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Programs and Classes |
Food For Thought |
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.
Program Celebrating The Courthouse, with Karin Sonneman, September 20, 12:05 p.m.
Karin has been part of the Courthouse Open Houses for years and will be presenting at Food For Thought about the historic Courthouse and the programs they are celebrating this year. Learn more about this fun event on the cover and next page! Book Chat Beside a Burning Sea, by John Shirs, September 27, 12:05 p.m. One moment, the World War II hospital ship Benevolence is patrolling the South Pacific on a mission of mercy—to save wounded American soldiers. The next, Benevolence is split in two by a torpedo, killing almost everyone on board. A small band of survivors, including an injured Japanese soldier and a young American nurse whom he saves from drowning, makes it to the deserted shore of a nearby island. (Amazon.com book description.) Program A Hands-on Photographic History, with Robert Taunt, October 11, 12:05 p.m. Robert will talk about the history of photography and attendees will be able to look at and handle original old Daguerreotypes, Glass wet plate images and stereocards. He will have many items displays to explore, including a stereo and single plate demonstration camera, to show how the wet plate process worked. Use a stereoscope as Robert describes the process of this early 3D entertainment. You will also learn how to make stereo photos today with your single digital camera! Don’t miss this fun interactive program and check out the new exhibit, Then and Now in the lobby! Book Chat Some Girls, Some Hats, and Hitler, by Trudi Kanter, October 25, 12:05 p.m. In 1938 Trudi Kanter, stunningly beautiful, chic and charismatic, was a hat designer for the best-dressed women in Vienna. She frequented the most elegant cafés. She had suitors. She flew to Paris to see the latest fashions. And she fell deeply in love with Walter Ehrlich, a charming and romantic businessman. But as Hitler’s tanks rolled into Austria, the world this young Jewish couple knew collapsed, leaving them desperate to escape. (Amazon.com book description.) Book Chat The Kitchen House, by Kathleen Grissom, November 29, 12:05 p.m. Note the November Book Chat is meeting the fifth Wednesday and will not meet in December due to the holidays. In this gripping novel, a dark secret threatens to expose the best and worst in everyone tied to the estate at a thriving plantation in Virginia in the decades before the Civil War. (Amazon.com Book Description.) |
Evening Programs |
The Hiawatha Valley Civil War Round Table and WCHS are co-sponsoring, “They’re Trying to Erase Our History: The Civil War in Popular Culture and Public Memory” with professor Tycho de Boer, Ph.D. on Thursday, September 14 at 7 p.m. at the Winona County History Center. de Boer will discuss the recent controversy over the removal of the Confederate monuments in the larger context of depictions of the Civil War in popular culture and broader history of the public commemoration. de Boer is the department chair of the History Department of St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. This program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.
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Classes |
The Great Pumpkin: Halloween History and Pumpkin Carving Workshop
Art and history come together for a fun filled Halloween experience with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum and Winona County Historical Society! On Thursday, October 26, 4 - 5:30 p.m. at the MMAM’s Oberton Education Room, we are getting together to explore the origins and history of Jack-o-lanterns and create some fun and frightful pumpkins to take home. Chose to carve, paint, or a combination of both, to create a gorgeous or ghoulish gourd! Register by calling or stopping in the History Center or MMAM, spots are limited. Cost is $7 for members or $10 for the public. Light refreshments will be served and all supplies are provided (one pumpkin per person). Great for ages 10 to 100! Children must be accompanied by an adult. |
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History on the River |
History on the River, our educational cruises, are back for another season! Join us out on the river on either the Cal Fremling or Winona Tour Boat this season, 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. 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. Watch for construction at the levee this summer, but you will have access to the levee docks. 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. Cruise topics are not rescheduled.
2017 Schedule
September
7, 6:00 - Mississippi Gold Star Paddle with Jim Crigler, CF
This spring and summer, Vietnam veteran, Jim Crigler is taking a canoe down the length of the Mississippi to thank the Gold Star families along the way, and to raise awareness of those that made the ultimate sacrifice of giving up a loved family member to war. Learn about his adventure and the American Huey 369 project.
14, 6:00 – Mississippi River Archeology with Andy Bloedorn, CF SOLD OUT
WCHS curator, Andy Bloedorn, explores how archeologists use what they find to piece together the lives of the very early peoples who lived in our region so long ago. In celebration of Archeology Week!
21, 5:30 – The Will of Dilg and the Will of Latsch with Mike Kennedy, CF SOLD OUT
Join Mike Kennedy for a discussion of the two men, Will H. Dilg and John A. Latsch, on the WSU Cal Fremling, in the middle of the Mississippi River that they both loved. The willpower of Will Dilg allowed him to found the Izaak Walton League of America in 1922 and use its resources and membership to have the U.S. President and Congress purchase and set aside a quarter million acres (261 miles) of the Upper Mississippi River for a permanent Wildlife Refuge. The last Will and Testament of John Latsch was proof of the lifelong love of the people and places around Winona that fueled his philanthropic gifts of land and money for the protection of outdoor recreation areas. Both men wanted to provide spaces for the youth of future generations to enjoy and learn about our connectedness to and protection of “the great outdoors”.
