Events
The Carlton County Historical Society hosts several events throughout the year. Check this website, local newspapers events listings, or our Facebook page to see what's coming up next.
Upcoming Events
Women's History Affinity Group Meeting
August 7th, 5-6:30pm at CCHS
If the amazing response to our first Women's History Tea is an indicator, this is a group you will want to be part of! Good conversation, good food and drink, lots of fun!
Join a group of local women's history fans to plan future stories, events, presentations and displays. One idea that we're talking about is an essay contest for local junior and senior high school students that answers this question: ‘List three women alive today that you think will be influential for future generations. Why did you choose these women?'
The CCHS Women’s History Affinity Group hopes to enhance our understanding of women's role in local history and celebrate connections between their lives and ours. Invite anyone else who may be interested! Please register (so we know how many goodies to make) by calling (218) 879-1938 or with this QRC or link https://givebutter.com/KIQwnH.
See you there!
Night at the Museum
October 31st: Updates to come!
Come for a tour of the museum at night and take a walk through the haunted hallway in the basement...if you dare!
Holiday Tea
December: Updates to come!
Tea and goodies at the Historic Scott House for members of CCHS. RSVP required
Thank You For Coming!
Get Cranky!
July 21st
Don't get mad, get ice cream! Mark your calenendars for National Ice Cream Day! CCHS wants to mark the day with hand-cranked ice cream and YOU!
Submit your recipes and help us turn the crank! Try a variety of flavors while playing yard games, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and listening to live music! All are welcome!
Enjoy all the fun and flavor for $10 at the door or purchase tickets online!
WANTED!
Hand-crank ice cream freezers. Do you have one collecting dust in your attic or basement? We need eight for our Get Cranky Ice Cream Social on National Ice Cream Day, July 21, 2024. We hope to make this an annual event. We welcome donations of your old machines, cash donations to purchase new hand-crank ice cream makers, or even just the loan of your machine for the day.
Cloquet Riverfront Signage Ribbon Cutting Ceremony July 17, 2024.pdfClick on the image above to read more about it!
Cultural Riverfront Signage Brochure.pdfRiverfront Signage Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Celebrate Cultural Legacy
The City of Cloquet and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa proudly announce a momentous occasion: The Riverfront Signage Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. The event will take place at the Dunlap Island Shelter in Dunlap Park, Cloquet, regardless of weather conditions. The ceremony marks the culmination of a collaborative effort between the City of Cloquet and the Fond du Lac Band, showcasing a rich tapestry of cultural heritage and historical significance. Join us as we unveil the vibrant cultural signage that reflects the deep-rooted history and traditions of this land.
The program will include:
1. Honor Song
2. Pipe Invocation Ceremony
3. Warm Words of Welcome
4. Acknowledgment of the Blandin Foundation's Support
5. Representation from the Fond du Lac Reservation Tribal Council
6. Reflections from the Carlton County Historical Society
7. Reflections and involvement of the Fond du Lac Language and Culture Program
8. Reflections from Project Consultants: 106 Group and Full Circle Planning
9. Ceremony Closure City Councilor Jaakola
Women's History Affinity Group Planning Meeting
June 26, 5-6:30pm at CCHS
If the amazing response to our first Women's History Tea is an indicator, this is a group you will want to be part of! Good conversation, good food and drink, lots of fun!
Join a group of local women's history fans to plan future stories, events, presentations and displays. One idea that we're talking about is an essay contest for local junior and senior high school students that answers this question: ‘List three women alive today that you think will be influential for future generations. Why did you choose these women?'
The CCHS Women’s History Affinity Group hopes to enhance our understanding of women's role in local history and celebrate connections between their lives and ours. Invite anyone else who may be interested! Please register (so we know how many goodies to make) by calling (218) 879-1938 or with this QRC or link https://givebutter.com/KIQwnH.
See you there!
Honoring a Civil War Veteran
SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR
LAST CIVIL WAR SOLDIER DEDICATION
Recognizing Charles B. Oswell
Aitkinson Community Cemetery, Aitkinson, Carlton County, MN.
June 1st, 2024, 3:00 pm
Charles B. Oswell, the last Civil War veteran buried in Carlton County Minnesota, who died at age 91 in 1938, will be honored in a ceremony at 3:00 PM on Saturday, June 1st, 2024, at Aitkinson Community Cemetery in Aitkinson, MN. The ceremony is open to the public, veterans, and Civil War history buffs. Private Oswell’s descendants are most cordially invited to attend as special guests.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) Camp 56 is conducting the ceremony with the assistance of the Cloquet Combined Veterans Honor Guard. Camp 56 of the SUVCW, did extensive research to find this last American Civil War hero. There were seventeen Civil War Veterans known to be buried in Carlton County in the SUVCW National Database. Now we know of twenty-seven Perhaps there are more. Research will continue! Charles B. Oswell enlisted into Company C, of the 14th New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry Regiment on 15 February 1865. He served with his regiment WHILE SERVING IN Provost duties in Savannah, Georgia; The march to Augusta, and return to Savannah in June 1865. The regiment lost 8 officers and 63 enlisted men killed or died from wounds; and 4 officers and 151 enlisted men who died of disease. Charles Oswell was mustered out on 8 July 1865 at Savannah, Georgia.
