Posted: 7/24/07
County Historical Society preparing to break ground on large addition
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
"Come heck or high water, weíre going to be breaking ground this fall. Itís been eight years since we started this project, and the time has come!"
Thatís the way Houston County Historical Society (HCHS) Vice President Anita Palmquist enthusiastically summed up the progress the project she and a group of faithful volunteers have been working on for nearly a decade.
The HCHS is an all-volunteer organization that is in the final stages of a capital fund drive to add nearly 20,000 square feet of display, research, office, curating, and storage space to its existing facility located near the fairgrounds in Caledonia.
The HCHS has raised over $550,000 since the capital fund drive began four years ago. According to HCHS President Shirley Johnson, they need to raise about $85,000, but the board has decided to go ahead with the building project and will break ground this fall.
"We are close to having the necessary funds," Johnson said. "We feel we need to get going on this now, before construction costs get any higher. Even if we have to take out a loan, we feel it is important to get this off the ground now."
The proposed building will be two levels, with about 10,000 square feet per floor. It will actually be a large addition to the existing 1,950 square foot building the society built in 1969. When completed, the new facility will be a U-shaped building, surrounding the four small buildings that make up part of the societyís historic village, on three sides.
The existing building will serve as a library and archives center for research and genealogy work. The upper level of the addition will include a large meeting area, various exhibit areas, the Palen Photo Studio, an area for interactive "hands-on" activities, an area for geologic, Native American, and the historic "Timeline of Houston County" display, as well as a gift shop and visitor welcome center. The lower level will be a climate-controlled storage area, where volunteers will be able to work on repairing and restoring donated items and developing new displays.
Both levels will be accessible from the street, as the building will be located on a slope that allows for a "walk out" basement entrance to the lower level from the north end. The upper level will be accessible from the street on the south end. An elevator is included to make both levels accessible from inside the building.
The dream of a larger building to accommodate the massive amounts of historic artifacts began about a decade ago. It took about four years to acquire the necessary land from the Houston County Fair Board, and the capital fund drive kicked off in 2003.
During the past four years the HCHS has been able to raise more than one-half million dollars through a number of fundraisers and the generosity of Houston County residents. The annual book sale, which is held the third Saturday in March, brought in $4,100, plus a $1,000 match from Thrivent. The society has also held a quilt raffle, a cemetery walk and ice cream social (held in conjunction with Caledoniaís sesquicentennial several years ago), the annual Christmas open house, and Luxembourg concert.
The HCHS buildings are a popular attraction during the county fair each August. This year donation boxes will be located in each of the eight buildings that make up the history center.
The HCHS owns and maintains 12 buildings in the county. The eight buildings at the history center in Caledonia include:
ïthe museum building (dedicated in 1969),
ïthe ag building (built in the mid-1980s),
ïthe former Sheldon Presbyterian Church (circa 1861),
ïthe Daley School House (originally the Hackets Grove Christian Church from Brownsville townships (circa 1857),
ïthe Flatten Swenson Pioneer Home (moved in from Fort Ridgely, circa 1880),
ïthe Depot Woodshed (moved in from Houston),
ïthe Barnyard Friend Building (which was built as a dorm for 4-Hers attending the county fair many decades ago), and
ïthe Mayville Town Hall (which Mayville Township still uses).
The other buildings HCHS owns in the county include:
ïthe Presbyterian Church in Caledonia with adjoining manse (parsonage),
ïthe Church of the Holy Comforter, Episcopal, in Brownsville (listed on the National Registry of Historic Places), and
ïthe Christian Bunge Store in Eitzen (listed on the National Registry of Historic Places).
HCHS has a core group of about 20 persons throughout the county who volunteer their time and talents to not only promote and preserve Houston Countyís history, but to also staff the museum. The museum is open Monday through Wednesday from 10 to 4 and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4. About 4,000 persons visit the museum and history center each year.
"We are so looking forward to completing the project," Johnson said, as she looked around the cramped quarters of the museum last week. "We have between 100 and 120 persons, families, businesses, and organizations donating historic artifacts and/or collections each year. Weíve run out of storage space, let alone any places to display any of the new items."
Persons wishing to make a donation to the capital fund drive can do so by contacting the HCHS at 104 History Lane, Caledonia, or calling (507) 725-3884.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com