Rice County Historical Museum
History & Heritage ALEXANDER FARIBAULT
Alexander Faribault, an early furtrader, entrepreneur and territorial legislator, founded the town site in 1852 to take advantage of its scenic qualities, abundant resources, and strategic location. In the 1860’s, Faribault gained national recognition as an educational and religious center due in large measure to the efforts of Bishop Henry Whipple in developing a system of interrelated churches and schools. This, along with the establishment of the highly acclaimed State Academies for the Blind and Deaf, led Faribault to be known as “Athens of the West.” Faribault’s home, the first woodframe structure to be built in Rice County, sits on First Avenue NW. It is 4 • Faribault Area Resource Guide
owned and operated as a museum by the Rice County Historical Society.
RICE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Museum 1814 NW Second Ave. 507-332-2121 rchistory.org
The Rice County Historical Society was founded in 1926 with the mission of “discovery, preservation and dissemination of the knowledge of the history of Rice County and the state of Minnesota.” The Historical Society offers a History Camp, one-room school and log cabin experiences for youth, school tours, public programs and
workshops, among other activities. In addition to outreach and public programs, the Rice County Museum of History houses historical displays, a genealogical research center, and an exhibit area. The Museum exhibits include Bishop Henry Whipple, artist Grace McKinstry, Sellner Manufacturing, Heisman Trophy winner Bruce Smith and Native Americans. The museum also displays Main Street U.S.A., which is a timeline of businesses found in many small towns of southern Minnesota. The Historical Society operates the Heritage and Harvest halls that contain displays of farm and industrial items. In addition there are three historic pioneer buildings, which were moved to the museum