28, 5:30 - Lock and Dam Adventure, WTB
Learn more about the Lock and Dam system, and, if able, we will go through the lock process at 5A.
Boarding begins 15 minutes prior to the listed departure time. 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. Watch for construction at the levee this summer, but you will have access to the levee docks. 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. Cruise topics are not rescheduled.
2017 Schedule
September
7, 6:00 - Mississippi Gold Star Paddle with Jim Crigler, CF
This spring and summer, Vietnam veteran, Jim Crigler is taking a canoe down the length of the Mississippi to thank the Gold Star families along the way, and to raise awareness of those that made the ultimate sacrifice of giving up a loved family member to war. Learn about his adventure and the American Huey 369 project.
14, 6:00 – Mississippi River Archeology with Andy Bloedorn, CF SOLD OUT
WCHS curator, Andy Bloedorn, explores how archeologists use what they find to piece together the lives of the very early peoples who lived in our region so long ago. In celebration of Archeology Week!
21, 5:30 – The Will of Dilg and the Will of Latsch with Mike Kennedy, CF SOLD OUT
Join Mike Kennedy for a discussion of the two men, Will H. Dilg and John A. Latsch, on the WSU Cal Fremling, in the middle of the Mississippi River that they both loved. The willpower of Will Dilg allowed him to found the Izaak Walton League of America in 1922 and use its resources and membership to have the U.S. President and Congress purchase and set aside a quarter million acres (261 miles) of the Upper Mississippi River for a permanent Wildlife Refuge. The last Will and Testament of John Latsch was proof of the lifelong love of the people and places around Winona that fueled his philanthropic gifts of land and money for the protection of outdoor recreation areas. Both men wanted to provide spaces for the youth of future generations to enjoy and learn about our connectedness to and protection of “the great outdoors”.
28, 5:30 - Lock and Dam Adventure, WTB
Learn more about the Lock and Dam system, and, if able, we will go through the lock process at 5A.
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Fundraisers and Special Events |
Courthouse Open House, September 24
The Winona County Historical Society is co-sponsoring the Winona County Courthouse Open House on September 24 from 11a.m. - 4 p.m. to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Winona County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Drug Court of Winona County. Visitors can stop at various locations in the courthouse to learn about the history of the building and the current criminal justice system. There will be a mock trial (2 sessions) with visitor participation that will be on the subject of “Parents Who Host Lose the Most” which is the Alliance for Substance Abuse (ASAP)’s initiative to prevent underage drinking. Plus, an actual drug court session and a repeat of a recent drug court graduation will be reenacted. Learn More
Voices From the Past: Cemetery Walk - Winona at Play
Evening Indoor performance Thursday, October 5, 7 p.m. at the History Center;
At Woodlawn Cemetery, October 7 and 8, groups leaving every 15 minutes, Noon - 3 p.m.
The 2017 Voices From the Past: Cemetery Walk will be featuring “Winona at Play”! Come take a walk through beautiful and historic Woodlawn Cemetery (W. Lake Blvd., just off HWY 61) and meet some folks from Winona’s sporting and recreational past. The walk at the cemetery will be Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8. Groups will leave the gate every few minutes starting with the Trolley Tour at Noon, followed by walking groups with the last group leaving the gate at 3 p.m. Plan for about a two hour experience.
We are offering an indoor seated, fully handicapped accessible experience at the History Center on Thursday, October 5 at 7 p.m. The Trolley tours of the route through the Cemetery bring the actors aboard for another seated version for those that cannot make the walk. It is no extra charge to ride the Trester Trolley, but please sign up in advance to guarantee a seat by calling the History Center at 507.454.2723 ext. 0.
This year the sites will include Winter Sports, Baseball, Golfing, Indoor Activities, School Athletics, and Water Sports. We will hear actors portray Hub Bambenek, George McGill, Louis “Poot” Klagge, Eleanor Wally Siegal, Mrytle Peck Steffen, and many more!
Admission is taken at the Cemetery Gate/at the Door and is $10 for Adults ($2 of which goes to Woodlawn Cemetery), $5 for Students, and $3 for youth 12 and younger. Cookies and beverages will be for sale at the gate too. Come out and support local history and enjoy the autumn beauty of Winona!
The Winona County Historical Society is co-sponsoring the Winona County Courthouse Open House on September 24 from 11a.m. - 4 p.m. to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Winona County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Drug Court of Winona County. Visitors can stop at various locations in the courthouse to learn about the history of the building and the current criminal justice system. There will be a mock trial (2 sessions) with visitor participation that will be on the subject of “Parents Who Host Lose the Most” which is the Alliance for Substance Abuse (ASAP)’s initiative to prevent underage drinking. Plus, an actual drug court session and a repeat of a recent drug court graduation will be reenacted. Learn More
Voices From the Past: Cemetery Walk - Winona at Play
Evening Indoor performance Thursday, October 5, 7 p.m. at the History Center;
At Woodlawn Cemetery, October 7 and 8, groups leaving every 15 minutes, Noon - 3 p.m.
