Discover the Past

Welcome to the McLeod County Museum of History, a place where the past comes alive. Step through our doors Monday-Saturday from 10am-4pm and discover a story that spans over 1,000 years.






About Us

Online Image Archive

The museum houses an extensive collection of historic images from in and around McLeod County that are great resources for family history or framed photographs. Follow the steps and order a high definition print.

*To order an image: Search for the photo you are looking for.  Select the image from the search results.  You will be directed to a new page labeled "photo record" where you'll need to select the image again.  The image will then pop up on the screen and an "order image" link will be shown on the bottom right corner of the photo.

View Archive

Become a Member

Click the link below the video, stop in, or call and we'll get you signed up as a member of MCHS - perks include free use of Ancestry.com/library as well as free access to microfilm and other research materials.

Become a Member

Events

October 29 - Presentation, Megan Narvey - preserving and protecting heirlooms from agents of deterioration. - 6:30pm

November 12 - Genealogy Club - 10:30am

November 18 - Breakfast Club - 10:30am

November 21 - History Writers - 1:30pm

View Upcoming Events

Artifact Donation

The McLeod County Historical Society is always looking for new and unique artifacts to display in the museum. Items that are related to the county’s history will first be inspected by museum staff to be considered for acquisition.


Please call ahead (320.587.2109), or email artifactdonations@mcleodhistory.org, before arriving with potential donations. 

Geocaching

Looking for something different? Head over to one of McLeod County’s County Parks and search for our hidden geocache containers. Each container holds several trinkets (take one or leave one), a log for filling out, and a postcard (take one) with a QR code printed on it. Snap the QR code and follow the link to a video or article about the history of the site/area! All you need is a smartphone or a GPS device.

Coordinates are as follows

  • Stahl’s Lake Park—N 44° 56.828′ W 094° 25.532′
  • William May Park—N 44° 57.065′ W 094° 01.303′
  • Lake Marion Park—N 44° 47.159′ W 094° 22.840′
  • Peipenburg Park—N 44° 58.420′ W 094° 25.011′
  • Buffalo Creek Park—In progress
  • Swan Lake Park—N 44° 55.189 W 094° 14.273
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