Free Family Fun Day: Happy Holidays!
2024-12-07 12:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Happy Holidays from GCHS! Join us in celebrating the season as we learn about different holidays and traditions celebrated throughout Goodhue County, both past and present! Highlights include a meet and greet with Santa, cookie decorating, take home goody bags for kids, and more! Admission is free for everyone from 12 PM- 3 PM. Plus, join our community show-and-tell by bringing a favorite holiday photo to share! Examples could be a fun photo with Santa, matching family pajama pictures, and more! Photos can be brought to the event or digital copies can be emailed to education@goodhistory.org.

Free Family Fun Day: Winter Activities
2025-01-11 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Brrr, it’s cold outside! Come warm up at the Goodhue County History Center and learn about how Minnesotans found ways to enjoy the chilly winter months. Plus, take part in a winter-themed scavenger hunt and craft! Admission is free for everyone from 12 PM- 3 PM.

Free Family Fun Day: Black History Month
2025-02-08 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
The Goodhue County Historical Society is partnering with Red Wing High School’s Black Student Union (BSU) to celebrate Black History Month! Join us on Free Family Fun Day to learn about what BSU means to its members and enjoy poster displays about Black History Month made by the students. There will also be story time, a bookmark craft, free popcorn, and more!

About BSU: The Red Wing High School Black Student Union was founded in 2020 by Deyahni Cooper. It was established for Black students to have a safe space and community that welcomes everyone! BSU members organize fundraisers, host events, and go on community building field trips.

History Break: Photograph Collection Digitization Project
2025-02-19 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
At the end of 2023, GCHS was awarded a Legacy Grant to hire staff to digitize our collection of over 18,000 photographs. Since March 2024, our Collections Assistants Emily Anderson and Liz Anderson have digitized thousands of images. They will speak about the digitization process as well as interesting finds from the collection.

About Emily: Emily Anderson’s educational background is in art history. She has a bachelor’s degree from Hamline University and a master’s degree from the University of York. Emily has worked in museum collections for the past two years and completed a 3D object inventory at the Stearns History Museum prior to working at GCHS.

About Liz: Liz Anderson has a master’s degree in library and information sciences from St. Catherine’s University. She has worked in libraries and archives over the past few years, including those at the American Craft Council and the Minnesota Vikings.

Book Talk with Fred Johnson
2025-02-27 14:00 - 15:30 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Join GCHS and Fred Johnson in celebrating his new release, Making History In Minnesota: Red Wing and its People Impact the State! All are invited to a Book Talk presentation at 2:00 PM, followed by a book signing at 3:00 PM. Books will be available to purchase in the museum gift shop.

Book Synopsis:
For more than two-hundred years, a community known as Red Wing has nestled beneath the monolithic Mississippi River landmark He Mni Can (La Grange, Barn Bluff). From the dominion of the Dakota, the French interlude, and the onset of United States control, there has been a village, town, or city on this remarkably beautiful parcel of land.
This is a book about Red Wing and the impact this community and its citizens have had in “Mni Sota Makoce” (land where the waters reflect the skies), and during territorial days and statehood. Using themes of historical importance and interest, the narrative employs a series of documented mini histories.

About the Author:
Frederick Johnson continues his efforts to illuminate the history of his native Red Wing through numerous books and magazine articles. He is a three-time winner of the American Association for State and Local History award; the most recent honor being for the highly praised Patriot Hearts: World War I Passion and Prejudice in a Minnesota County. His newest effort, Making History in Minnesota: Red Wing and Its People Impact the State, Volume 1, is out now!

Free Family Fun Day
2025-03-08 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Important Schedule Change: St. John’s Living History Program will take place in the morning only from 10:30 AM-11:30 AM.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet a historical figure? Now is your chance! Come experience St. John’s Living History program from 10:30 AM-11:30 AM, where students dress as notable people in history and share stories about their lives and legacies. Then join us for Free Family Fun Day from 12 PM-3 PM! Celebrate Women’s History Month and learn about women who made a difference in Goodhue County and beyond with a themed scavenger hunt and puzzle activity!

Free Family Fun Day: Celebrating Spring
2025-04-12 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Spring is almost here! Join us for an afternoon of celebrating April showers and the beginning of a new season! Admission is free for everyone from 12 PM-3 PM. Highlights include: an umbrella craft, seasonal scavenger hunt, and sidewalk chalk art (weather dependent)!