The 2017 Voices From the Past: Cemetery Walk will be featuring “Winona at Play”! Come take a walk through beautiful and historic Woodlawn Cemetery (W. Lake Blvd., just off HWY 61) and meet some folks from Winona’s sporting and recreational past. The walk at the cemetery will be Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8. Groups will leave the gate every few minutes starting with the Trolley Tour at Noon, followed by walking groups with the last group leaving the gate at 3 p.m. Plan for about a two hour experience.
We are offering an indoor seated, fully handicapped accessible experience at the History Center on Thursday, October 5 at 7 p.m. The Trolley tours of the route through the Cemetery bring the actors aboard for another seated version for those that cannot make the walk. It is no extra charge to ride the Trester Trolley, but please sign up in advance to guarantee a seat by calling the History Center at 507.454.2723 ext. 0.
This year the sites will include Winter Sports, Baseball, Golfing, Indoor Activities, School Athletics, and Water Sports. We will hear actors portray Hub Bambenek, George McGill, Louis “Poot” Klagge, Eleanor Wally Siegal, Mrytle Peck Steffen, and many more!
Admission is taken at the Cemetery Gate/at the Door and is $10 for Adults ($2 of which goes to Woodlawn Cemetery), $5 for Students, and $3 for youth 12 and younger. Cookies and beverages will be for sale at the gate too. Come out and support local history and enjoy the autumn beauty of Winona!
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Exhibits and Openings |
Then and Now: A Photographic Trip through Time, NOW - January 14 Slaggie Family Lobby, History Center
Travel through time by way of a camera lens. We will showcase photographs from our collection and pair them with shots of the same subjects of today. The exhibit will feature images from throughout Winona County and will examine the people, places and events that have changed through time. The camera has been a great tool in documenting our world for over 200 years and so we have a vast look into our past from the 1850s to today.
Announcing 2018!
Made in Winona, January 18 - April 8
From our golden era of wheat and lumber to a diversified collection of manufacturers to the specialized artisan shops, this new exhibit will highlight the industries and products made in Winona since its founding.
Rooted In The Land: Minnesota Women Farmers, April 14 - June 10
Local artist Julie Johnston has been traveling the region painting and interviewing women in the agricultural industries of our area. Meet these fascinating ladies through Julie’s work and also get a look into how the roles of women have changed on the farm over the decades.
The Art of Fine Furniture, June 16- August 10
Founded in 2013 The Art of Fine Furniture is an annual exhibit featuring the creations of professional and hobbyist studio furniture makers with our community curator Jamie Schell. TAOFF also offers free educational and inspirational workshops and discussions to encourage professionals and aspiring amateurs alike to think deeper about the works they create and to push themselves to create new extraordinary works. TAOFF is made up of pieces of studio furniture that invite, and excite ones curiosity to explore the inner mysteries and workings of the pieces in the exhibit and the time honored skills kept alive with each piece.
Brewing up the Past: History of Winona’s Beer Industry, August 16 - January 20, 2019
Cheers! This historic skill is taking on a whole new life and we are excited to share the story of brewing’s history in Winona County!
Travel through time by way of a camera lens. We will showcase photographs from our collection and pair them with shots of the same subjects of today. The exhibit will feature images from throughout Winona County and will examine the people, places and events that have changed through time. The camera has been a great tool in documenting our world for over 200 years and so we have a vast look into our past from the 1850s to today.
Announcing 2018!
Made in Winona, January 18 - April 8
From our golden era of wheat and lumber to a diversified collection of manufacturers to the specialized artisan shops, this new exhibit will highlight the industries and products made in Winona since its founding.
Rooted In The Land: Minnesota Women Farmers, April 14 - June 10
Local artist Julie Johnston has been traveling the region painting and interviewing women in the agricultural industries of our area. Meet these fascinating ladies through Julie’s work and also get a look into how the roles of women have changed on the farm over the decades.
The Art of Fine Furniture, June 16- August 10
Founded in 2013 The Art of Fine Furniture is an annual exhibit featuring the creations of professional and hobbyist studio furniture makers with our community curator Jamie Schell. TAOFF also offers free educational and inspirational workshops and discussions to encourage professionals and aspiring amateurs alike to think deeper about the works they create and to push themselves to create new extraordinary works. TAOFF is made up of pieces of studio furniture that invite, and excite ones curiosity to explore the inner mysteries and workings of the pieces in the exhibit and the time honored skills kept alive with each piece.
Brewing up the Past: History of Winona’s Beer Industry, August 16 - January 20, 2019
Cheers! This historic skill is taking on a whole new life and we are excited to share the story of brewing’s history in Winona County!
