MORRISON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

THE MORRISON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (MCHS) IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO COLLECTING, PRESERVING AND SHARING MORRISON COUNTY HISTORY. IT OWNS AND OPERATES THE CHARLES A. WEYERHAEUSER MEMORIAL MUSEUM IN LITTLE FALLS, MN.ON JANUARY 16, ALESHA OUREN FILLED THE MUSEUM MANAGER POSITION AFTER WORKING THROUGH THE LAURA JANE MUSSER GRANT PHOTO PROJECT. SHE WAS PAID WITH FUNDS FROM THE MUSSER GRANT UNTIL IT DEPLETED IN MAY, AND SHE BEGAN RECEIVING PAYROLL.THE PLANS FOR MCHS'S RIVERBANK RESTORATION PROJECT WENT INTO MOTION EARLY 2025. THE FIRST ROUND OF BIDS FROM MARCH 17 WERE REJECTED, ALL OVER $1 MILLION, THEN THE BOARD ACCEPTED THE PACKAGE FROM SUNRAM CORPORATION OF CORCORAN, MN AFTER THE SECOND ROUND OF BIDS. THE PLANS TO REPLACE THE ROOF ALSO WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2025. THE BOARD ACCEPTED A BID FROM THE EQUITY BUILDERS & CONSTRUCTION SERVICES ON MAY 27.MCHS CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MORRISON COUNTY FAIR. OUR EXHIBIT AT THE SANTA HOUSE THIS YEAR FOCUSED ON MORRISON COUNTY IN THE 1980S. THE OVERALL RECEPTION WAS INCREDIBLY POSITIVE, WITH GUESTS SHARING THEIR OWN MEMORIES OF THE 80S.2025 WAS MCHS'S THIRD YEAR PARTICIPATING IN THE CHARMED BIKE RIDE AS PART OF VISIT LITTLE FALLS. CHILDREN WHO COLLECT CHARMS FROM EVERY LOCATION ARE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING TO WIN A BIKE FROM A LOCAL BIKE SHOP. CARRIED OUT A PHASE III ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY ON OUR PROPERTY AFTER DISCOVERY OF NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIFACTS ON THE PROPERTY, REQUIRED BY THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS BEFORE THE RIVERBANK PROJECT COULD BEGIN.IN JULY 2025, MCHS OPENED A TEMPORARY EXHIBIT OF PHOTOGRAPHS UP AND DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WITH ASSOCIATED POEMS CALLED "THE RIVER CONNECTS US." THIS WAS ON DISPLAY THROUGH AUGUST. HOSTED OUR ANNUAL MEETING AT HOLY FAMILY CHURCH IN BELLE PRAIRIE WITH GUEST SPEAKER NIKKI RAJALA ON SEPTEMBER 25, AND LECTURES ON WOMEN AND THEIR ROLES IN THE FUR TRADE.MCHS RECEIVED A COLLECTIONS DONATION OF FATHER PIERZ MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL, ACTIVE FROM 1952-1968, SENIOR CLASS PHOTOS, NEARLY EVERY COLLAGE. AN EXHIBIT DISPLAYING THE CLASS PHOTOS, ALONG WITH ARTICLES ABOUT SCHOOL ACTIVITIES PUBLISHED IN THE PIERZ JOURNAL, OPENED IN EARLY OCTOBER TO GREAT ACCLAIM FROM THE COMMUNITY. THE EXHIBIT WILL BE ON DISPLAY THROUGH MARCH.CONSTRUCTION ON BOTH THE RIVERBANK AND ROOF BEGAN THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 14. THE ROOF WAS FINISHED WITHIN TWO WEEKS, AND THE RIVERBANK WORK WENT ON UNTIL THE FIRST SNOWFALL. WORK WILL RESUME IN THE SPRING.2025 WAS MCHS' SECOND YEAR PARTICIPATING IN THE LITTLE FALLS CHRISTMAS TOURS AS THE NUTCRACKER SUITE. OUR NUTCRACKER COLLECTION GROWS, WITH BOARD AND STAFF BRING IN MORE. THIS YEAR, WE STAYED OPEN ON SUNDAY FOR BOTH WEEKENDS. WE RECEIVED A STEADY FLOW OF ATTENDANCE, TOTALING 301 VISITORS. THE EXHIBIT WILL BE ON DISPLAY THROUGH THE END OF JANUARY 2026.MCHS STAFF ASSISTED ON AND OFF-SITE RESEARCHERS IN ANSWERING THEIR RESEARCH QUESTIONS.MAINTAINED AN ACTIVE ONLINE PRESENCE VIA OUR BLOG/WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, AND YOUTUBE.GREW THE MCHS COLLECTIONS THROUGH DONATIONS FROM MEMBERS AND FRIENDS.NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN 2025: 160NUMBER OF COLLECTIONS DONORS: 35NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS: 75NUMBER OF VISITORS: 2,707NUMBER OF WEBSITE VISITORS: 122,378