Check out all the fun activities, engaging programs, classes and exhibits offered by WCHS!
Also visit our museums to explore local history through exhibits, tours and more!
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Programs and Classes |
Food For Thought Series |
Learn on your lunch hour! The Food For Thought learning series takes place at the Winona County History Center. Programs, Films, and Book Chats begin at 12:05 p.m. and last approximately one hour (unless otherwise noted). The 4th Wednesday of each month, a book is discussed by the FFT Book Chat group, but all are welcome to partake. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch. A beverage is served. All are free and open to the public.
Please note there is not a December Book Chat due to the Holidays.
Book Chat The Snow Child, by Eawyn Ivy, January 23, 12:05 p.m. Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season’s first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. (From Amazon Book Description) Program, A Page in History: Path of Miracles, with KT Nelson, Friday, January 25, 12:05 p.m. Inspired by the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route across northern Spain, ODC/Dance’s Path of Miracles will bring dancers, musicians, and community members together in a shared journey through Winona’s Wesley United Methodist Church (Fri., Jan. 25 at 7:30 pm). At this Page in History talk, ODC Co-Artistic Director and Path of Miracles choreographer KT Nelson shares about her experience walking the Camino, and how the journey informed her creative process. Whitewater State Park Program and Exhibit Opening, January 30 , 12:05 p.m. The Dakota named the river Whitewater because it turned milky white in the spring as high water eroded light-colored clay deposits along its banks. In 1851, a treaty opened up most of southern Minnesota for white settlement, including the Whitewater area. Settlers removed much of the native vegetation in order to farm and graze the land. In 1900, flooding related to land use began. Almost two decades later, local citizens lobbied successfully to establish Whitewater State Park to protect some of the most beautiful parts of the valley. Hear more about Whitewater’s history and explore the new exhibit celebrating its 100th anniversary! Program, Masonic Temple’s Historic Drops Restoration, with Kim Lawler, February 6, 12:05 p.m. Winona’s historic theater scene drops from the Masonic Temple are being restored this winter and the artist doing the work on the thirteen drops is Kim Lawler. Her work is being documented and will become a film by Winona’s Mary Farrell. Get an update and learn more about the restoration process from Kim at this program. Book Chat Public Enemies, by Bryan Burrough, February 27, 12:05 p.m. In Public Enemies, bestselling author Bryan Burrough strips away the thick layer of myths put out by J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI to tell the full story—for the first time—of the most spectacular crime wave in American history, the two-year battle between the young Hoover and the assortment of criminals who became national icons: John Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and the Barkers. (From Amazon Book Description) |
Programs and
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Over at the Winona Public Library...Winona’s Brewing Past
The craft brew industry has made a resurgence nationwide. But what about those original brewers that were here before the flour mills and went through prohibition? What about Winona’s local brewing history? Turns out the Winona Area was quite the hopin’ place when it came to brewing up one of America’s favorite beverage, beer. Scott Simpon, one of the researchers behind The Brewing up the Past: History of Winona’s Beer Industry Exhibit at the Winona County Historical Society, will be at the Winona Public Library on Thursday, January 10th at 6 p.m. to talk about Winona’s brewing past. This event is free and open to the public. |
Classes |
Vintage Valentines at the Museum Open House
Sunday, February 10, 12 - 4 p.m. at the History Center, free Create a traditional Valentine with tons of fun designs to choose from or create an original. Offered throughout the afternoon during our Museum Open House. A Page in History Gathering at the Museum: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Saturday, February 16, 12 - 1 p.m., Winona County History Center, Free We are teaming up with the Page Theatre and the Winona Public Library for a special event at the History Center! Join us for a Story Time with Winona Public Library staff to learn about Freedom Quilts and the Underground Railroad, then learn more about quilting with the Winona Area Quilters Guild and create a paper quilt block to add to our own “Freedom Quilt” that will hang in the Page Theatre for the performance of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad held Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Page. Performance Tickets are pay what you can! Sponsored by WNB Financial. |
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History on the River |
History on the River, our educational cruises, will be back for another season in 2018! Join us out on the river on either the Cal Fremling or Winona Tour Boat, both leaving from the Winona Levee. Cruises are on Thursday evenings, and are 90 minutes long with a program and sightseeing time. A rotating variety of refreshments are included with each cruise as well.
Boarding begins 15 minutes prior to the listed departure time on the schedule below. Please note the changing departure times as we near the end of the season when the sun sets earlier. Parking is available near the Levee off Johnson St. and Walnut St. as well as on Cal Fremling Drive. The Cal Fremling (CF) is docked near Johnson St., and the Winona Tour Boat (WTB) is near Walnut Street.
Tickets are sold in advance at the History Center or by calling 507.454.2723 ext. 0. Tickets are $27 for non-members and $22 for WCHS members. Save with our pick 3 option, and go on your choice of any 3 History on the River cruises for $75 for non-members or $60 for our members.
