Douglas County Historical Society

HISTORICAL society

Interested in local history? Visit the Douglas Nelson died in 1923. His will stated that followCounty Historical Society and take a guided ing the death of his daughter, Ida, the house was THE DOUGLAS COUNTY tour of the famous Knute Nelson house, home to be given to the Norwegian Lutheran Church as HISTORICAL SOCIETY of one of Alexandria’s most famous residents. a “home for the aged.” It served in that capacity for was organized in 1976 to discover, Nelson, who served the people of Minnesota 38 years. preserve and disseminate the history in public office for more than 50 years, was electIn 1978, the house was listed on the National of the county and its people. ed to the Minnesota Legislature, and served two terms in the U.S. Congress before becoming the state’s first foreign-born governor. He then served Register of Historic Places. On October 1, 1987, the “Knute Nelson House” became the headquarters of the Douglas County Historical Society. RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC include a research library with church, school, cemetery and family in the U.S. Senate for 28 years. The Douglas County Historical Society is located history files, and microfilm of census

Nelson claimed a homestead in Alexandria in at 1219 Nokomis St. in Alexandria. Office hours are records and area newspapers dating 1871 and built a small house on the property in Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., guided back to 1875. 1874. As his political career progressed, he made additions to the house, adding a formal living room and large bedroom in 1900 and a dining room and kitchen on the main floor and four more bedrooms on the second story in 1915. house tours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call (320) 762-0382, email historic@dchsmn.org or visit www.dchsmn.org. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INCLUDE slide shows of each town in the county, oral history, interviews, a photo collection, materials for identification of significant buildings and sites The Douglas County Historical Society remains closed to the public at this time. in Douglas County, a vintage clothing

They are happy to take research requests via email at historic@dchsmn.org. Be sure to visit the Douglas County Historical Society website at and uniform collection, and county history books.

www.dchsmn.org or its Facebook page for the most recent information on its schedule.