Preserving the Past by Pat Mulso

We hope you enjoyed the Fifth Annual Taste of Heritage held April 5 at the Northbridge Mall. We want to say a special thank you to all the exhibitors, everyone that provided entertainment and all the individuals that volunteered their time to make the day a huge success. The museum will be the home for the flags purchased for this event. We will be locating them near our immigration exhibit so you can enjoy seeing them throughout the year.

We are in the process of finding places to display the many framed photos donated to the museum by Kevin Savick. There are photographs from all around the county, businesses and scenes that are bound to spark the interest of our visitors. We also recently received a Lloyd Herfindahl Mural, “A Century of Service,” and we have it displayed in the lobby on the upper level of the new addition. The walls of the new archive area are completed and the doors are installed. We will soon reopen the area on the lower level of the museum that houses the medical exhibits, printing presses and additional military exhibits that have been closed for nearly a year.

The date for the annual Tour Guide Orientation at the Freeborn County Historical Museum is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 17. If you are interested in being a tour guide, please call the museum at 507-373-8003. We have many school tours already scheduled for May. This is a great opportunity to share history with our younger generation.

The annual spring cleanup day for the Historical Museum Village is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to noon April 19. If you are able to help, please call the museum and give your name and phone number. We will supply the cleaning supplies, but bring gloves if you so desire. Many hands make this task a manageable task.

The museum will be hosting a four-hour defensive driving class on from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. May 20. The cost is $20 for AARP members and $25 for nonmembers, and that includes an administrative fee. You must pre-register for the class by calling 507-373-8003 or stopping by the museum during our regular hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The April class is from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. April 17.

The Freeborn County Genealogical Society will have their meeting at 7 p.m. April 14 at the museum. There is a short business meeting followed by refreshments and a program. Members and visitors are welcome. The Genealogical Society is having a Swiss Steak Fundraiser at the American Legion from 4:30 to 7 p.m. May 1. The cost is $9. Tickets are available from any member or at the door the night of the dinner.

Watch for my next article in two weeks to read about the results of the DNA test that will tell if the family line that I have located is indeed the missing link in our family that has been missing for 164 years! Have a great week, a happy Easter and remember, what happens today is history tomorrow!