Washington County Historical Society

The Houses and History of Stillwater Builder Frank Linner & Co.
2024-09-24 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Eric B. Linner is the fourth generation of Linners working in the construction industry and from Stillwater. His great-grandfather Frank W. Linner, grandfather Lawrence W. Linner and father, David B. Linner were all carpenters/contractors. Eric is a retired architect focusing on institutional buildings including schools and government buildings. His love for genealogy started 50 years ago, when his grandmother piqued his interest in family history which inspired him to research his great-grandfather’s construction history.
The presentation will focus on the career of Frank W. Linner who immigrated to Stillwater in 1879 from Linneryd, Kronobergs, Sweden. His construction company, Frank Linner & Company, built many fine homes in Stillwater from the company’s incorporation in 1897 until his death in 1933.

In-person attendees:
1862 Greeley Street South
Stillwater, MN 55082
Virtual attendees:
Link to WCHS YouTube page
The livestream will begin a few minutes before 7pm. Click on the link above, then click on the red “Live” icon on the YouTube page to join the stream.

Fall Membership Dinner 2024
2024-09-26 17:30 - 20:30 | Stillwater Event Center, 1910 Greeley Street South, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
The Washington County Historical Society is excited to announce the Fall Membership Dinner featuring a program by Jim Lammers, author of Barns of the St. Croix Valley – An Architect’s Sketchbook.
LOCATION:
Stillwater Event Center
1910 South Greeley Street (located next to the Washington County Heritage Center)
Stillwater, MN 55082
TIMING:
5:30pm Social Hour
6:30pm Dinner catered by Scheel’s Catering
7:30pm Brief meeting shortly followed by a program by Jim Lammers about his book Barns of the St. Croix Valley: An Architect’s Sketchbook
COST:
Cost is $25 for WCHS members and $30 for nonmembers.
RSVP is required! Reserve your spot and pay ahead at this link or call 651-439-2298.
PROGRAM INFO:
Barns of the St. Croix Valley: An Architect’s Sketchbook by Jim Lammers

Illustrated with 200 barn sketches, diagrams, and maps, this book takes you on a journey through the St Croix River Valley.
Copies of the book are available on the WCHS website and in-person at the Washington County Heritage Center.
The book grounds you in the geography, geology and biology of the region and introduces you to its original inhabitants, the Dakota and Ojibwe peoples, European explorers, fur traders and loggers and the settlers that followed them. It is a celebration of regional diversity and architectural expression through a single type of building–the barn.
Topics Jim plans to discuss include:

History of the Valley
People of the Valley
Barn Builders
Types of Barns
Types of Barn Roofs
Special Use Barns
Big Changes in Farming
Barn Extensions
Saving Barns

3rd Annual Historic Grounds Coffee Tasting
2024-09-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Coffee’s on!!! Come celebrate autumn in a cozy, festive atmosphere with a coffee tasting featuring buzzworthy brews from local shops!
Saturday, September 28 from 10am-noon
Tickets are $10/person. Ages 10 and under free.

Proceeds benefit the Washington County Historical Society and help us to continue to preserve and share the rich history of our area!
For planning purposes for our coffee shop vendors, we strongly encourage buying tickets in advance. 🙂 Buy tickets here!
Tickets may also be purchased on the day. After purchasing a ticket, your name will be added to the guest list. Please bring your ID on the day of the event to claim your ticket.
Rain or shine! All sales are final and non-refundable.

Questions? Call 651-439-2298.

Writing Workshop Series Session 1: Personal History
2024-10-03 19:00 - 20:30 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
We are so excited to offer a special workshop series at the Washington County Heritage Center featuring experienced writers to guide you to creating a fun and meaningful piece of writing!
>>>Register here<<<
Session 1: Thursday, October 3 @ 7-8:30pm
Introduction and Personal History
Workshop Leaders: Gary Goodman, Emily Krawczewski
Session 2: Thursday, October 10 @ 7-8:30pm
Childhood Memories
Workshop leaders: Frank White
Session 3: Thursday, October 17 @ 7-8:30pm
Hometown Stories
Workshop leaders: Meg Heaton and Eleanor Wilhelmi
Session 4: Thursday, October 24 @ 7-8:30pm
Ancestors and Family Stories
Workshop Leaders: Bill McGrath
Bonus: Saturday, November 2 @ late afternoon or evening (TBD)
A celebration of the workshop participants’ hard work and provide them with the opportunity to read a portion of their writing, share an outline for a future project, or anything else they’d like to share that they created during the series. Details to come!

