Lake City Historical Society

Lake City Historical Society Our mission is the collection, preservation, and sharing of knowledge about the history of Lake City. Lake City is homeland of the Dakhóta (Dakota) people.

For thousands of years, they have known and treasured this region for its beauty and sustenance. Exploration of the area by Europeans is believed to date to 1654, when French explorers Radisson and Grosseilliers came to the area. The French and British (and later Americans) followed, engaging in exploration, missionary work, and the fur trade. Land, 480 square miles, was set aside in the 1830 Trea

ty of Prairie du Chien as Reservation for descendants of traders and Dakota women. Before land title was settled legally in 1859, settlement began. Jacob Broody was the first to arrive in 1853. Lake City grew rapidly, thanks to the area’s lush soil, the natural beauty of Lake Pepin, and its location on the Mississippi River-the great transportation corridor of the Upper Midwest. The booming city was incorporated in 1872.

When Bill Stiene joined the navy, he didn't expect to be part of the Apollo 11 moon mission recovery team, but on July 2...
08/25/2026

When Bill Stiene joined the navy, he didn't expect to be part of the Apollo 11 moon mission recovery team, but on July 24, 1969, there he was. Occasionally, Lake Citians find themselves witnesses to historical events of national significance. We're working on an exhibit about Bill's experience. Stop by City Hall during Open Hours on Friday, from noon to 3, for a sneak peek.

08/15/2026
The Lake City Historical Society will kick off its House Histories collection effort at our Open Hours Event on Tuesday,...
08/14/2026

The Lake City Historical Society will kick off its House Histories collection effort at our Open Hours Event on Tuesday, September 8 from noon to 3pm in City Hall. The concept is pretty simple. We will supply manila folders labeled with your street address. You supply any copies of photos or documents related to your house and share some stories about your experiences there. This will be a permanent file that you and future homeowners can access to learn more about the history of your home. We plan to kick this off with 3-4 homes that are familiar to us and have the current homeowners there to share additional information and stories for the file. We will continue to promote this and encourage all homeowners to help us build this file. Documents, photos and narrated stories are all welcome. We hope to find out what we will learn if “these walls could talk.”

No Open Hours this week. We'll see you on Friday, August 28, noon-3.
08/10/2026

No Open Hours this week. We'll see you on Friday, August 28, noon-3.

08/09/2026

Upcoming program!

Join Captain Lee Hendrix to explore the Mississippi River through his more than 50 years of firsthand experience. Learn how the historic lock-and-dam system works, how the river is managed, and discover the history and everyday realities of life on the Mississippi River.

Our exhibits are closed until after the Primary Election next week.
08/07/2026

Our exhibits are closed until after the Primary Election next week.

Open for visitors on Friday, noon-3:00, second floor at City Hall. For a conversation starter, here's an image of the H....
07/23/2026

Open for visitors on Friday, noon-3:00, second floor at City Hall. For a conversation starter, here's an image of the H. A. Young residence.

Bill will share stories today at 1:00 in the 2nd floor conference room at City Hall. Astronaut ice cream for all.
07/14/2026

Bill will share stories today at 1:00 in the 2nd floor conference room at City Hall. Astronaut ice cream for all.

Everyone who stops by during Open Hours tomorrow gets to go home with a freeze-dried, ready-to-eat ice cream sandwich. N...
07/13/2026

Everyone who stops by during Open Hours tomorrow gets to go home with a freeze-dried, ready-to-eat ice cream sandwich. Not kidding. We've got enough for all our visitors and then some. Come for eyewitness testimony from a Lake Citian who was on the scene when three astronauts returned to earth after a trip to the moon.

When the crew of the Apollo 11 moon mission returned to earth on July 24, 1969, the Navy ship USS Hornet was assigned to...
07/13/2026

When the crew of the Apollo 11 moon mission returned to earth on July 24, 1969, the Navy ship USS Hornet was assigned to lift the astronauts and capsule out of the ocean. U.S. President Richard Nixon flew in for a visit. Lake City veteran Bill Stiene was there! He'll bring memorabilia and share stories with us on Tuesday at 1:00 during Open Hours. Join us!

Address

P. O. Box 246
Lake City, MN
55041

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

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