 | |
 Exterior of the Washington County Heritage Center with school bus | |
| Established | 1934 |
|---|---|
| Location | 1862 S. Greeley Street, Stillwater, Minnesota, USA |
| Type | Local history |
| Executive director | Brent Peterson |
| Website | wchsmn.org |
The Washington County Historical Society (WCHS) is a non-profit organization founded in 1934. Its mission is to collect, preserve, and share the history of Washington County, Minnesota.
An article in the Stillwater Daily Sun of December 17, 1881, first proposed the idea of a Stillwater Historical Society, emphasizing the importance of establishing it promptly to facilitate its future work. It highlighted the potential contributions of local residents in documenting the settlement of the St. Croix Valley and urged the formation of a historical society, suggesting it could extend beyond Stillwater to encompass Washington County or the St. Croix Valley. [1]
On April 11, 1934, with about 75 people attended a meeting at the Stillwater Public Library to officially established the Washington County Historical Society. The Washington County Historical Society operated from a room at the Stillwater Public Library, collecting county-wide documents, photos, and family histories. [1]
In 1941, the Society purchased the Warden's House Museum in Stillwater from the state, one of the state's oldest buildings and its second oldest continuously operating house museum. The Society also acquired the Hay Lake School in 1974, the Johannes Erickson Log House in the early 1980s. All three buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. The historic family-owned Boutwell Cemetery was purchased in 1978. [2] [3]
In 1996, the Society undertook the reconstruction of the Carriage House that originally stood behind the Warden's House. By 2001, climate control had been added, allowing for the safe storage of the textile collection and archives in the new facility. [4] [1]
The most recent project involved the opening of the new Washington County Heritage Center in Stillwater, Minnesota. The Heritage Center showcases the history of all towns and areas within Washington County.
Washington County Historical Society (WCHS) operates several properties in Stillwater, Minnesota, operates two museums outside Stillwater, Minnesota.
A newer addition, the Washington County Heritage Center opened in 2021. Occupying a former U.F.E. Inc. manufacturing building at 1862 S. Greeley Street, the expansive space allows the WCHS to showcase the county's diverse history through interactive exhibits. The Heritage Center explores both the history of Stillwater and the broader story of Washington County and the St. Croix Valley. [5]
While not itself a historic structure, the repurposed building offered the expansive space needed for exhibits and visitor amenities. The transformation involved renovations to create galleries, a research center, an education center, and a retail store within the existing framework. Notably, the new location boasts climate-controlled storage, allowing for proper preservation of the Society's vast collection, including a 28-foot long bateau used for lumber transport in the 19th century. [5]
Located at 602 North Main Street, the Warden's House Museum was built in 1853. Originally a residence for wardens overseeing the Minnesota Territorial Prison, it operated until 1914 and was home to 13 wardens and their families. In 1941 it became the second house museum in Minnesota upon acquisition by the WCHS . Visitors can explore the lives of wardens and their families through preserved furnishings and exhibits throughout its14 rooms. [2] [6]
Located near Scandia, Minnesota, the Hay Lake School Museum was built in 1872 and served as a one-room schoolhouse for over 80 years. Preserved in its original condition, the schoolhouse offers visitors a chance to experience a typical rural classroom setting from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Furnishings include student desks, a teacher's desk, and educational materials from the period. [3] [7]
Also located near Scandia, the Johannes Erickson Log Home was built in 1853 by a Swedish immigrant family. The Erickson family lived in the home for over 100 years. The log home is furnished with period pieces reflecting the lifestyle of early Scandinavian settlers in Washington County. Visitors can explore the living quarters, cooking area, and working spaces used by the Erickson family. [3]
Washington County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 267,568, making it the fifth-most populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat is Stillwater. The largest city in the county is Woodbury, the eighth-largest city in Minnesota and the fourth-largest Twin Cities suburb.
Bayport is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,024 at the 2020 census.
Scandia is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,984 at the 2020 census. Scandia is 25 miles northeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Stillwater is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Washington County. It is in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, on the west bank of the St. Croix River, across from Houlton, Wisconsin. Stillwater's population was 19,394 at the 2020 census. Stillwater is often called "the birthplace of Minnesota" due to its role in the establishment of the state.
The Marion County Historical Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1969 located in Marion, Ohio, United States. In 1989, the Society acquired Marion's "U.S. Post Office," renaming it "Heritage Hall". This National Register building now serves as the Society's headquarters and museum that houses a collection of artifacts, photographs, and documents related to the county's history.