Outline for Each Session
7-7:15pm: Workshop leader introductions
7:15-7:30pm: Discuss recommended reading (if applicable)
7:30-7:50pm: Individual writing time
7:50-8:15pm: Break into small groups for feedback and sharing
8:15-8:30pm: Group share/wrap up

Participants
We are planning to cap the series at 20 participants.

Series Pricing
$125/person for non-WCHS members for full workshop series
$100/person for WCHS members for full workshop series
Participants will need to sign up for all four sessions in the series. No exceptions.
WCHS will provide pens, pencils, notebooks, and enthusiasm!

October 3 Workshop Session
The topic for this workshop session will be an introduction to the series as well as a personal history questionnaire brainstorm.
Meet your workshop leaders for October 3:
Gary Goodman
Gary Goodman has been a used and rare book dealer in Minnesota for nearly forty years and has an avid interest in people’s historical recollections of Stillwater and Washington County. He co-founded St. Croix Antiquarian Booksellers and the Stillwater Book Center and had a hand in Stillwater becoming known as the First Booktown in North America in the mid-1990s. He is the author of The Last Bookseller (published by the University of Minnesota Press in 2021 and now out in paperback) and co-authored The Stillwater Booktown Times and The Secret History of Golf in Scotland.
Gary Goodman
Emily Krawczewski
Emily is the Site Manager at the Washington County Heritage Center. Emily is passionate about history and making connections between the past and present. A native of Ohio, Emily graduated from Miami University with a B.A. in mass communication. Emily earned a Master of Library & Information Science with a focus in archives from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2020, for which she interned at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum and other repositories. Outside of work, she enjoys being out on the lake, listening to country music, and petting every dog.

Oktoberfest - Beer Tasting and Silent Auction at Hay Lake School
2024-10-05 16:00 - 19:00 | Hay Lake School, 14020 195th St N, Marine on St. Croix, MN, 55047
For seventeen years, this event has become the keystone fundraiser for the Washington County Historical Society. This year the breweries attending are Bent Brewstillery, Bent Paddle Brewery, Castle Danger, Lift Bridge Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewery, Summit Brewery, Rustic Roots winery and more! This event is rescheduled from a rained-out summer date.

Admission to the event is $20 per person and participants must be 21 years or older. All proceeds from this event benefit the Washington County Historical Society! Tickets are available for purchase at the event on the day. Payment options include cash, card, or check. Thanks!

Bake sale items will be available for auction! Cash only, please.

The Hay Lake School was constructed of brick in 1896 and held classes until 1963. After that, the Washington County Historical Society purchased the school in 1978 and has been a public museum ever since. The school is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hay Lake School Museum & Johannes Erickson Log House Museum are located at 14020 195th St N, Marine on St Croix, MN 55047.

Please contact Susan Stepka at Susan.stepka@wchsmn.org or 651-433-4014 with any questions regarding this event or to schedule a tour of the museum.

A Conversation with Marlene Johnson, Minnesota's First Female Lieutenant Governor
2024-10-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
WCHS is thrilled to announce an event on Wednesday, October 9 at 7pm called “A Conversation with Marlene Johnson” led by former lobbyist and artist John Kaul at the Washington County Heritage Center.
Marlene M. Johnson is a true trailblazer in women’s history, becoming Minnesota’s first female lieutenant governor under Rudy Perpich’s gubernatorial administration in January 1983. The evening will feature a conversational interview by John Kaul, highlighting her illustrious career and celebrating the launch of her new book, Rise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership & Love, being released on September 24, 2024.
This event is free to the public.
Reservations are required and space is limited. Please go all the way through checkout to confirm your reservation. Click here to reserve your spot.
Copies of Rise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership & Love will be available for purchase at the event.
About Marlene Johnson and Rise to the Challenge
The inspiring life story of Minnesota’s first woman lieutenant governor: breaking political ground, navigating patriarchal tradition, and persevering through great personal loss
Marking a milestone for women in state government, Marlene M. Johnson became Minnesota’s first woman lieutenant governor under Rudy Perpich’s gubernatorial administration in January 1983. That same year, she met her husband, Peter, and their deeply loving relationship profoundly sustained her for twenty-seven years. Rise to the Challenge weaves these personal and professional stories together in a courageous portrait of dedication and leadership.
Growing up in rural Minnesota, Johnson began organizing and advocating for change early, beginning with a campaign to introduce foreign languages into her high school curriculum. Pursuing a deeply felt commitment to improving the lives of others, she continued to sharpen her leadership skills throughout her life, participating in activist work in college, cofounding organizations to support women entrepreneurs and politicians, and eventually running an international education nonprofit.
A stalwart supporter, her husband gave Marlene strength and encouragement to face the challenges of the political landscape and its gender biases. Then, in 2010, he suffered a traumatic brain injury that would change both of their lives. Learning how to be a medical advocate and, eventually, facing the sorrow of Peter’s death, Marlene relied on the hard-fought resilience and belief in herself that Peter had helped her to develop.
A story of learning and leadership in politics, business, and public service, Rise to the Challenge is a moving portrayal of spirit, perseverance, and grace in the face of daunting personal challenges, supported by unwavering faith in the public good.
About John Kaul
Kaul started working at the Minnesota Senate in 1971, when he was 23. He served as chief of staff to then-Senate Majority Leader Nicholas Coleman, a Democrat, from 1974 to 1980. Later, he worked as a lobbyist for various causes, including chief lobbyist for Minnesota State Universities from 1987 to 1993 and chief lobbyist for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities from 1993 to 2000.
In 2000, he started his own lobbying firm, Capitol Gains, and represented, among others, Washington County, Rochester Public Schools, the Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota Twins, Andersen Corp., Minnesota Humanities Commission and the city of Minneapolis. He retired in 2019. –Mary Divine/Pioneer Press

