Stearns History Museum

See you at the Juneteenth Celebration @ Lake George
2022-06-17 15:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Lake George, 1101 7th St S, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Stop by our booth to chat, play games, and learn more about history & the Museum!

History on Deck: John Decker Night
2022-06-24 17:30 - 22:00 | Cold Spring Baseball Park, 700 1st St S, Cold Spring, MN, 56320, United States
Join Stearns History Museum on June 24 at Cold Spring Baseball Park for a friendly game of baseball as a celebration of John Decker to honor him with the Zapp Historian Award.
We’re hosting a pre-game picnic at 5:30pm with music, hot dogs, beverages, and more as we celebrate John. General admission tickets are also available to watch the Cold Spring Springers take on the Farming Flames at 7:00pm with cash bar and concessions available. All proceeds directly support the Stearns History Museum’s Archival Program.
Please click here or visit stearnshistorymuseum.org/baseball for tickets and other information! We hope to see you there supporting John and the archives!

WWII Living History Weekend - "At War and At Home: The WWII Experience"
2022-07-09 10:00 - 2022-07-10 16:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Go back in time with us! Join Stearns History Museum for our annual World War II Living History Event! This TWO day living history weekend will transport the Museum and Plaza back in time to the 1940s.

Visit with re-enactors
See authentic military vehicles
See weapon demonstrations
Kids activities

ration game
scavenger hunts (with prizes)

and more!

Make sure to come by the Museum Plaza on July 9th (10am-4pm) and 10th (11am-4pm).
We’ll also be hosting a Hangar Dance at the Whitney Center Saturday Night (July 9) from 7-10pm. You can find more information for that on our event calendar.
Cost for members is $5; non-members is $10. Questions? Call the Museum at 320.253.8424. Please register by clicking here or go to www.stearnshistorymuseum.org/LivingHistory2022.
Want to register as a re-enactor? Click here!

WWII Hangar Dance
2022-07-09 19:00 - 22:00 | The Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Dr, St. Cloud, MN, 56303, United States
Join Stearns History Museum for our WWII Hangar Dance during our Living History Weekend! This event will feature local craft beer, complimentary treats, and ’40s Swing Music by Rock City Jazz Band featuring Janelle Kendall and Seams Like Swing. Be sure to dress in your best zoot suit, uniform, or seersucker as there will be a prize for best period costume.
Swing in early (6:30pm) if you’d like to take part in swing dance lessons! All are welcome!
Cost of entry is $10 per person. Bring cash for the bar and don’t forget your dancing shoes!
For tickets, call the Museum at 320.253.8424 or click here to register. We hope to see you at the Whitney Senior Center on July 9 from 7 – 10pm!
For more information about the WWII Living History Weekend, please go to www.stearnshistorymuseum.org/LivingHistory2022.

See you at Summertime By George! @ Lake George
2022-07-20 17:00 - 20:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States

History Outdoors - Live Like Pioneers
2022-07-21 10:00 - 11:30 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Stearns History Museum invites children ages 7-14 to enjoy History Outdoors!
This summer, kids will be able to escape reality for a couple hours, and get a taste of life as pioneers in Central Minnesota. They will have to do the morning chores, which includes milking the cow, collecting eggs, and making butter! Once their daily chores are finished, they will get a chance to work on a crazy quilt, and write a journal entry with quills and ink!
Cost is $3/student for nonmembers, members are free.
Please contact at 320.253.8424 to register or click here to register online.
Save the dates for these upcoming History Outdoors programs:

Live Like Pioneers

Thursday, July 21, 10-11:30 am
Thursday, July 28, 10-11:30 am

Dig Like Archaeologists

Thursday, August 4, 10-11:30 am
Thursday, August 11, 10-11:30 am

Note: Live Like Pioneers will take place once on July 21, and again on July 28.

See you at the Stearns County Fair!
2022-07-27 10:00 - 2022-07-31 19:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Stop by our booth at the Stearns County Fair in Sauk Centre! We’ll be there July 27 – 31 from 10am – 7pm. We hope to see you all there!

