Morrison County Historical Society

Morrison County Historical Society The Morrison County Historical Society is devoted to preserving and sharing the history of Morrison County, Minnesota. MCHS owns & operates The Charles A.

Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum in Little Falls, MN. The Morrison County Historical Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization that is dedicated to the preservation and sharing of the history of Morrison County, Minnesota. The Morrison County Historical Society owns and operates The Charles A. Founded in 1936 during the Great Depression, MCHS was the outgrowth of a Works Progress Admini

stration (WPA) project to collect biographies from individuals living in the county at the time. These WPA biographies formed the basis for MCHS’s collection, which has grown considerably since its founding. The Weyerhaeuser Museum was designed by architect Foster Dunwiddie to blend in with its natural surroundings on the high bank of the Mississippi River on the southwest edge of town. The building was meant to capture the history of the county through its use of wood (in honor of the lumber industry), slate (found by the Little Falls dam), and yellow brick (manufactured in the brickyards that were west of town). Foster Dunwiddie took his inspiration for the museum’s design from the officers’ quarters and Old Fort Ripley. The museum opened in 1975. Exhibits within the Weyerhaeuser Museum showcase various aspects of Morrison County’s rich and varied history. There’s always something new happening at the museum or our online venues, whether programs, classes, exhibits or events. Tours for visitors are self-guided, so stop in during our open hours to see what’s going on, do some research on your family or county history, or just to enjoy the scenery. The Morrison County Historical Society and Weyerhaeuser Museum are located on the southwest edge of Little Falls, Minnesota, at 2151 South Lindbergh Drive. Check our website for current museum hours: https://morrisoncountyhistory.org/. NOTE: If you want to offer a Facebook fundraiser to benefit MCHS, please call museum staff at 320-632-4007 to let us know so we can acknowledge the donors. Thanks!

The Spring 2026 edition of the MCHS newsletter is in the mail.  If you are a supporter, watch for you copy in the upcomi...
05/28/2026

The Spring 2026 edition of the MCHS newsletter is in the mail. If you are a supporter, watch for you copy in the upcoming days. Want to get your own copy? See the link in the comments.

Each edition features articles about local history, fun images, excerpts from local newspapers, and updates about museum activities.

Summer is upon us, which means community festival season is here.  We are looking forward to acknowledging these local e...
05/27/2026

Summer is upon us, which means community festival season is here. We are looking forward to acknowledging these local events as the summer months progress:
June 11-14 -- Motley Fair
June 25-28 -- Morrison Co Fair, Little Falls, MN
June 27 -- Independence Day Celebration, Randall
July 5 -- Bowlus Fun Day
July 10 - 12 -- Mid-Summer Carnival, Swanville
July 17-18 -- Freedom Fest (held at the Fairgrounds)
July 25 -- Platte River Days, Royalton
August 8 -- Upsala Heritage Days
August 28-29 -- Harding Days
August 28-29 -- Oktoberfest, Pierz

[Image -- Morrison County Record ad for the Randall Independence Day celebration, 1985.]

Wishing a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day to all of our friends and supporters.  In 1966, the day was still officially c...
05/25/2026

Wishing a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day to all of our friends and supporters.

In 1966, the day was still officially celebrated on May 30. It did not move to the fourth Monday in May until 1971 as a part of the Uniform Holiday Act of 1968.

These images are from the May 25, 1966 Upsala News-Tribune, showing the activities scheduled there for the day.

In 1898, Little Falls held a "Patriotic Ball" at Maurin Hall on 1st St NE to commemorate Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy...
05/23/2026

In 1898, Little Falls held a "Patriotic Ball" at Maurin Hall on 1st St NE to commemorate Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy this long weekend as much as Miss C liked dancing with the owner of this card

In 2003, MCHS sent volunteers to photograph 'uncommon' places and things throughout the county. 20 years later, I was ta...
05/22/2026

In 2003, MCHS sent volunteers to photograph 'uncommon' places and things throughout the county. 20 years later, I was tasked with sorting every single picture. This is what I learned

Back in October 2024, MCHS enlisted me to create a comprehensive database for their Uncommon Focus collection. The project began in 2003 with the goal of collecting photos of places and objects in …

If you look through the sports section of "Little Falls Daily Transcript" newspapers from the 1970s, you'll find some in...
05/21/2026

If you look through the sports section of "Little Falls Daily Transcript" newspapers from the 1970s, you'll find some interesting words used for athletes that are nonexistent today. Do you know what sports they're talking about?

Thank you Mark Slupe for this fantastic look at Hennepin Paper Company, a mainstay of industry on the west side for deca...
05/20/2026

Thank you Mark Slupe for this fantastic look at Hennepin Paper Company, a mainstay of industry on the west side for decades.

The Hennepin Paper Company of Little Falls, MN, was an important part of life for more than 100 years.

PARKING LOT UPDATE -- REDUXKnife River will be laying the final lift on the lot tomorrow -- Wednesday, May 20.  Striping...
05/19/2026

PARKING LOT UPDATE -- REDUX

Knife River will be laying the final lift on the lot tomorrow -- Wednesday, May 20. Striping will follow shortly after that. The lot will be inaccessible for both Wednesday and Thursday. Patron parking will be across the street at the former Smuda property.

We again appreciate your patience as this work progresses.

These pictures come from our 2003 Uncommon Focus project, but they could easily have been from this week with one of Min...
05/16/2026

These pictures come from our 2003 Uncommon Focus project, but they could easily have been from this week with one of Minnesota's favorite seasons, fishing season, is in full swing. Good luck to anyone out on the water!

As school is winding down let's look back on the curriculum from over 80 years ago. There's interesting classes like Lat...
05/15/2026

As school is winding down let's look back on the curriculum from over 80 years ago. There's interesting classes like Latin, Bookkeeping, and Pre-Flight, but the grading system is the craziest! Below 95 was a B, and below 75 was failing, could you imagine?

PARKING LOT UPDATEThe initial coat was put down yesterday (Wednesday).  As a result no access can be permitted for today...
05/14/2026

PARKING LOT UPDATE

The initial coat was put down yesterday (Wednesday). As a result no access can be permitted for today (Thursday). We will take the cones down on Friday morning and parking will be allowed for the weekend.

The final lift will be put down, weather permitting, on Monday. Striping will take place shortly after that.

Thank you for your ongoing patience as we get through this project.

Address

2151 South Lindbergh Drive, PO Box 239
Little Falls, MN
56345

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+13206324007

Alerts

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