Big Stone County Museum

Museum in Ortonville, Minnesota

Big Stone County Museum

Big stone benches at museum

Location| 985 US Highway 12, Ortonville, Minnesota United States
Coordinates| 45°17′49″N 96°25′55″W﻿ / ﻿45.29694°N 96.43194°W﻿ / 45.29694; -96.43194
Type| Local history

The Big Stone County Museum is a museum located in Ortonville, Minnesota. The museum preserves and presents the history, culture, and natural heritage of Big Stone County and the surrounding region.[1][2] The museum is located near other historic properties along the shore of Big Stone Lake.[3]

## History and Mission

[edit]

The Big Stone County Museum collects and preserves historical information, buildings, monuments, sites, and trails from Big Stone County. The museum makes these resources available to the public and future generations.[1] The Big Stone County Historical Society governs the museum. The society is responsible for the management, preservation, and presentation of the museum's collections and programs. The society also oversees the collection of genealogy records, historical photographs, the curation of exhibits, and the coordination of public access. The museum operates as a project of the society, which is a nonprofit organization[2]

## Exhibits

[edit]

The museum features a range of exhibits, including:

* Artifacts and fossils from the region[1][2]
* Local genealogy records and historical photographs[2]
* A wildlife museum with a taxidermy collection[2]
* A 1900s boat, church, log cabins, and farm machinery[2]
* Outdoor displays with models of a farmhouse and two log cabins[2]
* A walking trail around a lake, which includes historic displays[2]
* A lookout tower with a view of the Minnesota River Valley[2]

The museum also holds images from several local photographic collections, including the Reed Studio Collection, the A.L. Lee Collection, the Elite Art Studio Collection, the Utley Collection, and the general collection with images from traveling photographer C. I. Angell.[2]

## Facilities & Notable Features

[edit]

The walking trail and outdoor exhibits allow visitors to explore the grounds and view historic structures and artifacts.[1] The site of the museum is associated with local legends, including the story of Paul Bunyan's anchor.[4]

### 1898 District 13 School

[edit]

The 1898 District 13 School is a unique octagonal schoolhouse that was originally located on County Road 25 near Correll, Minnesota. Built in 1898, it is significant as one of the county’s earliest schools and as the first building constructed by a founder of the Carlson-Hasslen Construction Company. The schoolhouse was moved to the Big Stone County Museum, where it is preserved as part of the museum’s outdoor exhibits. The District 13 School allows visitors to explore the educational environment of rural Minnesota at the turn of the twentieth century and serves as a physical reminder of the county’s commitment to public education.[5]

### Charles Hanson Wild Life Display building

[edit]

Charles Hanson Wild Life Display building

The building is a key feature of the museum. This building houses the Charles Hanson North American Wildlife Collection, which consists of a large number of taxidermy specimens representing waterfowl and other birds from North America.[3][6]

The collection is displayed inside the former Artichoke Lake Trading Post, a one-room building constructed in 1927 and originally owned by Charles Hanson's uncle. Charles Hanson, a local farmer, assembled the wildlife collection over many years. When his collection grew to more than 500 species, he donated it to the Big Stone County Historical Society. The society then moved both the collection and the historic building to the museum grounds in Ortonville.[7]

### Engebrecht Peterson Log Cabin

[edit]

The Engebrecht Peterson log cabin is one of the historic structures relocated to the Big Stone County Museum grounds. Originally situated in Bonanza, Big Stone County, the cabin was moved to the museum to help preserve and interpret the region’s pioneer heritage.[8][9][1] The log cabin represents the type of early housing built by settlers in western Minnesota and provides visitors with a tangible example of the living conditions and construction methods used during the settlement period.

## Gallery

[edit]

* Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church museum

* Engebrecht Peterson log cabin and 1898 District 13 School

* District No. 13 School

## See also

[edit]

* List of museums in Minnesota

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "Big Stone County Historical Museum | Explore Minnesota". www.exploreminnesota.com. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Big Stone County Historical Society Museum | Minnesota Digital Library". mndigital.org. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
3. ^ a b "Sites Along the Byway". Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
4. ^ "Sites Along the Byway". Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
5. ^ Granger, Susan (May 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form: District 13 School" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2014-01-24.
6. ^ "Historical / Cultural Sites | Minnesota River Basin Data Center". mrbdc.mnsu.edu. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
7. ^ "Big Stone County Museum". MNbump. 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
8. ^ Log cabin moved to Museum from Bonanza. Big Stone County Historical Society, 985 U.S. Highway 12, Ortonville, Minnesota 56278. c. 1900.
9. ^ "Log cabin moved to museum from Bonanza, Big Stone County, Minnesota". collection.mndigital.org. Retrieved 2025-05-06.