Winona County Historical Society

10/20/2026

Did you know? The "land ethic" philosophy of Aldo Leopold, a University of Wisconsin professor in wildlife and ecology management, inspired a local legend. The Wade family first brought Prairie Moon Nursery to life near Winona in 1982, leaning heavily on ecological restoration practices taught by Leopold.

Today, authentic native seeds from Prairie Moon have spread across the United States, restoring native prairie to backyards and national parks alike. They support ecosystem restoration, clean air, clean water, healthy soil, resource conservation, and invasive species prevention.

To read more about Winona County's conservation journey, come see the River Gallery exhibit! Learn more at winonahistory.org.

10/13/2026

10/12/2026

It's Indigenous Peoples' Day!

Winona County Historical Society is honored to house a Native-approved research archive and reference library (in progress!). Thanks to Native Advisory Council members, other Dakota partners, and grant funds from Minnesota Historical Society, we're acquiring print and digital resources for public education centered on local Native communities.

Not all of these resources are available for public access yet, but we're excited to be offering this opportunity in the future! To preview the collection, visit https://mncollections.org/Detail/entities/43197.

10/10/2026

Barnum & Bailey Circus -- "The Greatest Show on Earth" -- visited Winona, Minnesota many times from the 1870s until the 1950s.

The spectacle was something most everyone in town looked forward too. It even prompted the usually-barefoot children to put on shoes -- if you can believe that! The vacant lot that transformed into the circus grounds was so bare and trampled that it was more comfortable to wear shoes than to go without.

10/08/2026

Construction on the old Winona Post Office building in 1890. This downtown icon graced the corner of 4th and Main streets in Winona for over 70 years.

10/06/2026

The Zig-zag Tennis Club in 1887, photographed by Winona Area photographer Charles A. Tenney.

Standing L to R: Benton (??), Maude Laird, Bud Whipple, and Helen Horton.
Seated L to R: Beulah Norton, Neville Staughton, Margaret Lamberton, Bert Norton, John Blunt, Gertrude Keeler, Mame Whipple, and Mathew Norton.

10/04/2026

Hope to see you in the cemetery...er...we mean, see you at the 2026 Cemetery Walk!

Walk Woodlawn Cemetery from 12pm - 4pm TODAY for an outdoor, face-to-face experience with history! It will take you about 2 hours to complete all of the sites in the "Winonans Just Wanna Have Fun" program.

Pay admission at the gate, or skip the line by pre-purchasing your tickets here: https://winonahistory.org/series/voices-from-the-past-performances/

This event is proudly sponsored by Merchants Bank.

10/03/2026

Today's the day!

Walk Woodlawn Cemetery October 3rd & 4th from 12pm - 4pm for an outdoor, face-to-face experience with history! It will take you about 2 hours to complete all of the sites in the "Winonans Just Wanna Have Fun" program.

Pay admission at the gate, or skip the line by pre-purchasing your tickets here: https://winonahistory.org/series/voices-from-the-past-performances/

Hope to see you there!

This event is proudly sponsored by Merchants Bank.

10/03/2026

John Speeter grew up in Wisconsin, the son of German immigrants Nicholas and Katharina Speeter.

After general education, John attended college in Milwaukee. He married Florentine Catherine "Lora" Boehm in 1884. In the same year, the couple moved to St. Charles, Minnesota to open a dry goods store. By 1904, the store had expanded to a new, larger location -- a building that houses the St. Charles post office today.

This postcard from the store documents the growth of the Speeter family, the store, and the town of St. Charles. John passed away in 1932, and his son Walter eventually sold the store to a family from Minneapolis.