History Outdoors - Live Like Pioneers
2022-07-28 10:00 - 11:30 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Stearns History Museum invites children ages 7-14 to enjoy History Outdoors!
This summer, kids will be able to escape reality for a couple hours, and get a taste of life as pioneers in Central Minnesota. They will have to do the morning chores, which includes milking the cow, collecting eggs, and making butter! Once their daily chores are finished, they will get a chance to work on a crazy quilt, and write a journal entry with quills and ink!
Cost is $3/student (nonmembers) and members are free.
Please contact the Museum at 320.253.8424 to register, or click here to register online.
Note: Live Like Pioneers will take place once on July 21, and again on July 28.
Save the dates for these upcoming History Outdoors programs:

Dig Like Archaeologists

Thursday, August 4, 10-11:30 am
Thursday, August 11, 10-11:30 am

History Outdoors - Dig Like Archaeologists
2022-08-04 10:00 - 11:30 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Stearns History Museum invites children ages 7-14 to enjoy History Outdoors!
This summer, kids will be able to put their exploration and adventuring skills to use as they learn the basics of Archaeology. They’ll hone their observation skills, their knowledge of what signs of ancient life to look for, and even get a chance to do some digging!
Cost is $3/student (nonmembers) and members are free.
Please contact the Museum at 320.253.8424 to register, or click here to register online.
Save the date for these upcoming History Outdoors programs:

Dig Like Archaeologists

Thursday, August 4, 10-11:30 am
Thursday, August 11, 10-11:30 am

Note: Dig Like Archaeologists will take place on August 4 and again on August 11. It is the same program each week.

History Outdoors - Dig Like Archaeologists
2022-08-11 10:00 - 11:30 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Stearns History Museum invites children ages 7-14 to enjoy History Outdoors!
This summer, kids will be able to put their exploration and adventuring skills to use as they learn the basics of Archaeology. They’ll hone their observation skills, their knowledge of what signs of ancient life to look for, and even get a chance to do some digging!
Cost is $3/student (nonmembers) and members are free!
Please contact at 320.253.8424 to register or click here to register online.
Note: the same Dig Like Archaeologists program takes place on both August 4 and August 11.

See you at Summertime By George!
2022-08-17 16:00 - 21:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Stop by our table for more information about the Museum, our programs, the Research Center, exhibits, and more!

Chamber Connections @ SHM
2022-08-19 07:30 - 09:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States

Beads on One String FREE Concert with Dennis Warner
2022-09-10 14:30 - 17:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join celebrated Minnesota folksinger and songwriter Dennis Warner for a free concert at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, September 10, at the Stearns History Museum. The concert will highlight Warner’s internationally recognized song, “Beads on One String,” and include a hands-on beading activity led by Kathy Gerdts-Senger.
This family-friendly event is free and open to the public and will be held outdoors on museum grounds, weather permitting. Bring your blanket or chair and enjoy an afternoon of free music and beading at the museum. Hope to see you there!
Dennis Warner’s musical career has brought him to all 50 states and beyond. Along the journey, he’s released 11 CD’s, authored Beads on One String (now in its Seventh Printing) and performed in concert at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. His concerts blend serious, thought provoking songs with lighter, up-tempo material. Warner is noted for being an entertainer, bringing the audience into the performance with laughter and even a couple of sing-alongs. You can learn more about Dennis at warnersongs.com.

Civil War Roundtable: Abolitionists, Slave Owners, Soldiers and Spies - Women in the Civil War with Mary Soroko
2022-09-13 15:30 - 17:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join us for Civil War Roundtable featuring Dr. Mary Soroko on Tuesday, September 13 @ 3:30 p.m.
As the war uprooted centuries old institutions and gender assumptions, women at war inevitably found themselves intentionally and unintentionally defying rigid social expectations. Circumstances challenged what was considered acceptable female behavior and the domestic framework imposed upon women in both the north and south. Come explore the gender assumptions of the time and how women’s participation in the politics of the abolition movement and their service in the war became the genesis of the women’s rights movement.
Dr. Mary Soroko is a retired administrator and faculty member from Ken Burn’s Civil War documentary.. The series’ references to author Mary Chestnut sparked Mary’s fascination and research into the attitudes, experiences and roles of women before, during and after the Civil War.
Meetings are held at the Stearns County History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud.
Note change in starting time:
3:00pm – doors open and opportunity to socialize and interact with fellow members
3:15pm – welcome and “new features”
3:30pm – speaker presentation
4:45pm – adjourn
For more information – contact Andy Ditlevson – aditlevson@gmail.com, 320-241-8477

Heritage Circle Tour at Great River Children's Museum
2022-09-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Great River Children’s Museum, 601 W St Germain St, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Great news – we’re opening this Heritage Circle Tour to ALL Museum members!! Join us in Downtown St. Cloud for a special tour of the future Great River Children’s Museum on September 14 from 10am – 11:30am. See their future location and construction site as they work to build an amazing (and FUN!) resource for the children and families of Central Minnesota. We will chat with Executive Director Cassie Miles more about the project and how we can support!
Following the tour, we will be having lunch nearby in Downtown St. Cloud (location TBD, bring cash).
Call the Museum to register or for additional information.