Writing Workshop Series Session 2: Childhood Memories
2024-10-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
We are so excited to offer a special workshop series at the Washington County Heritage Center featuring experienced writers to guide you to creating a fun and meaningful piece of writing!
>>>Register here<<<
Session 1: Thursday, October 3 @ 7-8:30pm
Introduction and Personal History
Workshop Leaders: Gary Goodman, Emily Krawczewski
Session 2: Thursday, October 10 @ 7-8:30pm
Childhood Memories
Workshop leaders: Frank White
Session 3: Thursday, October 17 @ 7-8:30pm
Hometown Stories
Workshop leaders: Meg Heaton and Eleanor Wilhelmi
Session 4: Thursday, October 24 @ 7-8:30pm
Ancestors and Family Stories
Workshop Leaders: Bill McGrath
Bonus: Saturday, November 2 @ late afternoon or evening (TBD)
A celebration of the workshop participants’ hard work and provide them with the opportunity to read a portion of their writing, share an outline for a future project, or anything else they’d like to share that they created during the series. Details to come!

Outline for Each Session
7-7:15pm: Workshop leader introductions
7:15-7:30pm: Discuss recommended reading (if applicable)
7:30-7:50pm: Individual writing time
7:50-8:15pm: Break into small groups for feedback and sharing
8:15-8:30pm: Group share/wrap up
Participants
We are planning to cap the series at 20 participants.

Series Pricing
$125/person for non-WCHS members for full workshop series
$100/person for WCHS members for full workshop series
Participants will need to sign up for all four sessions in the series. No exceptions.
WCHS will provide pens, pencils, notebooks, and enthusiasm!

October 10 Workshop Session
The topic for this workshop session focus on early memories from your childhood and/or young adulthood.
Meet your workshop leader for October 10:
Frank White

Frank M. White is a former athlete, coach, official, and sports administrator. He currently coordinates the RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program for the Minnesota Twins. His exhibit, They Played for the Love of the Game, was developed with the Ramsey County Historical Society in 2010.

Blue Dish Talk with Karen Hesselroth (Warden's House Museum)
2024-10-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Warden’s House Museum, 602 Main Street North, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Come hear WCHS volunteer Karen Hesselroth give a presentation on Blue Willow, the popular dish ware. Made in England and inspired by China, this functional art medium comes in many varieties. Karen will explore the history of these blue and white delights, and highlight some special pieces in the collections of the Washington County Historical Society.

This event is FREE!
Location – Warden’s House Museum 602 N. Main Street Stillwater
Thursday, October 17th at 7:00pm

Writing Workshop Series Session 3: Hometown Stories
2024-10-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
We are so excited to offer a special workshop series at the Washington County Heritage Center featuring experienced writers to guide you to creating a fun and meaningful piece of writing!
>>>Register here<<<
Session 1: Thursday, October 3 @ 7-8:30pm
Introduction and Personal History
Workshop Leaders: Gary Goodman, Emily Krawczewski
Session 2: Thursday, October 10 @ 7-8:30pm
Childhood Memories
Workshop leaders: Frank White
Session 3: Thursday, October 17 @ 7-8:30pm
Hometown Stories
Workshop leaders: Meg Heaton and Eleanor Wilhelmi
Session 4: Thursday, October 24 @ 7-8:30pm
Ancestors and Family Stories
Workshop Leaders: Bill McGrath
Bonus: Saturday, November 2 @ late afternoon or evening (TBD)
A celebration of the workshop participants’ hard work and provide them with the opportunity to read a portion of their writing, share an outline for a future project, or anything else they’d like to share that they created during the series. Details to come!

