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Causes: Arts & Culture, Historical Organizations, History Museums
Mission: We believe that it is extremely important to constantly look for new ways to teach visitors, residents and members, our unique history through different programs, exhibits, presentations and our website?using the records, images and stories of Waseca County. Our museum and research library attract visitors from all over the country. Our searchable website is used by internet researchers all over the world. One-half our membership resides in Waseca County, the other half lives all over the U.S. and three foreign countries.
Programs: The Waseca County Historical Society was created in 1938 by interested citizens who believed in the need to preserve history, and had the desire and wherewithal to initiate the effort. In its 70-year history it has grown to include the Museum, the Bailey-Lewer House Research Library, and Hodgson Hall (at the County Fairgrounds). Our purpose is to maintain the history of Waseca County and make it accessible to not only its residents, but to the world. We do so with our searchable website, containing over 35,000 artifact records with images, including 13,000 scanned photographs, and over 250,000 indexed records of newspaper, probate, death, birth, marriages, cemetery and more. We present seasonal programs, events, and exhibits. Annual community-wide events include the Ice Harvest in February, Spring Luncheon-Lecture Series, and the Chautauqua at Maplewood Park in July. The Ice Harvest is free to the public, but is focused on teaching fifth-graders about the early days before refrigeration. The Spring Luncheons present interesting speakers once a month, March-April & May. Chautauqua celebrates the site of the historical traveling Chautauquas that came to Waseca and sought to entertain and educate people from all around the county and beyond. Supported by grants, we offer this event as a gift to the community, charging only five cents (as they did in the 1880s)?children and servants?free.?