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