Outline for Each Session
7-7:15pm: Workshop leader introductions
7:15-7:30pm: Discuss recommended reading (if applicable)
7:30-7:50pm: Individual writing time
7:50-8:15pm: Break into small groups for feedback and sharing
8:15-8:30pm: Group share/wrap up
Participants
We are planning to cap the series at 20 participants.

Series Pricing
$125/person for non-WCHS members for full workshop series
$100/person for WCHS members for full workshop series
Participants will need to sign up for all four sessions in the series. No exceptions.
WCHS will provide pens, pencils, notebooks, and enthusiasm!

October 17 Workshop Session
The topic for this workshop session will focus on stories about your hometown and other important places in your life.
Meet your workshop leaders for October 17:
Meg Heaton

Meg Heaton

I was born and raised on a dairy farm 7 miles south of Stillwater. I owned the Wordsmith on Main Street in the 80s and got my start writing on The Fishwrapper, a promotional paper that focused a lot on local history. Following that I was a reporter and columnist for the Hudson (Wi) Star Observer for 27 years. It was my privilege to tell the stories of others as well as some of my own. I look forward to hearing yours.

Eleanor Wilhelmi

Eleanor Wilhelmi is a poet and editor, and a recent graduate of Knox College and the Publishing Institute at the University of Denver. Set against the rural midwestern landscapes her family hails from, her writing explores relationships, grief, and the ways our living spaces can preserve and complicate our histories. Her work has been published in the literary magazine Catch, where she served as Poetry Editor for two years. She grew up in Stillwater.

Writing Workshop Series Session 4: Ancestors and Family Stories
2024-10-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
We are so excited to offer a special workshop series at the Washington County Heritage Center featuring experienced writers to guide you to creating a fun and meaningful piece of writing!
>>>Register here<<<
Session 1: Thursday, October 3 @ 7-8:30pm
Introduction and Personal History
Workshop Leaders: Gary Goodman, Emily Krawczewski
Session 2: Thursday, October 10 @ 7-8:30pm
Childhood Memories
Workshop leaders: Frank White
Session 3: Thursday, October 17 @ 7-8:30pm
Hometown Stories
Workshop leaders: Meg Heaton and Eleanor Wilhelmi
Session 4: Thursday, October 24 @ 7-8:30pm
Ancestors and Family Stories
Workshop Leaders: Bill McGrath
Bonus: Saturday, November 2 @ late afternoon or evening (TBD)
A celebration of the workshop participants’ hard work and provide them with the opportunity to read a portion of their writing, share an outline for a future project, or anything else they’d like to share that they created during the series. Details to come!

Outline for Each Session
7-7:15pm: Workshop leader introductions
7:15-7:30pm: Discuss recommended reading (if applicable)
7:30-7:50pm: Individual writing time
7:50-8:15pm: Break into small groups for feedback and sharing
8:15-8:30pm: Group share/wrap up
Participants
We are planning to cap the series at 20 participants.

Series Pricing
$125/person for non-WCHS members for full workshop series
$100/person for WCHS members for full workshop series
Participants will need to sign up for all four sessions in the series. No exceptions.
WCHS will provide pens, pencils, notebooks, and enthusiasm!

October 24 Workshop Session
The topic for this workshop session will focus on stories about your hometown and other important places in your life.
Meet your workshop leader for October 24:
Bill McGrath
Bill McGrath
Bill McGrath lived in Stillwater from 1952 until 1966, and has retained strong ties with the town. He has worked as newspaper reporter, author of car repair manuals, small business owner, grave-digger and musician. Since 1978, he’s been in Northfield, where he now lives with his wife Janet. His grandfather, James E. McGrath, is considered one of Minnesota’s last lumber barons, and Bill grew up in the McGrath mansion although by then the money was gone. “Stillwater was a magical place to grow up,” says Bill, and he can tell stories about the Catholic parishes of both St. Michael and St. Mary, along with paper routes, garage bands, the downtown, neighborhood grocery stores, his first date, skating rinks and of course the St. Croix River.

