Hormel Historic Home

06/02/2026

Exciting News!!! ✨ Our stage is in progress!! 🎼

🎼 If you attended any of our Music at the Mansion Summer Concerts last season, you will recall our Executive Director starting to raise funds for a new stage to be built in the Peace Garden.

Thanks to a generous donation from Hormel Foods Charitable Trust we were able to start the project!! 💓 We're still in need of general donations towards the overall project and specifically towards: wicker chairs or wooden rocking chairs, shrubbery, window boxes, flowers, and lighting.

🛠 Stay tuned as we continue to share the progress; 🤞 fingers crossed it's ready for our first concert!!

❤️ If you are interested in making a donation towards any of these items or if you know someone who has something that may be part of the aesthetic vision for the project, please reach out to our Executive Director, Cindy, at 507-433-4243 or [email protected].

🎼🎺🎷 We're ONE week away from kicking off this year's season featuring Uptown Jazz at Music at the Mansion Summer Concert Series on June 8, 2026!! A reminder that garden gates open at 6pm for food and beverage purchases, free concert begins at 7pm. Bring your own chair (and a friend!).

06/01/2026

Whew! 🙃 Where did May go?! 😵‍💫 Better yet...where did April go?! We're still sharing all the things we've had going on lately! 🃏 In late April we hosted our Spring Card/Game Playing Luncheon & Party in memory of a wonderful volunteer, team members, and board member, Anita Ulwelling! Here's some photos we captured throughout the day. 🥰

😍 Thank you to all who joined us for this annual 🌷 spring fundraiser for the Hormel Historic Home! We had several new groups join us from around the region!!

🍽 The menu featured: a preset appetizer for attendees to enjoy as they were seated then they were served Cindy's Apple Almond Chicken Salad served on a Fresh Baked Croissant, Watergate Salad, and a Pickle. Dessert was individual Lemon Lovers Cake. 🍮

📆 We hope you enjoyed the day and be sure to put ✨August 5, 2026✨ on your calendar for our ✨NEW✨ Summer Card/Game Playing Luncheon & Party!!

05/31/2026

We're in the midst of spring, and if you missed the tulips...here they are! 🌷

🏛️ Take the time to take a tour of this historic mansion! The gardens will welcome you as you wander up the front steps and into the large front door. Our team greets you as you step into and experience history! Your self-guided tour can begin with a historic timeline of the mansion or you can choose to explore completely on your own; either option includes a room-by-room booklet that showcases the history and artifacts in every nook and cranny of the first and second floors.

🚗 Plan your next adventure in Southern Minnesota right here in Discover Austin, Minnesota.

05/30/2026

🚌 As schools end their year, we're reminiscing about the last week or so of field trip experiences held earlier this spring! March 23 we continued our Field Trip Season by welcoming 43 Austin Public Schools Southgate Elementary School 2nd Graders for our 'History for Half Pints' Field Trip Experience!!

✨ 2nd Grader quote of the day: "I love how the curtains matched the wallpaper in the Sitting Room!!" 🤩

🙌 Thank you to our partners and friends at Matchbox Children's Theatre of Austin MN for working so hard with us to create and execute curriculum-based Field Trip Experiences!!! 🏛️ And thank you to Hormel Historic Home volunteer Kathy, and our team members for your hard work with this integral part of our Education Mission!!

🏛 Activities included: Stepping back in time 101 years to 1924 for a Century of Progress Tour with the Hormel Family's House Maid, Emma Julson I Drawing Their Future Self I Time Capsules with a Letter to My Future Self and a Letter from Someone Special

🚌 If you have a 2nd Grader who attended Southgate Elementary School...we hope they let you know about their exciting field trip at the Hormel Historic Home!

✨ Did you know: When you support us with an annual membership ❤ or host a meeting or special event at the Hormel Historic Home, YOU help make these curriculum-based educational field trip experiences possible?! Because of our community's support, we were able to expand our Education Mission and add to to our list of participating schools this year! Let us know if you have an event coming up...we'll make it easy to plan.

05/29/2026

We were saddened to learn that one of our past board members passed away earlier this month. Rest in Peace Lana! 🕊️

One of our favorite memories Lana was when she volunteered to lead one of our field trip experience activities. Growing up on the farm, she had such wonderful descriptive memories to share with students and easily related it to the era of the Hormel Family and how they lived their lives here.

After retiring from our Board of Directors, Lana donated an antique radio to our collection; it's currently on display in the Library.

We send our deepest condolences to her family and friends. ❤️ She most definitely will be missed.

Read more about her treasured life in her obituary:

Lana Lyn Epley, age 78, of River Falls, Wisconsin, formerly of Austin, Minnesota, passed away Thursday, May 7, 2026, at her home.

05/26/2026

🚧 Road construction began early this morning on 4th Ave. NW as sewer repairs are needed across the street from the mansion; this is anticipated to last throughout week. ❤ Our Red Cross Blood Drive at the Hormel Historic Home is still on schedule today despite the construction! 👣 Walk-ins are available, so stop by to donate blood and say hello!

✨ Tickets for Evening of Empowerment are on sale until NOON tomorrow, May 27...if you haven't purchased yours yet, please do so we can finalize seating layout and food and beverage amounts.

🏛 Our self-guided tour hours are back to their regular schedule this week and next week! Take a tour of the mansion; 10am-4pm (last tour begins at 3:15pm) May 26-29 and June 2-5, 2026. $5 per adult, kids tour for free with paid adult admission.

05/25/2026

Today we remember all those who sacrificed, fought, and served for our freedom. 🇺🇲

They gave the ultimate sacrifices for us to have what we have today. It's important we continue to talk about those we lost, it's our duty to ensure they are never forgotten and that their names stay alive within our history.

🇺🇲 All gave some, some gave all. Remember them this Memorial Day.

05/24/2026

We recently hosted the Y's Women Club for their annual Spring Luncheon. ❤️ Their guest speaker was the owner of Rose Creek Honey 🍯; even some of our team members learned more about bees and honey during the presentation!

🍽 They met with our Executive Director and Chef, Cindy, to design their menu of: Spinach Salad with Strawberries 🍓, Salmon with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce 🍋, and Peach Cobbler. 🍑

🏛 These women have supported our organization in many different ways over the years and always find fun things to do together around the community. ❤️ We're always thrilled to have them visit and host their meetings or seasonal luncheons with our organization.

🥰 If you're looking for a club to join, they're always looking to add new members to this wonderful group of ladies! Reach out to us and we'll put you in contact with them.

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Matthew & Re*****on who were married in our Peace Garden today!!! ❤️

❤️ Thank you for being such a wonderful couple to work with in planning your wedding all the way from Hawaii!!

❤️ We hope you enjoy every moment of this day as the celebration continues into the evening in our Carriage Hall Event Center - and we wish you a lifetime of happiness!!