See you at Pride in the Park!
2022-09-17 11:00 - 16:00 | Lake George, 1101 7th St S, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join us for St. Cloud Pride at Lake George!

St. Cloud Area Genealogists - "Finding Family in the 1950 U.S. Census" with Mary Wickersham
2022-09-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Save the date for SCAG’s September meetup “Finding Family in the 1950 U.S. Census” with presenter Mary Wickersham. Tuesday, September 20 @ 7pm.
Many genealogists know that images of the 1950 U.S. Census of Population and Housing were made available online on April 1, 2022. Since then, volunteers from around the country have been indexing the records. While this is a wonderful resource, many researchers still struggle to find their relatives in the images.
Genealogist Mary Wickersham will present “Finding Family in the 1950 Census” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 7 p.m. at Stearns History Museum. The presentation will be offered synchronously online. Wickersham will show participants how to use the National Archives and Records Administration’s artificial intelligence-based index, other online indexes as well as offer tips for finding family you can’t find in the indexes.
Mary Wickersham has been a researcher for more than 25 years and is an avid genealogy volunteer. She is a longtime member of and volunteer for the Minnesota Genealogical Society and the Irish Genealogical Society International and has served on the boards of both organizations. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Harvest Festival
2022-09-24 10:00 - 13:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Save the date for Stearns History Museum’s Harvest Fest! Enjoy a fun afternoon on the Museum Plaza featuring vintage-style carnival games, Victory Garden tours, Cake Walk, and more! Plus, send us your best hotdish recipes as soon as possible to add to our digital cookbook!
Adults – $10, Children – $5, Members are free.
Click here for the event information page. Click here to register online.
Call the Museum with questions – 320.253.8424

Hops & History: A Celebration of Brewing
2022-10-01 13:00 - 16:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Let’s celebrate all the amazing breweries in Stearns County! Join us October 1, 1pm – 4pm in the Museum’s Plaza for the Second Annual Hops & History Celebration of Brewing! Enjoy standout beverages from a local cidery and local craft breweries. One ticket gets you a “never ending” 6oz glass that you can refill as many times as you’d like so you can try them all!
Be one of the first 75 people to walk through the door & you will get a free Bavarian pretzel from Backwards Bread Company!
You can get your tickets online by clicking here or calling the Museum at 320.253.8424.

Note: This is a 21+ event. $25 per person.
Questions? Call the Museum at 320.253.8424.
Please note: the Museum & galleries will close at 1pm October 1st and we will only be open for the ticketed event. Thanks!

Civil War Roundtable: Grant vs. Lee – Who was really the greater general?
2022-10-11 15:00 - 17:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join us for Civil War Roundtable on Tuesday, October 11th @ 3:30 p.m. This program is free and open to the public!
Many of us grew up hearing Robert E. Lee described as one of the greatest American generals of all time (if not thegreatest) while Ulysses S. Grant was sometimes described as a drunk and a butcher. In more recent years, Grant’s reputation has risen while Lee’s has taken some hits. In this presentation, we’ll discuss how historians have described both generals through the years as well as give audience members a chance to share their insights and opinions in an interactive presentation.
Stearns County History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud.
3:00pm – doors open and opportunity to socialize and interact with fellow members
3:15pm – meeting begins with the opportunity to hear about and share civil war book and travel recommendations and play some Civil War trivia
3:45pm – featured presentation on Grand and Lee
4:45pm – adjourn
Follow us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/CMCWRT
Free and open to the public
For more information – contact Andy Ditlevson – aditlevson@gmail.com, 320-241-8477

