, preserving McLeod County History!  The gifts must be wrapped, that’s part of the fun, and can be a white elephant, something old or new, or a re-gift that did not suit you, we won’t tell anyone.  It’s great fun seeing who ends up with what gift, and we all take turns watching as the lucky, or maybe not so lucky, bidders open their gifts.  We will also be continuing our Silent Auction Fundraiser.  Last year we were lucky enough to have many items donated by local area businesses, and this year’s generosity has been even greater.  The Silent Auction Items will be on display and ready for bidding, starting on Monday, December 12th and open to the public for bids through Monday, December 19th.  All bidding ends at 7 P M on the final day, with winners being contacted via phone to collect and pay for their prizes!

Below  is a list of all the businesses that contributed to our Silent Auction Christmas Fundraiser, and we thank them for all their help this holiday season!

Crow River Winery       Hutchinson Ace Hardware      Lang’s Meat Market      Genesis Salon & Enso Spa       Country Kitchen

Hutchinson Café      Custom Comfort Beds      Clay Coyote Pottery      Hutch Sport Shop      The Village Shop

Dundee Florist of Hutchinson      Lillian’s      PURSE-a-nalities      Zella’s      Hutchinson State Theatre      Hutch Liquor

Best Buy      Vintage Glam (The Boutique

Spirit of Christmas, Historic Hutchinson Home Tour Fundraiser:

Saturday, December 3rd    1-4 P M

Tickets $15 in advance, $20 day of event

Includes history booklet, access to each of the homes on the tour and coffee and Christmas treats at the Museum and Art Center!

The McLeod County Historical Society along with the Hutchinson Center for the Arts would like to bring the Spirit of Christmas and the gift of history home to you and your family this holiday season. 

Local Hutchinson residents will be opening their homes for this Holiday Fundraiser.  Each one will be decorated for the season and open for guests to tour on December 3rd from 1-4 P M.  Tickets are just $15 per person and include a history booklet detailing the history of the home and the residents who built and or lived in them. 

The idea of  a Christmas Home Tour is a great way to fulfill the Museum’s mission to preserve and share the history of McLeod County, its houses and the residents who make them their homes.  The Art Center will help to highlight the unique artistic architecture and decorative styling of each of the homes, and bring art and history together. 

The Hutchinson Center for the Arts and the McLeod County Historical Museum will both be open for free tours the day of the home tour, with coffee, treats, and last minute ticket sales available.  The Museum and Art Center will also be giving out free goodie bags filled with Christmas coupons, and gift ideas from local Hutchinson business sponsors!  We hope you will catch the Spirit of Christmas and join us on our Historic Christmas Home Tour!

Historic Hutchinson Homes: 

McLeod County Historical Society

Chili Cook Off!

Vote for the Best Chili in McLeod County!

$8 – Adults $5 – Kids

under 10 yrs.

Monday, November 21st

4-7  P M – Museum Meeting Room

Why a Chili Cook Off Fundraiser?           As many of you know, long time Chili Master, Ron McGraw, hung up his apron last year.  Now that we at the museum have had a full year to heal and dry our tears, we decided to begin the search for the next Best Chili in McLeod County!  That’s right, we want you to step up and beat Ron’s Chili and, just to make it interesting, Mr. McGraw will be awarding a $100 Cash Prize for the chili with the most votes!

Who votes for the Best Chili?

The Museum will sell tickets to our Chili Cook Off Fundraiser, $8 for adults and $5 for kids, to help support the great work the Society does to preserve our history!  The public will then have a chance to sample each and every contestants chili at the Museum the night of the event.  Bring your appetite, because you can sample a much as you can hold, or until the chili runs out.  Although you can try all the different Chili soups, each person gets only one vote.                         One ticket  = One vote, for the best chili in the County! 

What else is on the Menu?

The Museum will provide all the extras, like crackers, coffee, milk, and ice cream for dessert.  The Museum will also provide tours of the gallery spaces and of course, some spirited competition for the Title of The Best McLeod County Chili!!!  Hope to see you there!

Monday, October 24th – 5:30 PM-8 PM

Glencoe City Center -1107 11th Street East – Glencoe, MN

$12 per ticket-with RSVP  $15 at the door

The McLeod County Historical Society would like to invite you and your family to our 2011 Annual Meeting.  This year’s guest will be none other than our County namesake, the Honorable Martin McLeod.  Executive Director Lori Pickell-Stangel will present this year’s theme history booklet, “The Life and Times of Martin McLeod”, with the help from John Lofdahl, who will be playing McLeod and reading excerpts from his diary.  McLeod came to what would become Minnesota in 1837 as an explorer, adventurer, and liberator.  He stayed in Minnesota to make his fortune in the Fur Trade, but became one of the leaders and forward thinking promoters of the great state we now call Minnesota and the county that bears his name.