Flashlight Tours at the Warden's House Museum
2024-10-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Warden’s House Museum, 602 Main Street North, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
The Warden’s House Museum in Stillwater will be offering flashlight tours on Friday, October 25. Come and see the house and grounds after dark, while you hear true tales of terror and tragedy from the Minnesota State Prison. Local legend says that the place is haunted…come and find out for yourself if you dare!
Tours will last approximately one hour.
Start times are 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, and 8:00.
Tickets are $20 and reservations are required.
Click here to buy tickets online, or call 651-439-5956. Space is limited, so don’t delay! Get in the spirit of the spooky season with a flashlight tour at the Warden’s House museum at 602 N. Main Street.

Halloween-Themed Black & White Movie Night
2024-10-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
The original, non-musical film about a carnivorous plant with a taste for humans! Featuring a young Jack Nicholson. Produced and directed by B-movie impresario Roger Corman.

Retired film professor Steve Schroer will present a brief educational introduction the film. Popcorn will be served!

CANCELLED: Minnesota Rural Women's Clubs with Kate Thomas
2024-11-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
The event “Minnesota Rural Women’s Clubs” with Kate Thomas on Wednesday, November 6 has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We hope to reschedule this event for 2025.

Immerse yourself in the ideas, concerns, and activities of rural women’s clubs in Minnesota from 1920-1990s. Learn about the crucial importance of gender history to civic engagement in these rural areas. Understand how rural women’s clubs provided opportunities for women working in the home and on the farm to gain leadership skills and assert their voices publicly at a time when they were often passed over for higher-level government positions or political office.
Kate Thomas is a historian, Ph.D. UMN 2005, who taught all levels of U.S. History as well as the history of Women and War and Mixed-Heritage History at the University of Wisconsin – Stout for fifteen years. In addition to teaching and research, she also chaired the campus Inclusive Excellence and Women and Gender Studies committees. In 2011 she had the honor of being chosen by Norton Publishers to create five Google Earth history tours using primary documents to guide students through hundreds of years of inclusive history across North America. She currently resides in Afton where she works on history projects as an independent scholar. She loves history!
In-person attendees:
1862 Greeley Street South
Stillwater, MN 55082
Virtual attendees:
Link to WCHS YouTube page

"Some Very Clever Teamwork: How Basketball Transformed Youth Sports in Minnesota" with Marc Hugunin
2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Tip off the start to winter’s most exciting sport with basketball history. Marc Hugunin will take us into the exciting world of youth sports and the transforming role they played in Minnesota with his book “Some Very Clever Teamwork: How Basketball Transformed Youth Sports in Minnesota.” Marc is a member of the Washington County Historical Society!
About the book:
How Minnesota’s state high school basketball tournament came to be is more complex than you’d think!
On April 5, 1913, the smallest team from one of the smallest schools, Fosston High School, claimed the first-ever Minnesota state high school basketball title by virtue of “some very clever teamwork.” It was also by virtue of some very clever teamwork among the faculty at Carleton College and its friends in the field of secondary education that the tournament was held at all. The participants formed a committee to assure that the tournament would be held again in 1914 and beyond.
More importantly, youth sports in Minnesota would for the first time be administered in the schools. Minnesota today is often branded as the “state of hockey,” but as Marc Hugunin expertly chronicles in this thoroughly researched history, when youth sports first came under the control of the schools, basketball was the tip of the spear, the sport of choice in polite society.
The schools would teach boys how to play the game in a fair and sportsmanlike manner, and would ensure that sports would be the character-building experience that they claimed to be. Beginning with the popularity of the sport of basketball, youth sports and youth culture in Minnesota were transformed from a period of chaos to one of an accepted order.
Copies of Marc’s book will be available for purchase at the event.
About the author:
Marc Hugunin has been a basketball fan for more than sixty years, since his dad first took him to see the local high school basketball team. “The older boys were heroic to me,” he remembers. “I wanted to be just like them.” Hugunin played basketball through high school and has remained a fan and become a writer and historian of Minnesota basketball. With his good friend Stew Thornley, he coauthored Minnesota Hoops: Basketball in the North Star State, published by Minnesota Historical Society Press in 2006. He was the historian for the Minnesota State High School League on the occasion of the one hundredth anniversary of state tournament basketball in 2012. After blogging about basketball for fifteen years, he launched a comprehensive website and blog, North Star Hoops, where he is known to many as Sunnyday or Sunny. In addition to his interests in basketball and writing, Hugunin also enjoys golf, music, and pizza. He lives with his cat, also named Sunny, in Stillwater, Minnesota, a block from the St. Croix River.
In-person attendees:
1862 Greeley Street South
Stillwater, MN 55082
Virtual attendees:
Link to WCHS YouTube page
Buy Marc’s book

SOLD OUT! Puzzle Competition!
2024-12-14 10:00 - 16:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
We are thrilled to announce that the Puzzle Competition is SOLD OUT!
Please join us for Casual Puzzling from 12pm-4pm, or buy any of our puzzles here!