Points of Contact: Jim Johnson, Junior Vice Commander & Researcher, SUVCW, William Colvill Camp #56 in MN, jimmyjr245@charter.net SUVCW Dept of WI: http://www.suvcw-wi.org/index2.html William Colvill Camp 56: www.facebook.com/groups/462794330726
Roundabout Art Tour
Saturday, May 4th from 10-4.
Visit 14 venues from Carlton, Cloquet, Esko, and more! CCHS will have one-of-a-kind art on display from our collection. We have drawings, paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, and more!
Annual Meeting
Thank you to everyone who attended the annual meeting! it was wonderful to see everyone and celebrate our 75th anniversary. Shout out to Room at the Table for the delicious food. Congrats to all the silent auction winners! Thank you for your support!
Tea and Garden Party
This March, we are celebrating local women at the Oldenburg House and the Carlton Green House. Enjoy tea, goodies, and conversation at the Oldenburg House, then move across the street to make flower arrangements at the Carlton Green House.
SOLD OUT!
Mojakka Cook Off
Winners of the Mojakka Cook-Off !
1st: #1 Jim Vnuk with "Roaring Good Mojakka" (award accepted on his behalf by Terry Vagle and Jackie Skille pictured here)
2nd: #8 Peggy VanHoever with "Lemon Roasted Chicken"
3rd: #9 Deb Peterson with "Deb's Boiled Dinner"
Thank you so much for coming!
Book Talk
February 10th at 10:30, CCHS Building.
Katharine Johnson’s book talk is about how she finds characters to people her stories and how her protagonists struggle with abandonment, loss of voice, and finding self as they journey to find their place in their world. She prefers to write historical fiction and magical realism and sometimes manages to blend the two. Before retirement, she taught Spanish and English at Cloquet Senior High as well as serving as Library-Media Specialist for a dozen years.
The Wind and the Drum, her first novel was the 2018 One Book Northland. Born in a Red Canoe was honored as a finalist for the 2023 Minnesota Book Award.
Her other books are: The Mukluk Ball (2018 Minnesota Historical Press), Sylvie’s Silence (2022), and Born of an Eclipse (2023).
Spanning a Century: The Rise and Fall of the Swinging Bridge by Kris Hiller
For 100 years visitors to the park have laughed, screeched, and silently held their breath as they cross the iconic Swinging Bridge. And for all that time we have been building new bridges when it loses its battle with nature. Join park naturalist, Kristine Hiller, as she shares the stories of the Swinging Bridge through photos, blueprints, and rarely seen videos of its early years.
Santa's Home for the Holidays
December 2nd, 2-5pm
Stop in and warm up with some coffee and apple cider and make some crafts! Do some of your holiday shopping with us! We have new books by local authors and pre-wrapped gifts!
Holiday Tea
December 7th, 1:30- 3:30
We had such a great time at the Scott house last year for our tea party that we thought we should do it again! Meet us at the Historic Scott House for tea, cider, and desserts!
Please register for this fundraiser by calling or emailing us to reserve your place.
Tickets: $25
Seating is limited to 20 guests.
Members Holiday Party
December 14th, 5-7 pm
This members only event will take place at CCHS and will include a charcuterie board, hot appetizers, beer, wine, and music!
Small Business Saturday-Meet Katharine Johnson
November 25th we will be open from 10am to 2pm. All books will be 10% off!
Local author Katharine Johnson will be here selling and signing her books to celebrate her new book Born of an Eclipse! She writes historical fiction based on the traditions and folklore of the Sami people. Don't miss out!
Cloquet's Beginings
November 14th, 10:30-12:00
$5 per person
Please register for this event by contacting us by phone or email.
Our director Carol Klitzke will present a historic "tour" of early Cloquet by showing photos of early prominent houses, and businesses and describing what life in Cloquet used to look like before the fire.
Coffee provided!
Halloween Night!
Walk through the haunted museum, laboratory, and spider nest, and get a treat at the end! Open to all ages, adults and children from 4-6 pm.
Cloquet Hospital Craft Fair
Come support CCHS, CMH, and local artists at the craft fair on October 20th and 21st 9 am- 2 pm! We will have books and items from our gift shop for sale.
Julius Berg Baumann: September 30 Celebration of a Poet
Julius Berg Baumann (1869-1923) was a well-known Norwegian-American poet. He worked for the timber industry in Wisconsin and Minnesota and settled in Carlton County where he was elected register of deeds from 1910 until the end of his days. He wrote over 250 poems in Norwegian, celebrating such topics as family, friends, Christmas, love, hope for peace, the beauty of the seasons, and the memories and experiences of Norwegian Americans. Baumann’s books of poems were well-received in the US and Norway, winning praise from friends and strangers alike, including Ole E. Rølvaag (author of Giants in the Earth). After Baumann died, the national Sons of Norway organization erected over his grave a large monument bearing his portrait in bronze—a unique tribute to his gifts.
