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
Bus Trip to MNHS
May 3rd, 8 am to 5 pm
Join us for an exciting day trip to the Minnesota History Museum in St. Paul, where we’ll explore the powerful exhibit Girlhood (It’s Complicated). This immersive experience delves into the ever-evolving journey of girlhood in the United States, featuring over 100 objects from the Smithsonian collection, interactive displays, historic photographs, and more.
The exhibit also features a special section on Girls' Basketball in Minnesota, developed by the Minnesota Historical Society, which highlights the importance of participation, encouragement, and support for women both on and off the court.
Trip Details:
Departure: The coach bus will leave from Cloquet Super One at 8:00 AM sharp, May 3rd.
Museum Visit: You will have from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM to explore the museum and enjoy lunch.
Cost: The cost covers transportation only. Museum entry and lunch are at your own expense (MNHS members get in free).
Return: We’ll depart from the museum at 2:00 PM and return to Cloquet around 4:30 PM.
Don't miss this chance to experience a unique exhibition and gain a deeper understanding of the experiences that shape girls' lives today. We look forward to seeing you there!
Important Notes:
Bring a lunch or plan to purchase something at the museum.
Remember to bring your MNHS membership card if you're a member for free entry.
Dress comfortably for the day’s adventure!
Sign up today and join us for an educational and inspiring day at the museum!
Pint in the Past
May 13th, 6:00 -7:30 pm
Join CCHS for drinks and storytelling at the Streetcar Kitchen and Pub in Carlton! This month the presentation will be on the history of Military Road.
Midsummer Celebration
The Streetcar Kitchen and Pub's Off the Rails woodfire pizza truck will be here to serve our members pizza and drinks. Socialize around the bonfire and bid on the silent auction here at CCHS. Please RSVP by phone or email.
Free admission to members. Not a member? Join us with a $20 annual donation for access to special events and a subscription to our newsletter.
4th of July!
We will be open from 10am -3pm! Stop in after the parade for a free tour and a bottle of water!
Get Cranky!
July 12th, 12-4pm.
We are planning for the next ice cream social! Visit the Get Cranky Page for more info and photos of last year!
Thank You For Coming!
March 29th 2025
Join us from 1 - 4 pm for the second Women's History celebration! Enjoy tea at the Oldenburg House and fresh flower arrangements at The Green House in Carlton. Tickets are $50.
SOLD OUT!
Sew Historic
Thursday, March 27, 2025
6:30-7:30 p.m.
The Sew Historic CCHS Affinity Group kick-off meeting for people interested in historic clothing, sewing, and needlecrafts.
Enjoy a presentation and learn how you can be involved in curating and preserving our collection of historic garments.
How was clothing made before sewing machines became practical and affordable? How were seams finished before the zig-zag stitch was invented? How were garments fastened before the zipper was invented?
CCHS Director will have historic garments on display for you to explore.
3rd Annual Quilting Day Celebration!
Saturday, March 15th is National Quilting Day! To celebrate, we are working with the Wood City Quilters Guild to display quilts made in the community as well as historic quilts from our collection. This year, we also have a new sewing display showcasing patterns and examples of clothing through the decades, sewing tools, and machines.
Free Admission!
Volunteer Orientation
Tuesday, March 18, 10-11 a.m.
Curious about volunteering for CCHS? Just want to talk about local history? Come for coffee and donuts and meet past, current, and future volunteers. Take a look around CCHS, ask questions, and see how you fit!
Members Winter Social
All members are invited to join us at the Streetcar in Carlton for dinner on February 11th, 5-7 pm. We want to celebrate the progress we’ve made in 2024 with the people that made it possible. For $20, each person will have access to the pasta bar with your choice of chicken alfredo or a spaghetti sauce pasta with breadsticks and a salad, and homemade ice cream for dessert! Seats are limited to 50 guests with a current membership status. Tickets are available below or by contacting us by phone or email.
Holiday Tea
December 21st, 1:30-3:30!
Slow down and join the Carlton County Historical Society for an afternoon tea party. Treat yourself to tea, homemade cookies, and soft music all within the charming Historic Scott House.
$25 per person, RSVP required, Limited to 30 guests.
