Exploring History and Culture in Central Minnesota – America’s 250: From Founding forward
March Event Series:
March 14 online via Zoom
March 21, 28 in-person
Register for Zoom lecture at mocohistory@gmail.com or call 320-632-4007
Free and open to the public
Who Was in Central Minnesota 250 Years Ago?
Our 2026 events series is “America’s 250: From Founding Forward” to commemorate the semiquincentennial of our nation and broaden our understanding of colonial America. Exploring History and Culture in Central MN is a collaboration by Benton, Morrison, and Stearns county historical museums to bring programming to central Minnesota that furthers our knowledge of not just our own history, but that of other cultures, too.
Much of what Americans are taught about its early history and founding revolves around white male settlers in the British colonies, but that is far from the whole tale. This year’s series takes place on the last three Saturdays of March (14, 21, 28). Each week, a different speaker will present on the peoples and cultures in and around what we now call Minnesota. PLEASE NOTE WHICH EVENTS ARE IN-PERSON OR OVER ZOOM
The first program in the series, “Women of the Fur Trade” will take place March 14. The Morrison County Historical Society will host author Nikki Rajala as she discusses how women contributed to the fur trade in Northern Minnesota and Canada. This lecture will take place at 11 AM over Zoom. To register for this event, email mocohistory@gmail.com or call 320-632-4007.
Benton County Historical Society will host the second lecturer, Dr. Christopher Lehman and his presentation “African American Genealogy” on March 21 at 11 AM. Dr. Lehman has been a professor of social sciences at St. Cloud State University since 2002. He researches, writes, and teaches about African American using genealogy to uncover the lives of those who left few traces. Benton County Historical Society – 202 2nd Ave S, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
The final presentation will be held at Stearns History Museum at 11 AM, titled “Native American History in Minnesota” on March 28 with Dr. Rob Galler of St. Cloud State University. He is a professor, researcher, and writer of Native American history with a focus on the northern plains.
Stearns History Museum – 235 33rd S, St. Cloud, MN 56301
All lectures are free and open to the public. The March 14 Zoom meeting requires registration. To register, contact mocohistory@gmail.com to receive meeting link.
Questions about the series? Contact Amy at the Stearns History Museum,
320-253-8424 or executivedirector@stearns-museum.org