The Museum is thrilled to be holding this year’s Annual Meeting at the wonderfully repurposed and restored Glencoe City Center.  The program and meal will be held in the elegant South Ballroom, with our presentation via the large overhead projector and sound system.  The Historical Society Board of Directors and Executive Director will present this year’s Donor and Volunteer of the Year, the great accomplishments the Museum has made with the help of so many of our generous donors, and a look to the Museum’s future goals and how each one of us can aid in preserving our past and inspiring our future!  The Society will vote to fill our three open Board positions and have a short business meeting.

Dinner will be provided by Lindy’s Cafe, with a delicious meal of chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, Caesar salad, dessert and your choice of coffee or milk.  Tickets are just $12 per person, when you RSVP on or before Friday, October 22nd.  Tickets may be purchased the day of the event, or at the door for $15

100th Anniversary of Hutchinson Women’s Club

Program and Display, Monday, Sept. 19th  7-8 P M – Museum Meeting Room

The Hutchinson Women’s Club has a long history in McLeod County and has changed throughout the years as the role of Women changed in society.  It started back in 1911-12 as the Home Economics Club of Hutchinson.  Its original object was the study of home economics and domestic sciences.  Later the group expanded its interest to art, science, literature, music and inventions.  The Hutchinson group aligned with the MN Federation of Women’s Clubs in 1915 and the National General Federation in 1922. The club has worked throughout the past 100 years to change the role in which women could contribute to the issues of the day and we are honoring their work with a program and display to commemorate their special Anniversary!

If you are a member or past member of the Hutchinson Women’s Club, we would love for you to share your story!  Please post any memories you would like to share of how this unique group shaped you and the community of Hutchinson.

Extra! Extra!

By Renee Wendinger    Book signing and Program

Monday, September 12th 7-8 PM Museum Meeting Room

Extra! Extra! The Orphan Trains and Newsboys of New York, is a collection of stories of children who faced nearly insurmountable odds.  From agonizing letters written by desperate mothers to news stories of the latest train or of newsboys looking out for leach other, the humanity of individuals caught up in the sweep of history is unmistakable. 

As the Children’s Aid Society and the New York Foundling Hospital cared for increasing numbers of infants, Charles Loring Brace saw opportunities for the children.  He knew that families in the western United States could take these children in, offering a wholesome atmosphere unheard of in the city.  And so ran the Orphan Trains from New York to points west, over the course of decades carrying more than 200,000 children to their new lives in rural America and the as far as the west coast. 

The McLeod County Genealogy Society, as apart of their regularly scheduled quarterly meetings, and the Historical Society invite you to meet author Renee Wendinger as she shares her book and research on Orphan Trains.  It’s also a great time to learn more about familyhistory research and how you can get started.  The Genealogy Society is always looking for new members and program ideas, so we hope you will join us.     

We would love to share your story!  If your family has an orphan train rider in its history, please take the time to post your story and help us to preserve this part of McLeod County History!

 School Road will be under construction, starting Monday,  August 8th and will continue through Friday, September 2nd (weather permitting).  This may cause access issues for the Museum, as our entrance is off School Road. 

The Museum will remain open at its regular hours with access provided by the city of Hutchinson.  If the access is closed due to bad weather, guests can use the Burger King Parking lot across the street and access the Museum via the walking/biking trail at the front entrance stairway. 

Please call ahead with any group tours or research appointments to make sure access is available.  320-587-2109 or e-mail asa@hutchtel.net

Thank you for your patience during this time,

Lori Pickell-Stangel-MCHS Executive Director

Historic Sumter Yellowstone Trail Marker

History Lost…
…Sumter Historical Yellowstone Trail Marker:The Museum would also like to ask for your help concerning a  crime that occurred in the month of December of last year.  The historic metal sign, pictured at the left was stolen from its location in Sumter, MN.  The sign historically marked the Yellowstone Trail that once went through McLeod County.  This was one of the first road signs that were uniformly designed and distributed signs along this major highway in the 1920s.  Before this time, signs were not uniform and were made of anything from wood to painted rocks, and indeed, a common marker for the Yellowstone Trail was a yellow painted rock with an arrow.  As roads and automobiles improved, the need for better signage and more accurate mile markers between towns was required.  The Museum has only one other example of this early historic sign in its collection, which can be viewed by the public, when taking a tour of our displays.  This sign was left in its original spot along Hwy. 212, which was based on the earlier Yellowstone Trail.  It stood as a reminder of an earlier time in our County’s history and could be viewed by anyone driving by.  Now only a metal post remains of this historic marker.  A reward is being offered for the return of this historic artifact and all information leading to the recovery of the sign will be kept confidential.  Call 507-587-2109, e-mail asa@hutchtel.net, or 380 School Road NW, Hutchinson, MN if you have any information.  Thank you. ]]> http://www.mcleodhistory.org/history-lost/feed/ 0