Welcome to the Houston County Historical Society!

Houston County Historical Society Country School Project

Do you have a country school memory you can share? The Society has the history of some of the country schools in Houston County, but it is by no means complete. Please consider sharing your country school memories and photographs. Contact the Society to set up a verbal interview or have a set of questions sent to you to answer. The questions cover basic information, including the district number, location, teachers, years you attended, students in the school, activities and special memories. The Society has the ability to make copies of photographs and documents. Please consider preserving the history of these special institutions by sharing your stories.
The "1982 Houston County History" is available from the Society for the purchase price of $41.50. Minnesota residents add $2.85 for sales tax. Society member price is $37.35 (MN residents add $2.57 for sales tax). If mailed, add $8.00 for shipping and handling. The history includes 1,400 family stories. It also includes county, township, organizations and church histories; plus hundreds of photographs.

The Houston County Historical Society, an all-volunteer organization, provides many services to county residents and visitors. Located by the Houston County Fairgrounds in Caledonia, Minnesota, the Society maintains exhibits in the Main Museum, the Sheldon Presbyterian Church, Flatten-Swenson Pioneer Home, the Mayville Town Hall, the Daley School, and the Ag Machinery Building, that are open during the Society's business hours and by appointment.

Besides the exhibits and artifacts, the Society has extensive resources, including microfilm for Houston County births, deaths and marriages; land and probate records; declarations of intent and naturalization records; county newspapers; Houston County state and federal census; and county Lutheran and Presbyterian church records. Over 20,000 photographs and growing. Our library includes: county histories, plat books and maps, church and community histories, cemetery recordings and records, obituaries, clippings and ephemera files, genealogies, some school, business and church records.

Other exhibits can be found in The Church of the Holy Comforter, Episcopal in Brownsville, and the Christian Bunge Jr. Store in Eitzen. Both are on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Houston County Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution, established in 1948 by Dr. Carleton Qualley, a Spring Grove native, and reorganized in 1960, to preserve and share the history of Houston County. The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Houston County's past through museum exhibits, photographs, research materials, educational programs, tours and historic sites.


Museum Hours

The Society's museum complex by the fairgrounds is open year-round Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and other times by appointment.

The Christian Bunge, Jr. store in Eitzen and The Church of the Holy Comforter, Episcopal in Brownsville are open by appointment.

Visits to all the museums at other times may be made by writing: 104 History Lane, Caledonia, MN 55921, or by contacting one of the directors. Museum telephone: 507-725-3884.