Blizzards to the Panama Canal: America's Golden Engineer
2025-01-30 19:00 - 20:00 | MN
Marias Pass by Mike Danneman via flickr

John Frank Stevens was one of the most prominent surveyors and civil engineers of the last 150 years. Learn about his illustrious career and the challenges he faced along the way, including discovering and surveying Marias Pass in a 40 below blizzard and surviving an avalanche. Stevens was hired by President Theodore Roosevelt for the construction of the Panama Canal. Through his discoveries and surveys of Marias Pass and Stevens Pass, the Great Northern Railway was able to stretch across North America.
The talk will include:
THE WILLIAM CROOKS ENGINE
LOCAL MAINLINES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY
SURVEYING WITH JOHN FRANK STEVENS-
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS,
THE CASCADE RANGE,
THE PANAMA CANAL
…AND A 1910 AVALANCHE
This program will be presented by Herb Reckinger Jr. of the South Washington Heritage Society
In-person attendees:
1862 Greeley Street South
Stillwater, MN 55082
Virtual attendees:
Link to WCHS YouTube page

Film Screening: “An Ode to Stillwater: The John Runk Films”
2025-02-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
It isn’t often that a community has a person who steps up and records its history. Stillwater and the surrounding area were fortunate to have a photographer named John Runk who not only took photographs of the area but also collected photographs from the community spanning over 100 years. Runk also enjoyed the newest technology and with his 8mm camera captured a slice of the St. Croix Valley that live forever.

Runk was born in 1878 in Menominee, Wisconsin and soon arrived with his family to Stillwater. Using his life experiences as a lumberjack and inventor, he captured the life of a community with his camera, oftentimes building his own equipment. He passed away in 1964 and left behind a carefully curated collection created with archival purposes in mind.

The first part of the film screening will be the 30-minute documentary about John Runk’s life, and the second part will be the DVD extras featuring footage shot by John Runk himself. The extras include Ice Harvest, 1951 State Fair, Minnesota State Prison, 1952 Floods, Last Day of the Streetcars, Marine Ferry, Taylors Falls, Views of Stillwater, and Loggers Baseball.

This event is free to the public and no reservations are required. DVDs of the documentary will be available for purchase at the program.

Black & White Movie Night: Chaplin!
2025-02-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Tonight’s feature is two short silent comedies from Charlie Chaplin’s most creative period!
Retired film professor Steve Schroer will present a brief educational introduction the film. Popcorn will be served!
In One A.M., Chaplin plays a man who has trouble getting to bed because he’s had too much to drink.

In The Rink, he showcases his roller-skating skills.

Winter Tours at the Warden's House Museum!
2025-02-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Warden’s House Museum, 602 Main Street North, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Experience the Warden’s House Museum in a different season! Take a tour with experienced guides to hear stories about the prison’s early days when Minnesota was still a territory and what life was like for prisoners on the inside.
The most infamous residents of the prison were the Younger Brothers, who served time for their crimes as part of the James-Younger Gang.

National Toast Day Party!
2025-02-27 18:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
The Washington County Historical Society invites you to celebrate National Toast Day in Stillwater, Minnesota: the birthplace of the automatic pop-up toaster. Just over a century ago, Charles Strite was employed at a local manufacturing plant. Fed up with burned toast in the cafeteria, a great idea “popped” into his head, and the Toastmaster automatic electric toaster was born!
Please join us at the Washington County Heritage Center (1862 Greeley St. South) in Stillwater, MN on National Toast Day, Thursday, February 27 from 6-8pm. Enjoy a program about the history of toast and view our antique toaster collection. Sample toast and toppings from local bakeries and markets, and vote for your favorite to be named toast of the town. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. For more information please contact heidi.heinze@wchsmn.org.

