Gateway to Minnesota History
St. Croix Pearl Button Factory workers on pile of shells The story of freshwater mussels and the pearl button industry in St. Croix and Mississippi river valleys In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, more than a lumber boom was occurring in the St. Croix River valley. A pearl button boom was also […]
https://youtu.be/OtlAMKSuCAM Rhett Arens is a photographer who has had the good fortune to travel extensively, visiting 60+ countries over the last thirty years. Rhett finds that photography often triggers a give-and-take moment when strangers meet. It becomes an opportunity to exchange stories and find common ground. His work has appeared in The Paris Review, Travel […]
Washington County is home to a wide variety of feathered friends. Kyle Te Poel is a birder and photographer, and runs Next Bend Birding Tours. Since 2008, Kyle Te Poel has worked in Minnesota, Maine, and California as a naturalist, educator, park ranger, and in-the-field bird/environmental researcher. Te Poel has worked with several organizations including […]
Book Cover Author Verne Pickering presents his book about the life and legacy of Enmegahbowh, the first Ojibwe Episcopalian priest in the United States who, during the turbulent frontier days of the 1800s, worked for peace, opportunity, and cooperation among peoples. Books will be available for purchase at the program. Attend in-person at the Washington […]
Curious about some of Stillwater's oldest immigrants? Join us for a special event at the Washington County Heritage Center, celebrating the rich Swiss heritage and stories in Minnesota, particularly in Stillwater and the Twin Cities. Save the date: Sunday, August 27, from noon to 2pm! The highlight of this event is the screening of "IN'AVENTURA […]
Alvin "Creepy" Karpis The White Bear area was a haven for the 1920s and ‘30s era gangsters who wanted to get away from it all. Join us to learn some gangster lingo while you hear the tales of infamous visitors such as Ma Barker, Alvin “Creepy” Karpis and Baby Face Nelson. Presented by White Bear […]
On this visit to the Washington County Heritage Center, wrestling historian and author George Schire discusses all of the incredible tag team combinations that made the AWA one of the greatest promotions for three decades. Which team was the best? As Schire shares his stories, your mind will be in the ring, wrestling to […]
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 PART TWO: White Bear's Notorious Gangsters with White Bear Lake Area Historical Society's Executive Director Sara Hanson COST: Cost is $25 for WCHS […]
Tickets are available now! Click on this link.
Black & White Movie Night, Halloween edition! "After a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival." Carnival of Souls is a 1962 American psychological horror film produced and directed by Herk Harvey and written by John Clifford from a story by Clifford and Harvey, and starring Candace Hilligoss. Its plot follows Mary Henry, a young woman whose […]
Book cover Author and historian Justin Brink is joining us to share his BRAND-NEW BOOK "Images of America: Forest Lake"! Books will be available for purchase at the event. Come learn about Forest Lake's exciting history! About the book: Like so many of the places that lined the route from St. Paul to Duluth, Forest […]
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