History Break: Goodhue County Sheriff
2025-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Please join us for April’s History Break when Goodhue County Sheriff Marty Kelly will provide a “Year in Review” presentation. The Sheriff will discuss the vital role of law enforcement in the community and give a summary of 2024 events. Sheriff Kelly brings years of experience and insight into the challenges and rewards of protecting and serving the public. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear about issues affecting Goodhue County, the importance of community involvement, and the ways we can support and work with law enforcement!

Free Family Fun Day: Cinco de Mayo
2025-05-10 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
All are welcome for a special Free Family Fun Day in partnership with Hispanic Outreach and Red Wing High School’s Hispanic Students United (H.S.U.)! Celebrate and learn about Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) and Hispanic heritage with an afternoon of family-friendly activities! Highlights include a scavenger hunt, pinatas, story time, and a loteria game! Plus, from 1:00-1:30, visitors can help break a pinata!

About H.S.U.: Hispanic Students United was co-founded by Belen Machado, Reyna Marmol, and Katherine Tazin in 2024. We established H.S.U because we felt that Red Wing High School lacked a representation of Hispanic culture and wanted to create a safe space for Hispanic students. We go on community-building and cultural/educational field trips. Everyone is welcome!

About Hispanic Outreach: Hispanic Outreach of Goodhue County provides programs and services that strengthen the Hispanic community contribution to Goodhue County while growing Hispanic cultural awareness.

Walk the Historic Jordan Creek
2025-05-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Red Wing City Hall, 315 W 4th St, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
10 AM TOUR IS NOW SOLD OUT
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Join GCHS staff on a walking tour of downtown Red Wing, following the historic route of the Jordan Creek. This waterway once divided the downtown area before being driven underground, where it still flows today. Tours will start outside of City Hall and explore the history of the Jordan and some of the historic buildings built on top of it, before ending at Levee Park. Put on your walking shoes and join us as we follow the Jordan’s path to the Mississippi River. Space is limited- tickets are $15 each and must be purchased through Red Wing Community Education. Please use the link below to register and any questions can be directed to Red Wing Community Education at 651-385-4565.

Walk the Historic Jordan Creek
2025-05-17 13:00 - 14:30 | Red Wing City Hall, 315 W 4th St, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
1:00 tour is now SOLD OUT. Thank you for supporting local history programs!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Join GCHS staff on a walking tour of downtown Red Wing, following the historic route of the Jordan Creek. This waterway once divided the downtown area before being driven underground, where it still flows today. Tours will start outside of City Hall and explore the history of the Jordan and some of the historic buildings built on top of it, before ending at Levee Park. Put on your walking shoes and join us as we follow the Jordan’s path to the Mississippi River. Space is limited- tickets are $15 each and must be purchased through Red Wing Community Education. Please use the link below to register and any questions can be directed to Red Wing Community Education at 651-385-4565.

History Break: Mississippi Dialogues Public Art Project
2025-05-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Mississippi Dialogues Public Art Project:
Mississippi Dialogues is a public art collaboration to create a series of panels Indigenizing a map of the Mississippi River. Independent cartographer and Citizen Potawatomi tribal member Margaret Pearce will present about her work collaborating with Prairie Island Tribal Historic Preservation to create a panel for installation in Red Wing, through interviews, archival research, historical maps, and design.

About the Speaker:
Dr. Margaret Pearce is a cartographer and Citizen Potawatomi tribal member currently living in Maine. She is visiting the Anderson Center for a public artist residency in May 2025. Pearce brings years of experience collaborating with Indigenous experts on cartographic art projects. She holds a Ph.D. in geography and was a professor of geography for 15 years before making the move to independent artist. She received a Guggenheim fellowship in 2023 to support her work on the Mississippi Dialogues project.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Rogers

Goodhue County History Detective
2025-06-01 - 2025-08-30 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Ages 14 & Under

This summer, explore local history through a county-wide scavenger hunt! Put on your detective cap and visit participating museums to complete tasks and receive a stamp. Once you collect them all, turn in your booklet at the Goodhue County History Center in Red Wing to receive a prize!

Participating Museums:

Cannon Falls Area Historical Society
Goodhue Area Historical Society
Goodhue County Historical Society
Zumbrota Area Historical Society

Pick up your free History Detective booklet at any participating museum. Please note- some museums may have an admission charge. Happy sleuthing!