The St. Croix Boom Site is a historic and scenic wayside on the St. Croix River in Stillwater Township, Minnesota, United States. It commemorates the location of a critical log boom where, from 1856 to 1914, timber from upriver was sorted and stored before being dispatched to sawmills downstream. The site was developed as a roadside park along Minnesota State Highway 95 in the 1930s. In 1966 it was designated a National Historic Landmark for its national significance in the theme of industry. It was nominated for being the earliest, most important, and longest serving of the log storage and handling operations that supported Minnesota's major logging industry. Virtually no traces remain of the site's original buildings and structures.
The Minnesota Territorial Prison, later the Minnesota State Prison, was a prison in Stillwater, Minnesota, United States, in operation from 1853 to 1914. Construction of the prison began in 1851, shortly after Minnesota became a territory. The prison was replaced by the Minnesota Correctional Facility – Stillwater in nearby Bayport. Most of the original prison's structures were demolished in 1936, leaving only the 1853 Warden's House and a manual labor complex that had been constructed 1884–1898. The surviving factory buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 for having state-level significance in the themes of industry and social history. The historic site, long since unused, was destroyed by arson on September 3, 2002. It was formally delisted from the National Register in 2005.
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Minnesota. It is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The locations of National Register properties and districts for which the latitude and longitude coordinates are included below, may be seen in an online map.
Stillwater Area Public Schools, also known as Independent School District #834, is a school district serving communities surrounding Stillwater, Minnesota, United States. It currently serves about 8,300 students in 12 schools.
The Ivory McKusick House is a historic house in Stillwater, Minnesota, United States, completed in 1872 for Ivory McKusick (1827–1906). It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 for having local significance in the themes of architecture and commerce. It was nominated as a striking example of Second Empire architecture in the region and for its associations with a notable family in early Stillwater. McKusick had built his wealth via the lumber industry and government contracts during the Civil War. His older brother John had helped establish the first sawmill in the vicinity in 1843, named and platted the community that grew around it after his hometown in Maine, and served as its first mayor.
The Albert Lammers House is a historic house in Stillwater, Minnesota, United States, built circa 1893. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 for having local significance in the themes of architecture and industry. It was nominated for its association with a local family that expanded Stillwater's lumber interests into northwest Minnesota, and as the city's leading example of Queen Anne architecture.
The Hay Lake School is a historic schoolhouse in Scandia, Minnesota, United States, in use from 1896 to 1963. It is now operated by the Washington County Historical Society as a museum alongside the 1868 Johannes Erickson House. The school was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 for having local significance in the themes of architecture, education, and social history. It was nominated as Scandia's first and only surviving early school.
The William Sauntry House and Recreation Hall is a historic property in Stillwater, Minnesota, United States, consisting of a late-nineteenth-century house and a 1902 addition styled after a Moorish palace. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 for its local significance in the themes of architecture and industry. It was nominated for its association with prosperous local lumberman William Sauntry (1845–1914) and for its fanciful recreation hall, one of Minnesota's best examples of a folly and a rare use of Moorish Revival architecture. Now in separate ownership, the recreation hall has been restored as a private home while the William Sauntry Mansion operates as a bed and breakfast.
The Warden's House Museum is a historic house museum in Stillwater, Minnesota, United States. From 1853 to 1914 it was the official residence for the wardens of what began as the Minnesota Territorial Prison and became the Minnesota State Prison upon statehood in 1858. The Washington County Historical Society has operated the house since 1941, making it the second-oldest house museum in Minnesota. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 as the Minnesota Territorial/State Prison Warden's House for its state-level significance in the themes of architecture and social history. It was nominated for being the only surviving structure of the prison's Minnesota Territory period and the chief remnant of its statehood years.
The Johannes Erickson House is a historic log cabin in Scandia, Minnesota, United States, built in 1868 with a gambrel roof, a distinctive tradition from southern Sweden. It was moved to its current site adjacent to the Hay Lake School in 1974 to be part of a small museum complex operated by the Washington County Historical Society. The Erickson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 for having local significance in the themes of architecture and exploration/settlement. It was nominated as a rare surviving example of a style brought to Minnesota by Swedish immigrants from Dalsland and Småland.
The Kandiyohi County Historical Society (KCHS) is a local history museum in Willmar, Minnesota, United States. Formerly known as the Old Settlers Association, it was founded in 1897 to "discover, preserve and share the story of Kandiyohi County and its people." The archives and Lawson research library are the principal sources used by KCHS staff, volunteers, and visitors to carry out this mission today and into the future. On average, the museum has 9,000 visitors annually.
The Renville County Historical Museum, located in Morton, Minnesota, is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history of Renville County. The current main museum building was built in built in 1989 and is operated by the Renville County Historical Society, the museum offers visitors a glimpse into the county's past through a collection of artifacts, photographs, and exhibits.
The History Center of Olmsted County (HCOC) is a non-profit organization located in Rochester, Minnesota, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Olmsted County. Founded in 1926 as the Olmsted County Historical Society.
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