St. Cloud Area Genealogists - "Discovering Your Polish Roots" with Jerome Biedny
2022-10-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Have you wondered how to find out more about your Polish ancestry but don’t know where to start? Genealogist Jerome (Jay) Biedny will present “Polish Genealogy: Sources in America and Europe” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 7 p.m. at Stearns History Museum (235 33rd Ave S., St. Cloud). The presentation will be offered synchronously online. Biedny will present major record types to explore when doing research on a Polish American relative as well as sharing tips for finding your relative’s ancestral village and their immigration and naturalization records.
Free for members, $7 for non-members
If you’re interested in becoming a SCAG member, please contact: Brendon Duffy at 320-237-3023 or duffyroots@gmail.com
Jerome (Jay) Biedny has been active in the Polish Genealogy Societies of Minnesota, New York and America for more than 30 years. Biedny is a past president of Polish Genealogy Society of Minnesota and has presented on Polish genealogy, history and immigration at many regional events. Biedny specializes in records from the German and Austrian Partitions and on the ocean liners that brought many families (including his) to America. He authored a genealogical column for many years in a Polish language newspaper in Minnesota and is currently working on a book that will capture his decades of research.

Celebrate the Courthouse Centennial
2022-11-15 16:30 - 19:00 | Stearns County Courthouse, 725 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud, MN, 56303, United States
The Stearns County courthouse is 100 years old, and Stearns County is holding a public event to celebrate!
It was an amazing feat to build such a magnificent and elaborate structure back in 1922. Today, the courthouse stands just as stately, grand, and beautiful as it did 100 years ago. We want the public to see for themselves! Let’s celebrate the historic and prominent courthouse. Share your courthouse story, and it can be part of our event on November 15th. Whether it was a wedding, adoption, a memory of being at the courthouse, a big case you recall, or anything else that drew you to the building, we’d love to hear it! Email your memory to info@co.stearns.mn.us .
Tuesday, November 15
4:30 – 7:00 p.m.
725 Courthouse Square, Downtown St. Cloud
There will be a variety of activities for everyone.

Explore the building and see parts of the courthouse you have never seen before.
See where the Mighty Ducks movie was filmed and the features left behind, a bullet mark left by a shooting in the courthouse, the infamous 8-foot-tall clocks that highlight the downtown St. Cloud skyline, and the impact of the downtown explosion in 1998.
Live music
Courthouse Bingo for kids
A scavenger hunt for all ages
Courthouse triviaFind the gavel game
Prizes
Food trucks
Selfie stations, with props
Activity table with coloring pages, puzzles, and word searches
Face painting
Food and beverages
Meet and take photos with our K-9s
The Sheriff’s Office drone
Old Sheriff’s squad car, new squad car and other equipment used by the Sheriff’s Office
Talk with a deputy and see the gadgets they have with them each day
Sheriff giveaways for kids
See all the courtrooms, inside the dome, hear about the biggest cases held in Stearns County, learn about being on a jury, and hear stories from judges, attorneys, staff, and other county officials who have worked for years in the courthouse. See displays with historic photos, interesting newspaper articles, and blueprints of the original courthouse that show a much different use of the building than we see today.
Learn all sorts of fascinating things about the building you likely never knew – about the tunnel system, presidential visits, the makings of its amazing architecture, and of course lots of history!

St. Cloud Area Genealogists - "Adding Leaves and Flowers to the Branches of your Family Tree" with Linda Coffin
2022-11-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join SCAG’s November meetup “Adding Leaves and Flowers to the Branches of your Family Tree” with presenter Linda Coffin. Tuesday, November 15 @ 7pm.
Free for SCAG members, $7 for non-members
A common problem for genealogists is making their research interesting enough that others will want to read about it. Genealogist Linda Coffin will address this challenge in her workshop “Adding Leaves and Flowers to the Branches of Your Family Tree” for the St. Cloud Area Genealogists on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 7 p.m. at Stearns History Museum. The presentation will also be offered synchronously online. Coffin will provide ideas for turning your charts and tables into interesting narratives, complete with illustrations and historical context. We will discuss types of background information that can be added to your stories and review examples. You don’t need to be a talented writer to liven up your genealogical stories. You will leave feeling more confident you can do it!

Linda Coffin has 35 years of experience as a self-employed graphic designer. In 2004, she started her own business, HistoryCrafters (www.historycrafters.com), to help her clients preserve memoirs and family histories and publish them as short-run books. To date, she has worked on more than 40 such books, for individuals, families, businesses, and even a golf course! Linda is a member of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Genealogical Societies, the National Genealogical Society, and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She has presented at many local, state, and national genealogy and memoir conferences.