Find Our Fairy House!
2025-06-01 - 2025-10-01 | MN
Magic is returning to Red Wing this summer and GCHS is joining in on the fun! Take a look around downtown and see if you can spot our fairy house… or school.

Fairies going to school in Red Wing are actually learning in a historic spot! Did you know that the first schoolhouse in Goodhue County opened in 1855 at 4th Street and East Avenue? Each one room schoolhouse across the county was considered its own district, so this school was called “District 1.” At one point there were 169 school districts across Goodhue County! The last one to close was Welch Valley School in Vasa Township in 1970. Today there are 12 school districts in the county.

Want to learn more? Come to the Goodhue County History Center and explore our rural schoolroom!

And check out the Red Wing Downtown Magic website for more information about this magical time of year and the 2025 Fairy Fest : https://magicmapredwing.my.canva.site/

MNHS Presentation: Greater Minnesota 2SLGBTQIA+ History Map
2025-06-13 16:00 - 18:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
June is Pride Month, and all are welcome for a special presentation from the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) to learn about and celebrate Two-Spirit & LGBTQIA+ history! Join MNHS staff Jamie Kherbaoui and Lizzie Ehrenhalt, alongside interns Leila Stallone, Luis Valderrama, and Ulysses Swanson for a presentation about their project to map 2SLGBTQIA+ history in Greater Minnesota. Light refreshments will be served!

About the Project: The Greater Minnesota Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ History Map is a participatory storytelling project facilitated by the Minnesota Historical Society. Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ stories have always been community history. But their diversity—racial, topical, and geographical—has not always been visible in the books, movies, and media that show the world who we are, and where we come from. This map aims to correct these absences by highlighting overlooked Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ sites, people, and themes. Focusing on Greater Minnesota, the map reveals that queer history has unfolded in every corner of the state, from Worthington to the Boundary Waters.

Event Schedule:
4 PM-5 PM Open House

Digitization station: Bring your photographs, programs, and more to receive a digital copy
Explore free resources related to Two-Spirit & LGBTQIA+ History
Use IPads to interact with the digital StoryMap

5 PM-6 PM

Presentation
Audience Q&A

MNHS Map Team

Free Family Fun Day: Dairy Month
2025-06-14 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Did you know that June is National Dairy Month? Join GCHS and the Goodhue County Dairy Princesses for a dairy-themed afternoon of fun activities! Admission is free for everyone from 12 PM- 3 PM. This event is sponsored by Sturdiwheat!

History Break: Abolitionists of Southeast Minnesota
2025-06-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to the impending snow storm on March 19th, our History Break with Sara Holger has been postponed. Sara will be joining us for our June History Break instead.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In the decades leading up to the US Civil War, abolitionists from eastern states migrated westward to thwart the expansion of slavery into the “free” territory. Abolitionists were among the early American settlers arriving in Minnesota in the 1850s. Some of these abolitionists were radical and were involved in the Underground Railroad prior to settling here. Local naturalist, Sara Holger, will share stories she has gathered through oral history interviews with descendants of abolitionists who called southeast Minnesota home before slavery was abolished in America.

Lawn Games with the Red Wing Public Library
2025-06-24 09:30 - 11:00 | Central Park, Downtown Red Wing, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Join the Red Wing Public Library and GCHS for a morning of lawn games at Central Park! Try your hand at a historic game and play other popular outdoor games!

Free Family Fun Day & Ice Cream Social
2025-07-12 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Join GCHS and The Cat’s Meow for our Free Family Fun Day and Ice Cream Social! Admission is free for everyone from 12 PM-3 PM. This event is sponsored by Sturdiwheat!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who or what is The Cat’s Meow, you ask?

“We are The Cat’s Meow. A group of women who are obsessed with the role of American women during World War two. Our goal is to bring to life what women did and what a day in the life was like with a display of original uniforms, and artifacts! You will be able to interact, ask questions, and learn all about girl power!”

History Break: Red Wing YMCA
2025-07-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Join us for an exciting History Break where Bryan Soper, CEO, will speak about the history of our Red Wing Family YMCA and the YMCA of the USA.

