Stearns History Museum

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 (America/Chicago) | 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

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!

Memory Writers
2022-11-15 10:00 - 12:00, 2022-11-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Memory Writers is a writing group that meets twice a month on the first and third Tuesdays at 10:00 am. The group develop topics to write about and in turn shares those stories. This program is free to Museum members (non-members $7).
For additional information, please call the Museum at 320.253.8424.

Whippersnapper Hour: Spy School
2022-11-12 10:00 - 23:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
At this month’s “Whippersnapper Hour,” kids are invited to a crash course at the Stearns History Museum Spy School! Kids will learn all about the different secret spy tactics used during World War Il, with everything from Morse Code to writing messages in invisible ink! They will then put those skills to use in order to solve a mystery right here in the museum. Save the date: Saturday, November 12 at 10am. Recommended for kids ages 7-13. Cost is $3 for nonmembers, members are free. Click here to register online or call us at 320.253.8424
Register online

Hops & History: Mississippi River Mayhem with Dean Klinkenberg
2022-11-10 17:30 - 19:00 | Beaver Island Brewing Company, 216 6th Ave S, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Join us for another Hops & History! This time, we’ll be at Beaver Island Brewing Company learning more about the disasters and tragedies of the Mississippi River with writer and Mississippi River historian Dean Klinkenberg as he discusses his new book, in which he explores the many disastrous events to have occurred on and along the river in the 19th and 20th centuries– from steamboat explosions to Yellow Fever epidemics, floods, and prohibition piracy.
$7 for nonmembers and members are free!
So, mark your calendars and get some cash ready for the bar! Call the Museum at 320.253.8424 with questions & to register or register online.
Register Today!

Heritage Circle Tour @ SCSU Eastman Hall
2022-11-02 10:30 - 12:00 | Eastman Hall – St. Cloud State University, 850 1st Ave, St. Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Please join us at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 2, for a special Heritage Circle Tour, featuring the newly-renovated Eastman Hall on the campus of St. Cloud State University.
Renovated in 2019, Eastman Hall is home to the new Center for Health and Wellness Innovation. University Archivist Tom Steman will lead the tour along with Medical Director Dr. Brent Nielsen and Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Jennifer Rocheleau Dorholt. Steman will talk about the structure’s history and renovation. Nielsen and Dorholt will share how the facility is being currently used.

Parking information: Parking passes will be made available for N Lot (near the Education building and the Wick Science building). You can pick them up at Eastman Hall before the tour. See SCSU campus parking map below. Reach out to us with questions! Thanks! (https://www.stcloudstate.edu/campusmap/parking/default.aspx). Lunch will be on your own at Garvey Commons (https://www5.stcloudstate.edu/campusmap/building.aspx?bldgAbbr=GC).

Please RSVP by the end of the day Monday, October 31, at info@stearns-museum.org or call 320-253-8424.

Hope to see you next week!

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.

Memory Writers
2022-10-18 10:00 - 12:00, 2022-10-04 10:00 - 12:00, 2022-09-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Memory Writers is a writing group that meets twice a month on the first and third Tuesdays at 10:00 am. The group develop topics to write about and in turn shares those stories. This program is free to Museum members (non-members $7).

Sundown Cemetery Tour
2022-10-15 16:30 - 18:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
*Registration is now closed* The tour is completely full.
Join us for the Sundown Cemetery Tour at North Star Cemetery in St. Cloud. Following the cemetery tour we will be going to The Red Carpet in Downtown St. Cloud for a drink.

Breakfast Club - I Hear My Father's Voice: Experiences of a WWII Veteran in the Pacific Arena w/ Hedy Tripp
2022-10-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Mark your calendars! Join us for breakfast on October 12 from 9-10am and enjoy a presentation titled I Hear My Father’s Voice: Experiences of a WWII Veteran in the Pacific Arena from Hedy Tripp. Coffee and rolls will be provided.
Please register ahead for this program. You can register by calling 320.253.8424 or emailing info@stearns-museum.org. Click here to register online. Call us with any questions or concerns. Thank you!

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

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!

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

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.

Hops & History: History of Luthiers & Guitar Builders in Minnesota with Joel Knutson @ Pantown Brewing Company
2022-09-20 17:30 - 19:00 | Pantown Brewing Company, 408 37th Avenue North, St. Cloud, 56303, United States
Join us at Pantown Brewing Company with Joel Knutson for another Hops and History! This time, Joel will be presenting on “The History of Luthiers & Guitar Builders in Minnesota.” Come and grab a drink and mingle at 5:30 and the presentation will begin at 6!
Stay tuned for more information on this program. For now, mark your calendars!

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!

Whippersnapper Hour - "The Land Before Smart Phones"
2022-09-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Whippersnapper Hour lets kids get their hands on history, with engaging and interactive activities that bring the past to life.
Today, we can accomplish almost everything just using one piece of technology, our smartphone. But if we go back in time, every single thing we use our phone for, like playing music, watching movies, playing games, doing math, calling and sending messages, was done separately. Stop by this month’s Whippersnapper Hour, “The Land Before Smart Phones,” to try out some of those aging old relics like- a typewriter, a rotary phone, a CD Player, a TAPE player, an old camera with FILM, and much more!
Cost: $3/child for non-members, members are free. Click here to register online!

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.

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

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.

Memory Writers
2022-09-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Memory Writers is a writing group that meets twice a month on the first and third Tuesdays at 10:00 am. The group develops topics to write about and in turn share those stories to the group. This program is free to Museum members (non-members $7).

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

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!

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.

Breakfast Club - On The Road @ Quarry Park
2022-08-10 09:00 - 10:00 | Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301, United States
Mark your calendars and have breakfast with us! This time, we’re taking it on the road to Quarry Park in Waite Park. Join us for coffee and donuts accompanied by a presentation and discussion with Sarah Weed as she talks about the history of Quarry Park!
Admission is $7 for non-members and members are free. Call the Museum with questions or to register ahead of time at 320.253.8424. You can also register by emailing info@stearns-museum.org.

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 - 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