St. Cloud Area Genealogists
Founded in 1973, the St. Cloud Area Genealogists is a non-profit organization that strives to make family history research an enriching and rewarding experience. This premier organization is for everyone from the beginner to the most advanced family historian. Our members research their ancestors from varying locations within Minnesota, throughout the United States, and from foreign countries. To learn more about becoming a SCAG member, please contact Brendon Duffy (duffyroots@gmail.com).
Click here for the Press Release: 2022 Nov Press Release – Linda Coffin

Civil War Roundtable: Human Interest Stories of the Irish in the Civil War with Scott Mingus
2022-11-16 15:30 - 17:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join us for Civil War Roundtable featuring Scott Mingus on Wednesday, November 16 @ 3:30 p.m. (note change in date from usual meeting!)
Meeting Overview: Erin Go Bragh. Anglicized from the Gaelic phrase for “Ireland Forever.” In the mid-19th century, the slogan was particularly popular among many Irish immigrants who had moved to the United States for political or personal reasons, yet maintained their strong familial, social, and often nationalistic ties to the old Emerald Isle. Tens of thousands of Irish-born men (and a handful of women) and an even larger number of Irish and Scots-Irish descendants fought in the Civil War, with Sons of Erin serving prominently in both the Union and Confederate armies. Many left compelling personal stories of their martial service, or of Irish comrades. In this PowerPoint presentation, Scott will share more than two dozen stories of prominent and not-so-prominent Irishmen and women from the war years.
Scott Mingus is a retired scientist and executive in the global specialty paper industry. The Ohio native graduated from the Paper Science & Engineering program at Miami University. He was part of the research team that developed the first commercially successful self-adhesive U.S. postage stamps, and he was an early pioneer in the development of bar code labels. He has written more than 30 Civil War and Underground Railroad books and numerous articles for Gettysburg Magazine and other historical journals. He has appeared on C-SPAN, C-SPAN3, PCN, and other TV networks. Mingus writes a blog on the Civil War history of York County, PA, where he lives (www.yorkblog.com/cannonball). He also has written six scenario books for miniature wargaming. A great-great-grandfather was a 15-year-old soldier in the 51st Ohio in the Western Theater, and a great-grandfather was in the 183rd Ohio during the Carolinas Campaign. Other family members fought at Antietam and Gettysburg in the 7th West Virginia of the Army of the Potomac.
Meetings are held at the Stearns County History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud.
Note change in starting time:
3:00pm – doors open and opportunity to socialize and interact with fellow members
3:15pm – welcome and “new features”
3:30pm – speaker presentation
4:45pm – adjourn
For more information – contact Andy Ditlevson – aditlevson@gmail.com, 320-241-8477

Volunteer Luncheon
2022-12-01 11:30 - 13:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
To say thank you to all of our volunteers, we invite you to join us for lunch at the Museum on Thursday, December 1st from 11:30a – 1p.

Mission Moonshine Escape Room
2022-12-01 16:00 - 19:00, 2022-12-08 16:00 - 19:00, 2022-12-15 16:00 - 19:00, 2022-12-22 16:00 - 19:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join us this December for the Stearns History Museum’s first-ever Escape Room experience. During the hour, you’ll be transported to the 1920s, a time when everyone wanted the Moonshine Stearns County produced. But the agents are knocking down the door to dry out Stearns County with one goal in mind. Can you stop them?
Thursdays in December – Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22 from 4-7. One hour time slot per group, maximum 6 per session. Sign up today!
$20/person (nonmembers), $15 for members
To get tickets, you must register online by clicking here. Questions? Call us at 320.253.8424
Register online

Mission Moonshine Escape Room
2022-12-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
We’re opening two more time slots for the Mission Moonshine Escape Room! This Saturday, December 17 from 2-3 and 3-4.
Register and get tickets by clicking here.

During the hour, you’ll be transported to the 1920s, a time when everyone wanted the Moonshine Stearns County produced. But the agents are knocking down the door to dry out Stearns County with one goal in mind. Can you stop them?

One hour time slot per group, maximum 6 per session. $20/person (nonmembers), $15 for members
Questions? Call us at 320-253-8424
