Cannon Falls Area Historical Museum

03/31/2026

Join us for opening weekend! 🎉

11/29/2025

🎄 Deck the Falls is almost here! 🎄

The Cannon Falls Area Historical Society Museum will be open from 10 AM - 2 PM this Saturday, Nov. 29th during Deck the Falls...

And we have something special for history lovers and gift-givers alike!

📚 We’ll be selling...

Adventures in Living: A History of Mineral Springs Sanatorium, a collaborative work by local historian Bruce Colwell and designer Mark Heiman.

This beautifully crafted, image-rich book tells the remarkable story of the Mineral Springs Sanatorium and the patients, breakthroughs, and legacy that shaped Cannon Falls’ role in public health history.

It makes a wonderful keepsake for your own collection or a thoughtful coffee table gift for the holiday season! 🎁

💲Book Cost: $24.95 + tax

Stop by the museum, warm up, and take home a piece of Cannon Falls history!

We hope to see you Saturday!

11/25/2025

🎄 Deck The Falls is THIS Saturday, Nov. 29th! 🎄

Friendly reminder to our followers...

Deck The Falls is happening this Saturday, November 29!

Come downtown for holiday lights, community, family activities, and all the festive small-town charm we love

And great news...

📕Adventures in Living: A History of Mineral Springs Sanatorium will be available for purchase at the Cannon Falls Museum during the celebration!

Stop by the museum to purchase your copy of the book

(we've had a lot of people asking where to purchase)

📅 Saturday, Nov. 29
📍 Downtown Cannon Falls
📕 Book purchase at Cannon Falls Area Historical Museum

Bring your family to help kick off the holidays in CF!

(❄️Pics are from Deck The Falls, 2023)

11/03/2025

THANK YOU! 🙏

To the local and regional history enthusiasts...

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s Annual Meeting and book launch of Adventures in Living: A History of Mineral Springs Sanatorium by Bruce Colwell.

Your support helps us preserve and share the stories that make our community so special. 💛

A big thank-you to Bruce Colwell and Mark Heiman for their wonderful presentations and to the Cannon Falls Library for hosting us!

11/02/2025

📌 REMINDER!

Join us today Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 PM at the Cannon Falls Library for the Cannon Falls Area Historical Society Annual Meeting and book launch of Adventures in Living: A History of Mineral Springs Sanatorium by Bruce Colwell.

Hear from Bruce and publisher Mark Heiman as they share the story behind this fascinating piece of local history.

📍 Cannon Falls Library
📅 Sunday, Nov. 2 | 2:00 PM

We hope to see you there...

Bring a friend and celebrate Cannon Falls history with us! 😀❤️

10/27/2025

📚 Cannon Falls Historical Society Annual Meeting & Book Launch!

Join us Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2 PM at the Cannon Falls Library for the CFAHS Annual Meeting & the book launch of Adventures in Living: A History of Mineral Springs Sanatorium by local author Bruce Colwell.

This new, image-rich history shares how Cannon Falls’ own Mineral Springs Sanatorium helped pioneer treatments that changed the fight against tuberculosis in Minnesota and beyond.

Speakers include Bruce Colwell and publisher Mark Heiman, who will discuss the story, research, and creation of this important local history book.

Come join us!

📍 Cannon Falls Library
📅 Sunday, Nov. 2 | 2:00 PM
📧 [email protected]

ALL community members are welcome!

Comment below “✅” to let us know that you’re going 👇

05/09/2025

Do you know why Freeborn Manor, Park Street Apartments and Stoughton Street were named what they are? Here is a little bit of history to better understand how they came to be.
In the spring of 1853, Richard and William Freeborn (father/son) and Dr. Sweney traveled by foot along the Cannon River in search of their friend Edway Stoughton who had ventured up the river in 1851. Dr. Sweney who was intrigued by the native tribes in the area, made an interesting archaeological find and chose to make camp to study the area. Meanwhile, Richard and William continued on their journey. At nightfall, they fished, ate and went to bed on the hard ground. When they arose the next morning, there was a faint rainbow in the sky to the southwest. They followed the rainbow and eventually came upon a waterfall. The waterfall was over 26 feet tall and had a mighty roar. The two men quickly realized this was a promising area of land that could become an industrial center due to the water power and fertile land.
Richard and William proceeded to find Edway Stoughton who followed them back to the falls. Together they built a small cabin. Edway stayed at the cabin while Richard and William traveled back to Red Wing to see if the land could be claimed or if it was treaty land. The land was unclaimed, so Richard took claim. Richard returned to the falls. He and Edway built another cabin on the land, while William and a friend (James McGinnis) hacked out a wagon road so people could travel from Red Wing to the falls.
In July of 1854, William convinced Charles Parks to come visit the falls. Parks also saw the potential of the waterpower and industrialization of the area. He quickly built a log cabin and returned to Red Wing for his family. Mrs. Parks was the first white woman to live in Cannon Falls. Parks states in his journal that although his cabin was only 21 X 16 feet, many nights it was packed wall to wall with travelers resting for the night. Mr Parks was a lawyer and became the first president of the village organization while Mrs. Parks was the first women to open her own millinery business in the village of Cannon Falls.
In summary, credit can be given to Freeborn, Stoughton and Parks for the development of the city, hence having streets or buildings named after them.

09/20/2024

08/01/2024

Come say Hi 🌞 to Jody Friday night at Fun Fest from 🕰5-7:30 at the Cannon Falls Area Historical Museum table!! Help support us by buying a t-shirt👕 or puzzle 🧩

Mill Street will be filled with vendors, food trucks, music, kids finger printing by CF Police, water pumping and spraying by Minnesota Fire Engine Club and then our first ever fiddle contest! There will also be TWO School Supply Drives at Fun Fest. One by Wangen Praire Church and one by United Way. Donations will be collected at their booths. Hang around and watch the Cannon Cruisers Car Cruise cruise past Mill Street a little after 7pm and then pop in to Tilion Brewing Company, LLC for BARGO!

07/19/2024

❓How can you support the Cannon Falls Area Historical Museum
📜 Become a Member
📜Volenteer at the Museum
📜Buy a T-shirt to help support CFAHM
🗣️ Tell others about the Museum
🛑Stop into the Museum Friday's 1-5pm & Saturdays 10am-2pm
https://www.cannonfallsmuseum.org/

07/12/2024

It's going to be a hot 🔥 weekend! Pop into the Cannon Falls Area Historical Museum & 📖 Learn some cool facts about Cannon Falls ☀️
Friday: 🕰1-5pm
Saturday: 🕰10am-2pm
www.cannonfallsmuseum.org