Weather related cancellations will be determined 4 hours prior to departure time and are decided by the captain. We will go in rain. Plan that the cruise will go unless you get a call from us. If a cruise is cancelled due to weather or river conditions, ticket holders can choose another cruise or can be issued a refund, otherwise cruise tickets are non-refundable. Any cancelled cruise topics are not rescheduled.
Check back in March for the 2019 season's Schedule!
Boarding begins 15 minutes prior to the listed departure time on the schedule below. Please note the changing departure times as we near the end of the season when the sun sets earlier. Parking is available near the Levee off Johnson St. and Walnut St. as well as on Cal Fremling Drive. The Cal Fremling (CF) is docked near Johnson St., and the Winona Tour Boat (WTB) is near Walnut Street.
Tickets are sold in advance at the History Center or by calling 507.454.2723 ext. 0. Tickets are $27 for non-members and $22 for WCHS members. Save with our pick 3 option, and go on your choice of any 3 History on the River cruises for $75 for non-members or $60 for our members.
Weather related cancellations will be determined 4 hours prior to departure time and are decided by the captain. We will go in rain. Plan that the cruise will go unless you get a call from us. If a cruise is cancelled due to weather or river conditions, ticket holders can choose another cruise or can be issued a refund, otherwise cruise tickets are non-refundable. Any cancelled cruise topics are not rescheduled.
Check back in March for the 2019 season's Schedule!
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Fundraisers and Special Events |
Love of Local History: Museum Open House
Sunday, February 10, 12 - 4 p.m., Winona County History Center, Free
The Annual Museum Open House is filled with fun family friendly activities, free treats, crafts, and more! This free event is a thank you for the community for loving their local history and a way for all to get to know their local past and WCHS more. Attendees can also check out booths and activities from other area organizations, clubs, and museums. Stop in and enjoy a free day at your local history museum!
Also check out the Frozen River Film Festival February 8-10! Get $1 Off admission to the History Center Feb. 8 & 9 with your FRFF ticket stub or pass.
More WCHS Fundraiser Events
Sunday, February 10, 12 - 4 p.m., Winona County History Center, Free
The Annual Museum Open House is filled with fun family friendly activities, free treats, crafts, and more! This free event is a thank you for the community for loving their local history and a way for all to get to know their local past and WCHS more. Attendees can also check out booths and activities from other area organizations, clubs, and museums. Stop in and enjoy a free day at your local history museum!
Also check out the Frozen River Film Festival February 8-10! Get $1 Off admission to the History Center Feb. 8 & 9 with your FRFF ticket stub or pass.
More WCHS Fundraiser Events
- Chocolate, Shakespeare and Champagne, June 7, 2019
- Voices From the Past Cemetery Walk, October 12 & 13, 2019
- Christmas House Tour, December 6, 2020 (offered even numbered years)
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Exhibits and Openings |
Brewing up the Past: History of Winona’s Beer Industry, Now - January 20, 2019
Cheers! This historic skill is taking on a whole new life again, and we are excited to share the story of beer brewing history in Winona County. This new exhibit at the Winona County History Center will explore the various breweries, brewers and the business of beer throughout our local past.
Whitewater 100, January 30 - June 7
Whitewater State Park is nestled in the Whitewater river valley between St. Charles and Elba, Minnesota. The Park was established in 1919 and has a vast and interesting history that includes a CCC camp, floods, WWII German POWs, and much more. Explore the park’s past in this new exhibit and join in the fun of the park’s celebrations all year! Join us at the History Center, January 30 at 12:05 p.m. for a special Food For Thought program from Park staff highlighting the oral histories about the Park they have gathered and to open the new exhibit in the Slaggie Family Lobby.
NOW OPEN!
Voices of the Winona Armory
This new permanent exhibit, with accompanying short film, highlights the old Armory’s history, its special way of connecting military and civilians and how it still connects various members of the community as a museum today. We were awarded a Veterans Voices Grant from the Minnesota Humanities Center to do this project. This work is funded in part with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
Cheers! This historic skill is taking on a whole new life again, and we are excited to share the story of beer brewing history in Winona County. This new exhibit at the Winona County History Center will explore the various breweries, brewers and the business of beer throughout our local past.
Whitewater 100, January 30 - June 7
Whitewater State Park is nestled in the Whitewater river valley between St. Charles and Elba, Minnesota. The Park was established in 1919 and has a vast and interesting history that includes a CCC camp, floods, WWII German POWs, and much more. Explore the park’s past in this new exhibit and join in the fun of the park’s celebrations all year! Join us at the History Center, January 30 at 12:05 p.m. for a special Food For Thought program from Park staff highlighting the oral histories about the Park they have gathered and to open the new exhibit in the Slaggie Family Lobby.
NOW OPEN!
Voices of the Winona Armory
This new permanent exhibit, with accompanying short film, highlights the old Armory’s history, its special way of connecting military and civilians and how it still connects various members of the community as a museum today. We were awarded a Veterans Voices Grant from the Minnesota Humanities Center to do this project. This work is funded in part with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.