Last day to view the John Runk exhibit
2025-03-01 10:00 - 16:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
It’s a bittersweet announcement, but we will be removing the “John Runk: A Curious Mind” exhibit after Saturday, March 1 to make way for a brand new exhibit! Come to the Heritage Center anytime on or before March 1 to see the exhibit one last time and celebrate John Runk’s legendary career documenting the St. Croix Valley.
Admission to the Heritage Center is $8/adults, $3/children ages 6-17, and free for WCHS members.
We are excited to say a big “Cheers!” to the new exhibit taking over this space, opening in April (date TBD). Titled “Suds on the St. Croix,” the new exhibit will be an interactive, immersive experience for all ages about brewing history in Washington County! Stay tuned for more details.

SOLD OUT 2025 Annual Meeting and Dinner
2025-03-20 17:30 - 20:30 | Stillwater Event Center, 1910 Greeley Street South, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
This event is sold out.

Where: Stillwater Event Center, 1910 S. Greeley Street, Next to Washington County Heritage Center

When: Thursday March 20, 2025

Cost: $25 for WCHS members / $30 for nonmembers

Itinerary: 5:30pm Social Hour [Cash Bar]
6:30pm Dinner Catered by Scheel’s Catering
7:30pm Annual meeting
Program to follow meeting

Presentation: Minnesotans in World War Two
Col. Don Patton from the World War II Round Table and the presentation will highlight the Minnesotans who played major roles during WWII and contributions from companies on the homefront. Col. Patton was the Commander of the 882nd Personnel Service Company, Commander of the 407th Civil Affairs Battalion and Commander, 13th Psyops Battalion. He retired after 30 years of Service as Colonel.

Reservations:

Reservations required in advance
Seating is Limited/Large Attendance Expected
Event open to the Public

"Gallery Days, Memories of the Artists’ Quarter in Historic Downtown Minneapolis" with Judy Stern
2025-03-27 19:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Judy Stern, a Washington County history buff and resident of Marine on St. Croix will present a talk and read from her seventh book, Gallery Days, Memories of the Artists’ Quarter in Historic Downtown Minneapolis. Judy was there beginning in the late 1970s and ending in the mid 1980s operating the Judith Stern Gallery.
Her book tells many short, true stories about the people and artists she met in those years. Some of these tales relate humorous or intriguing encounters with well known celebrities such as Garrison Keillor, Jackson Browne, the Bob Dylan family, Butch Thompson and many more.
Several of the artists, like Judy in 1989, re-located to Marine on St. Croix. The story of the rise and the fall of the Artists Quarter is told.

The book was nominated in 2024 for a Minnesota Book Award in the category of Minnesota Nonfiction. Karin Winegar, former staff writer at the Minneapolis Star Tribune said: “Congratulations! Your book absolutely deserves the Minnesota Book Award for its range and understanding, its insider perspective –You Were There– and how it preserves that semi-enchanted time and place.” Mary Ann Grossmann in the Dec. 29th, 2024 St. Paul Pioneer Press, wrote an article. She said “Gallery Days is packed with lively anecdotes and artwork ranging from paintings to newspaper stories. It’s an important contribution to the history of the Twin Cities literary community.” Karin Winegar added, “If you were around in the 70s (and even if you weren’t but are curious to know what the heck was going on in the Twin Cities art, literature, music and food communities), this sums it up. And it’s a rich scrapbook of visuals–clippings, posters, photos, mementoes–that embody the spirit of the time (our flaming youth) and the place (the warehouse district).”
Judy’s history in Washington County extends back to her Great Grandfather, Theodore Schaefer and his brothers who built many local barns, including the one currently used at Aamodt’s Apple Farm. Artie Schaefer, the Polka King in the valley was her second cousin.

In-person attendees:
1862 Greeley Street South
Stillwater, MN 55082
Virtual attendees:
Link to WCHS YouTube page

SOLD OUT 6PM Haunted History at the Warden’s House: Afterlife Sentences
2025-04-26 18:00 - 19:15 | Warden’s House Museum, 602 Main Street North, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
This event is Sold Out.

The Warden’s House Museum is excited to host the Twin Cities Paranormal Society (TCPS) for a presentation sharing their spookiest evidence from past ghost investigations including an investigation at the Warden’s House Museum in November 2024.
Tickets: $25/person. Limited Seating!
Buy tickets here
Doors will open at 5:00 for guests to tour the museum.
What showed up on their cameras and audio equipment? Is the Warden’s House Museum actually haunted?
About The Twin Cities Paranormal Society (TCPS)
The Twin Cities Paranormal Society is a not-for-profit organization serving the greater Twin Cities Metro area. We are dedicated to the research, investigation, documentation, and education of the public regarding paranormal phenomenon. Our objective is to investigate and research claims of alleged haunted activity. All investigations are approached with an open mind and are conducted in a professional manner.
Learn more about TCPS on their website.

