History

Old Settlers meet April 13

Apr 3, 2024

The 147th annual Meeting of the Greenwood Prairie Old Settlers Association will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Green Prairie Place Chapel. The original Old Settlers Association held their first meeting on Feb. 28, 1877, according to a news release. It was at...

Why save the cottonwood tree?

Feb 14, 2024

I’ve been a “river rat” since my folks bought our home at 219 Park Street in 1942-43. The home was in the family until 1997 when my stepmother died, so I guess that means I have spent most of my life under that old cottonwood in Ohuta Park. I wish I could know all that this tree could tell us...

Peters to give two talks on local National Guard camp history

Sep 27, 2023

The Lake City Public Library invites the public to two book talks led by local author and resident Andru Peters. On Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m., Peters will discuss his book “History of Camp Lakeview National Guard Training Camp 1881-1931,” specifically the role of steamers and their impact on...

Current Hwy. 61 construction comes a century after camps created to build it

Aug 9, 2023

The Florence Township History Center has information about a project that created State Route 3 (later incorporated into U.S. Hwy. 61) a century ago. But it’s a little harder to access these days because of another construction project on the road. “This farmland, 160 acres, was awarded to Harvey...

Alma gets medieval on June 3

May 31, 2023

Castlerock Museum’s annual Fire in the Shire event, a citywide celebration of all things medieval, is June 3 in Alma, Wis. Events at the Castle start at 10 a.m. with Kazimir the Hungry breathing fire and swallowing swords. He will have additional performances at 12:30 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. The museum...

Artist will talk about native history in Mazeppa April 27

Apr 19, 2023

Sue Mundy will present Exploring Native Wabasha Area on Thursday, April 27, at 6 p.m. at the Mazeppa Community Center. A painter, Mundy was inspired to create when she discovered Native American burial mounds on her property in Dumfries, Minn. After researching the history of mounds and the...

State’s first Black voter was Lake City resident

Feb 22, 2023

February is Black History Month, and Lake City resident Jim Albright recently submitted a timely news item about a Lake City resident who made history over a century and a half ago. According to the Minnesota Historical Society’s MNopedia website, on Feb. 23, 1869, 154 years ago today, John...

Peters’ new book chronicles National Guard encampment that helped shape early Lake City

Feb 8, 2023

What started with the intention of writing a 15-page white paper has grown into a 300-plus page book with many photos chronicling the 50-year history of Camp Lakeview, a National Guard Camp on the south side of Lake City that operated from 1881 to 1931. It’s called History of Camp Lakeview...

Library to host local author talk about disaster book

Oct 26, 2022

The Lake City Public Library invites the public to a book talk with Minnesota author and local resident Dr. Steve Gardiner, who will talk about his most recent book, Historic Disasters of Southeastern Minnesota. This event takes place on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Lake City Public...

Johnson’s Central Point talk covers Rest Island, Sea Wing, and more

Oct 12, 2022

The Lake City 150th Celebration Committee hosted Fred Johnson, a Red Wing native and historian, on Sunday afternoon at Hok-Si-La Park. Johnson shared his knowledge of the history of Central Point to 40-50 attendees. His story started with the early explorers to the area and carried on through...