About Bryan: “I have been the CEO for the Red Wing Family YMCA since 2021. I have been working in the YMCA for over 35 years across the YMCA movement. I began my YMCA journey as a camp counselor in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and after graduating from UW-STOUT I worked with YMCA’s in Phoenix, Alabama, the Twin Cities and Nashville before coming to Red Wing. Our family lives in Red Wing and both our kids have now graduated from Red Wing High School.”

Churches of Red Wing Tour
2025-07-24 10:00 - 11:30 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
This tour is now SOLD OUT! Thank you for supporting local history!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Board the Red Wing Trolley at the Goodhue County History Center and embark on a special tour of the churches of Red Wing, including stops at seven downtown churches! Journey through time as your tour guide highlights a century of faith in Red Wing from 1850 to1950. You will enjoy beautiful architecture, learn the origin story of each church, and get a chance to explore the interior of many of these churches.

The tour will include: Church of St. Joseph, St. John’s Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church, Christ Episcopal Church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, United Lutheran Church, and First Lutheran Church.

Space is limited! Tickets are $25 each and must be purchased through Red Wing Community Education. Register online and call the Community Education office with any questions at 651-385-4565.

Goodhue County Fair
2025-08-06 - 2025-08-09 | Goodhue County Fair, 44279 County 6 Blvd, Zumbrota, MN, 55992, United States
Come visit GCHS at the Goodhue County Fair from Wednesday, August 6th to Saturday, August 9th! Explore an old one room schoolhouse and participate in a variety of activities for all ages! Special guests this year include the Zumbrota Area Historical Society on Friday, August 8th. See the full fair schedule and admission prices here: https://www.goodhuecountyfair.com/
GCHS Schedule:
Wednesday, August 6th – Day Care Day
9 AM-11 AM Storytime & Cow Craft
11 AM-1 PM Fossil Dig Boxes
1 PM-3 PM Storytime & Cow Craft
3 PM-5 PM Fossil Dig Boxes

Thursday, August 7th – Goodhue County Ag Day
Noon-2 PM Schoolhouse Craft
2 PM-3 PM Fossil Dig Boxes
3 PM-5 PM Trivia in the Schoolhouse

Friday, August 8th – Senior Citizen Day
12 PM-4 PM Demonstration or Display from the Zumbrota Area Historical Society
12 PM-4 PM Historic Games on the lawn

Saturday, August 9th- Final Fun Day
9 AM-12 PM Trivia
9 AM-12 PM Historic Games on the lawn

History Break- Belva Lockwood: Uncovering an Overlooked Legend and Her Buried Homeland
2025-08-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Please join us for a History Break with Anderson Center Artist-In-Residence Sonia Beltz!
How do you discover a history that has been buried? Belva Lockwood was a 19th-century suffragist, a two-time presidential candidate, and the first female lawyer admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court. But when she left her home behind to pursue destiny, she did so with little remember of the Western New York landscape that raised her. Nearly two centuries later, I discovered Belva as a lonely, homesick college student and embarked on a quest to uncover the secrets and sensations of Belva’s oft-forgotten childhood. In this presentation, I’ll discuss the process of discovering and researching this seminal but overlooked figure of American history and how this work intersects with my own childhood experiences.

About Sonia: Sonia Beltz is a writer from Lockport, New York. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s MFA in Creative Writing, where she recently defended her thesis in creative nonfiction; in the fall, Sonia will begin a PhD in early modern literature at Loyola University Chicago. Her work centers themes of history, place, and identity set across the backdrop of the Western New York landscape she once called home. She currently lives in Minneapolis, and can usually be found deep in a niche historical wormhole.

Historic Home Tour
2025-09-10 08:00 - 17:00 | MN
Ticket-Historic Home Tour

https://app.squareup.com/dashboard/items/library/v1/LWWFCXKZVIZX5TD7D4U5C4NH?searchTerm=historic%20home

Free Family Fun Day: Back to School
2025-09-13 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Image from GCHS Collection: 1956, Frontenac School in Florence Township

Celebrate back to school season and learn what it was like to attend school in a one room schoolhouse Explore the museum’s schoolroom and enjoy a variety of school-themed activities for all ages! Museum admission is free for everyone from 12 PM-3 PM thanks to our sponsor, Sturdiwheat!

