Meeker County Museum at the G.A.R. Hall

With March being Women’s History Month, this seems like the perfect time to remember a woman whose work and life touched so many in Meeker County – Madge Bellingham. Outside of the Litchfield Hospital, c. 1920; Madge Bellingham with Jim Robertson (center; son of Dr. AW Robertson) and unknown boy. Madge Bellingham was born in Bellingham, Minnesota in 1886. And, yes, the town was named after her family. In 1914, she graduated from nursing school in Minneapolis, and just three y

Litchfield and Meeker County have a history of celebrating history. This included the Meeker County Centennial in 1956 and the US Bicentennial in 1976. But perhaps the biggest celebration was the Litchfield Centennial in 1969. Some of the Costume Winners - Harold Keller family (Barb, Karla, Kristine, and Harold); Back: Hal Boettcher, Crystal Ebnet, George Mihlbauer, Pam Stensrud, and Charles Gabrielson Planning began months in advance. Committees were formed. Headquarters was

If you’ve visited the G.A.R. Hall or are familiar with Meeker County history, you might know the name “Van Spence.” Albert Van Spence and his family called Meeker County home for over two decades. While the family was in the minority, they weren’t the only Blacks in Meeker County at the time. A look at the 1880 US Federal Census shows four Black families working at the Ames brickyard northeast of Litchfield in Darwin Township. This included James and Clara Malone, Jeremiah Va

Earlier this year, the Meeker County Museum was excited to join the Minnesota Digital Library. This free, online library includes photos and archives from across the state. As we considered what the Museum wanted to contribute, the historic Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) Hall seemed the logical place to start. We brought a dozen photographs and three original G.A.R. account books to the library’s staff, who scanned the photos and over 600 pages before returning the items

Recently, our Museum staff was going through some files, when we came across a short, handwritten history about the Litchfield Toboggan Club of 1886. We were instantly curious and turned to the newspapers to see what more we could learn. 1886 Lithograph of tobogganers. Source: Library of Congress However, before there was Litchfield’s Toboggan Club, there was the St. Paul Winter Carnival. The Carnival started in 1886 as a way to show outsiders that the state could be enjoyed,

Around 1:00 a.m. on August 20, 1924, four unidentified men came to Cosmos, Minnesota. Quietly, they cut the town’s telephone and telegraph lines and made their way to the First State Bank of Cosmos. They entered through a basement window and found their way to the safe. Using nitroglycerine, the men blew open the safe. Inside, they found two smaller compartments. They blasted their way into the bottom compartment, but before they could do the same to the top section, they wer

Included in the winter display at the Meeker County Museum is a small, rather sparse Christmas tree. Some of the branches are loose, the base is a bit wobbly, and many of the faux pine needles have seen better days. And yet, this tree is special in that it just might be the oldest artificial Christmas tree in Meeker County. Museum's 100 year old Christmas tree The tradition of Christmas trees began in Germany, but as deforestation started to become a concern, the Germans also

While many of Meeker County’s early residents were farmers, it wasn’t until around 1890 that many turned their attention to dairy farming. By 1899, there were twenty creameries in the county. Despite having only the fourth-highest dairy cow population in the state, the county produced the most butter. And, it was great butter, too, commanding the highest price in the markets.

Seventy-five years ago, much of Litchfield and Meeker County was “talking turkey.” For five Saturdays in November and December 1950, the Litchfield Chamber of Commerce, along with many of Litchfield’s merchants, sponsored turkey prize drawings. Olga Hageseter, Frank Holtz, and June Bollin show off their turkey prizes, with Chamber of Commerce members Gary Hollaar and Martin Peterzen standing on the left and right of the winners. The Independent Review , November 30, 1950. At

With Veterans Day this week, we looked to see what the Museum might have in connection to the holiday. The day was originally called Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. We turned to the WWI diaries of Robert Swanson, a member of the 17 th  Engineer Division and military band. Swanson’s diaries, tuba, and other items are at the museum. Civil War Veterans are followed by World War I soldiers in a Litchfield parade to celebrate the end of WWI, 191

A look at two spinning wheels at the Meeker County Museum and the stories they tell.

Litchfield’s “Big Hunt” was a popular fall event that was held at least a dozen times from 1871 through 1891.

For several months after the US-Dakota War of 1862, fear of continued hostilities between the Dakota and settlers remained. As a result, several forts and a military presence could be found across parts of Minnesota. This included Meeker County, specifically at the Pipe Lake Fort in Cedar Mills Township. Among the horseshoes, belt buckles, nails, and even pieces of a stove is a small copper shield engraved with the name of HJ Lasher.

If you were to look at a map of Danielson Township, you would find the sole community of Rosendale. About a mile and a half west of Rosendale was School District # 50, often called the Rosendale School.

Upstairs in the museum are what at first glance might appear to be regular chairs. One is a child’s highchair and the other a simple,...

In the early afternoon of July 25, 1909, a memorable sight appeared in Grove City as between 200 and 300 members of the 3 rd Battalion,...

Little remains of the hamlet of Crow River today, but there was once a creamery, blacksmith shop, church, and the Crow River Store, also...

The artifacts in the Meeker County Museum come in all shapes and sizes, but by far the largest artifact is the log cabin. The cabin was...

In August 1887, a newspaper correspondent known as Henry from The Advance Sun  out of Red Wing, Minnesota, paid a visit to Litchfield...

Just over ninety years ago, in May 1935, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced the start of the Rural Electrification...