On Saturday September 30, at 11 AM, Cloquet’s Sons of Norway Heimsyn Lodge and the Carlton County Historical Society are hosting a celebration of Baumann with Dr. Lawrence Moe. This free event will take place at the CCHS, 406 Cloquet Ave, Cloquet, MN. Afterward, attendees are invited to gather at the Baumann Monument in Cloquet’s Hillcrest Cemetery.
Dr. Moe is Professor Emeritus of English at Metropolitan State University, Twin Cities. A scholar of poetry, Professor Moe has studied the early folk poetry of the Red River Valley, collecting and analyzing thousands of poems from that region. He has shared his research in poetry through over 300 scholarly and community presentations, on television, and in publications.
Open House
August 5th 10-11:30
We were unable to celebrate the centennial of the building in 2020 due to COVID but it's never too late to celebrate!
George Shaw was involved with the first Cloquet public library and the 1884 Cloquet Lumber Company, making him a major figure in the development of Cloquet. His daughters Hattie and Cordelia, made the Shaw Memorial Library a reality after the 1918 fire. Descendants of this crucial historical family are coming from all corners of the United States to visit our building this Saturday, August 5th.
We welcome any community members to come to our open house from 10 to 11:30 AM, visit with the Shaw descendants and tell stories about their time spent in the Shaw Memorial Library. Refreshments will be provided by Room at the Table with music by Spencer Walton. We will host a tour of the building with photos showing what it has looked like throughout its many years of service.
We can't wait to see you there!
Finn Fest
July 26th
Finn Fest is coming to our area! Most of the big events are in Duluth (here is a link to the whole event) but a tour group is visiting our museum! We are still open to the public on this day. Come see our display of Finnish artifacts!
Annual Meeting
The Hebert-Kennedy VFW Post #3979 is named after Wallace and his brother, Jack; both were killed in action in the summer of 1943. Their parents, Edward and Mabel Kennedy, were the first family in Cloquet to lose two children in WWII. Despite losing two sons in a 2-month period, Edward engaged in writing 56 newsy, upbeat letters to the 310 Northwest Paper Company employees serving in the armed forces. Who knows how many lives were saved by this lifeline to home? Wallace was buried in North Africa and did not have a marker in the family plot in Cloquet. VFW Post #3979 saw the need to donate a grave marker for Wallace.
The Annual meeting went great! We had wonderful weather, food, and people. We were joined by descendents of the Kennedy family and the gentlement from the Cloquet VFW as well as our members, volunteers, staff, and friends. We appreciate everyone who came to support CCHS and the family. Thank you!
Wallace Kennedy
Kennedy Family Descendants
Globe given to Edward Kennedy by Northwest Paper.
Quilt Day
March 18th is National Quilting Day!
To celebrate, CCHS and the Cloquet Library will be putting quilts on display!
Here at CCHS, we will display our historic quilts as well as quilts made by members of the Wood City Quilters Guild. Members of the guild will be in our building; excited to answer questions and talk about all things sewing and quilting. the Quilts will be displayed during our regular hours 10-4. This event is for all ages, children included!
Admission is free but donations are appreciated!
Mojakka Cook-Off
The Mojakka cook-off was a huge success! Thank you to all the dedicated Northlanders who dug their way out of the snow and found their way to the Northeastern. Everyone who made soup did a FANTASTIC job! All of the soup was delicious. It was very hard to pick a winner but after votes were counted, the results were:
Third place: John and Kathy Lund with zucchini and pepperoni soup.
Second place: Mark Edwards with a creamy salmon soup.
First place: Laurene Longsyo with Mom's traditional mojakka!
Congratulations!
Thank you so much to all those who attended and made soup! We hope to see you back at the next one!
1st Place: Laurene Longsyo
3rd Place: John and Kathy Lund
2nd Place: Mark Edwards
New Exhibit Presentation
CCHS partnered with the Fond Du Lac Rez Historical Society and revealed a new exhibit featuring birch bark baskets used in making maple syrup.
If you missed us at the presentation, the baskets will be on display in our museum and we will soon be selling the maple syrup from the Spirit Lake Native Farm. Thank you for attending!
Holiday Tea
The Holiday Tea was delightful! We had delicious cookies and cakes that were all made by our volunteer Peggy VanHoever and beautiful vintage Christmas decor set up by the Scott House. The live music and charming house made for an unforgettable tea party. We couldn't have asked for a better evening! Thank you to all those who attended!
Forging Friendships
Thank you to everyone who came to the Forging Friendships event in July! We would love to see you back at the next one!