History Break: Stories of a Mississippi Riverboat Captain
2025-09-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Born in St. Louis, the home state of Sam Clemens, T.S. Eliot, and Tennessee Williams, Lee Hendrix was enthralled by the Mississippi River at a young age. In 1972, he boarded his first towboat as a deckhand, slinging mops and lifting heavy rigging, and by 1976 he achieved his first license. Over the course of his career, Lee has worked as an educator, led canoe trips and river-clean ups, worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and piloted riverboats along the Mississippi River and other rivers across the United States. Lee earned a First-Class Pilot License for 2,300 miles of river during his time piloting the DELTA, MISSISSIPPI and AMERICAN QUEEN. He also served as both Pilot and Captain of the MV MISSISSIPPI, the largest river towboat in the world. Today, Lee lives in Lake City and is considered a “riverlorian,” having written several published stories and essays about the river. Join us for a History Break where he discusses his 51 years working along the Mississippi River and his book, Peep Light: Stories of a Mississippi River Boat Captain.

Books will be available to purchase after the event!

Back Alley Walking Tour
2025-09-27 10:00 - 11:30 | John Rich Park, 218 West Avenue, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
This tour is now SOLD OUT! Thank you for supporting local history!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discover the early history of downtown Red Wing by exploring its alleyways with GCHS! Look for remnants that tell a colorful story about this city’s past and learn how the downtown area has changed over time. Lace up your walking shoes and get to know the people and historic businesses behind today’s well-known buildings. This tour will begin at John Rich Park.
Space is limited! Tickets are $15 and must be purchased through Red Wing Community Education. Tickets can be purchased on their website beginning on September 2nd: https://redwing.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/home/
If you have any questions, please contact the Community Ed office at 651-385-4565.

Oakwood Cemetery Walking Tour
2025-10-04 10:30 - 12:00 | Oakwood Cemetery, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
This tour is now SOLD OUT! Thank you for supporting local history!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Explore Red Wing’s Oakwood Cemetery with GCHS and learn more about Red Wing’s past. Walk through one of the cemetery’s most historic sections as we visit the final resting place of some of the most notable names in Red Wing. You will also learn about Victorian mourning customs, tombstone symbolism, and what life was like for 19th century Red Wing residents.
Space is limited! Tickets are $15 and must be purchased through Red Wing Community Education: https://redwing.cr3.rschooltoday.com/public/home/
If you have any questions, please contact the Community Ed office at 651-385-4565.

Free Family Fun Day: Halloween!
2025-10-11 12:00 - 15:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
Come celebrate spooky season at the Goodhue County History Center! You are in for a treat with an afternoon of fun, family-friendly activities! Learn about Halloween traditions, make your own pumpkin lantern, and more. Costumes are encouraged and all kids will receive a goody bag to take home! Plus, join our Community Show-and-Tell by bringing a favorite Halloween photo to share! Best costume? Worst costume? We want to see it! Digital photos can be emailed to education@goodhistory.org and will be on display during the event.
This event is free for all, thanks to our sponsor, Sturdiwheat!

EVENT CANCELLED: Historic Bridges of Southeast Minnesota
2025-10-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Goodhue County History Center, 1166 Oak Street, Red Wing, MN, 55066, United States
EVENT CANCELLED: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the speaker had to cancel his History Break presentation on October 15th. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you are interested in this topic, Steve Gardiner’s book, Historic Bridges of Southeast Minnesota is available in the museum gift shop.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Minnesota is often called the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but it could also be called the Land of 20,000 Bridges. During the early days of the state, the Mississippi River and its many tributaries barred and disrupted transportation and commerce. To span these obstacles, communities battled to build and maintain bridges. Their efforts created a variety of bridge designs and purposes–from small hiking and biking bridges to concrete beams across rural rivers. Across the area, one can behold wonders like the beautiful Stone Arch Bridge, the La Crescent Swing Bridge, the Point Douglas Drawbridge, the elegant Winona Main Channel Bridge as well as other massive structures crossing the Mississippi. During the presentation, Steve Gardiner will share stories about these bridges and their impact on Southeast Minnesota.

About the Speaker: Steve Gardiner taught high school English and journalism for 38 years in Wyoming, Peru, and Montana. He was the 2008 Montana Teacher of the Year and holds a Doctorate of Education degree. He has published articles in The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, The Denver Post, PBS NewsHour, Educational Leadership, Phi Delta Kappan, Education Week, and many others. He published his books Historic Disasters in Southeast Minnesota (2022) and Historic Bridges of Southeast Minnesota (2023) with The History Press.