SOLD OUT 8PM Haunted History at the Warden’s House: Afterlife Sentences
2025-04-26 20:00 - 21:30 | Warden’s House Museum, 602 Main Street North, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
This event is Sold Out.

The Warden’s House Museum is excited to host the Twin Cities Paranormal Society (TCPS) for a presentation sharing their spookiest evidence from past ghost investigations including an investigation at the Warden’s House Museum in November 2024.
Tickets: $25/person. Limited Seating!
Buy tickets here
What showed up on their cameras and audio equipment? Is the Warden’s House Museum actually haunted?
About The Twin Cities Paranormal Society (TCPS)
The Twin Cities Paranormal Society is a not-for-profit organization serving the greater Twin Cities Metro area. We are dedicated to the research, investigation, documentation, and education of the public regarding paranormal phenomenon. Our objective is to investigate and research claims of alleged haunted activity. All investigations are approached with an open mind and are conducted in a professional manner.
Learn more about TCPS on their website.

2025 Warden's House Museum Open House
2025-04-27 12:00 - 16:00 | Warden’s House Museum, 602 Main Street North, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Help us kick off a new season at the Warden’s House Museum!

The Warden’s House Museum is open from noon to 4pm and admission is FREE!
Come chat with knowledgeable volunteers and hear harrowing stories about the territorial/state prison and tales about the wardens and their families.
Parking
Limited parking is located behind the Warden’s House. Drive up the hill and past the house. The tour entrance is on the front porch. Street parking is available in front of the building and across the street in the parking lot next to the walking trail and the Manitou Fund Education + Arts Center.
**The handicapped accessible entrance is located behind the house. Guests are welcome to drop off behind the building and park elsewhere as needed.
Contact
For more information, contact Heidi Heinze at heidi.heinze@wchsmn.org
About the Warden’s House Museum:
The Warden’s House opened as a part of the new Minnesota Territorial Prison in 1853. Over time, 13 Warden’s lived in the house until 1914. After that, A superintendent of the Prison, Thomas Ross, and his family lived there until 1941 when the Washington County Historical Society purchase the home from the state and opened it as the second house museum in Minnesota that year.

ALL-STAR WRESTLING with George Schire
2025-04-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Baron Von Raschke about to put the “Claw Hold” on George Schire, and Verne Gagne applying his “Sleeper Hold”

RUN, DON’T WALK…to the Washington County Heritage Center for Historian and Author George Schire’s latest ALL-STAR WRESTLING Talk and Presentation!

As he always does, Schire will take you through the ropes and down memory lane with stories of professional wrestling’s wild and wacky characters.

Whether it be the heels or the babyfaces, you’ll be entertained hearing of their character incarnations and the gimmicks that made us love them and hate them!

And, there will be another chance to win an incredible wrestling collectible! It’s a Main Event Night you won’t want to miss. See you there!

In-person attendees:
1862 Greeley Street South
Stillwater, MN 55082
Virtual attendees:
Link to WCHS YouTube page

"Suds on the St. Croix" Exhibit Grand Opening
2025-05-10 15:00 - 17:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States

Black & White Movie Night: "Detour" (1945)
2025-05-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Washington County Heritage Center, 1862 South Greeley St, Stillwater, MN, 55082, United States
Black & White Movie Night is back! Join us for popcorn, snacks, and a 1945 movie called “Detour.”
About the movie:
While hitching cross-country, a down-on-his-luck pianist becomes entangled in a web of deceit and murder. A classic film noir directed by Edgar G. Ulmer.
As always, an educational introduction and discussion about the film will be provided by Steve Schroer.
No reservations required. In-person attendance only.

History of William O'Brien State Park with Elizabeth Nelson
2025-05-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Hay Lake School, 14020 195th St N, Marine on St. Croix, MN, 55047
Photo credit: Sharon Brodin
*Hosted at Hay Lake School
14020 195th St N., Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047
Elizabeth Nelson, a naturalist from William O’Brien State Park, will present about the history of the park. Her program will include the history of the O’Brien Family, the history of the Copas area, and the changes to the boundaries of the park as they added new parcels of land.
Free! In person only. No registration required.
About William O’Brien State Park:
The park’s namesake comes from a lumber baron, William O’Brien, who owned the land prior to passing it on to his daughter, Alice. She donated the first 180 acres that formed the nucleus of the park. The park was established as the first metro area state park in 1947. (via parksandtrails.org)