Mail is What They Want Most Presentation
Dec. 9th, 10:30-12
After losing both his sons in combat during World War II, Edward Kennedy of the Northwest Paper Company began writing letters to the men and women on leave from his company for military service. He wrote 57 uplifting 4-page letters and the men and women wrote back! This collection tells about the military service of hundreds of local men and women and describes details of daily life at home. You will learn something you didn’t know - we promise!
Presented by Carol Klitzke, CCHS Director.
This fall's presentations have a World War II theme to celebrate the publication of our newest book, So Long and Best of Luck.
Free! Donations welcome!
Pre-registration is required; due to limited space, we can only welcome 15 attendees to each event. Links to the tickets are provided below.
Santa's Home for the Holidays
Saturday December 7th 2-4:30 p.m.
History, crafts, and a singalong. We invite visitors of all ages to tour the museum, make holiday crafts, and sing along to Christmas carols played on our new acquisition: a 1910 Hamilton upright grand piano.
Black Friday and Small Business Saturday
We will be open from 10-3 each day with 25% off books! (excluding So Long and Best of Luck)
Book Release Party!
We are excited to present our new book So Long and Best of Luck! Please join us on Saturday, November 16th from 3-5 pm at CCHS, for a presentation about the book and apple pie cake, cider, and coffee!
About the book:
After losing both his sons in combat during World War II, Edward Angus Kennedy did something positive with his grief. He took a request from his employer, the Northwest Paper Company of Cloquet, Minnesota, to collect the names and addresses of their employees in military service and turned it into a letter-writing mission. Kennedy wrote newsy, upbeat 4-page letters every two weeks from July 27, 1943, to the end of the war - 57 letters in all. “Mail is what they want most,” he claimed. His letters told of the weather, sports, hunting and fishing, and local happenings. Those receiving the letters wrote back with their news, which Kennedy then shared with the group. The letters served as a lifeline for men and women adapting to new situations far from Cloquet. How many men and women survived the war because they felt connected to home and friends?
The local weekly newspapers gave a snapshot of life at home as residents coped with changing conditions. They tell of rationing, shortages, and the need to keep the three local defense industries functioning.
Together, Kennedy’s letters and the local newspapers tell the unique story of World War II the way it happened, week-to-week, in one small Minnesota community.
Book Talk-Meet Virginia M. Wright Peterson! November 11th, 3-5 pm at the Cloquet Public Library
Virginia M. Wright-Peterson, Ph.D. is committed to researching and sharing powerful stories from the past that have the potential to enlighten our understanding of today and inform the choices we make impacting the future. In search for a broader perspective, Virginia deployed to a military base in Iraq with the American Red Cross and taught as a Fulbright Scholar at University of Algiers. Virginia is the author of Women of Mayo Clinic: The Founding Generation (translated into Chinese), A Woman’s War, Too: Women’s Work During WWII and Rochester: An Urban Biography. All three books have been finalists for the Minnesota Book Award.
A Woman’s War, Too: Women at Work During World War II:
The women of Minnesota contributed to the fight for peace and freedom during the World War II years in vital ways. At home and abroad, women served as cryptologists, journalists, pilots, riveters, mechanics, nurses, entertainers, peace activists, and spies. Perhaps most surprising is that women from Minnesota were present in every branch of the military and involved on site at nearly every important milestone of the war. Women from Minnesota were important witnesses and participants for the duration of the war.
Working Women During World War II Presentation
Nov. 1st, 1:30-3
During World War II, ten percent of the men in Carlton County left home to serve in the military. Their absence left a big gap on farms and in Cloquet’s three defense plants and women were asked to help fill it - in addition to keeping things running in the home! Women generously shared their time and talents to make clothing for servicemen and war refugees. Learn about the many ways that Carlton County women helped win the war.
Presented by Carol Klitzke, CCHS Director.
This fall's presentations have a World War II theme to celebrate the publication of our newest book, So Long and Best of Luck. Presentations include Food for Victory, Working Women during WWII, and Mail is What They Want Most. See details for each below.
Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members
Pre-registration is required; due to limited space, we can only welcome 15 attendees to each event. Links to the tickets are provided below.
Night at the Museum
October 31st, 5-7 pm
Trick or Treat! Come for a tour of the museum at night and take a walk through the haunted hallway in the basement...if you dare!
FREE and open to the public!
Food for Victory Presentation
October 9th , 10:30-12
1943 was a year of uncertainty. Americans feared that the war would cause food shortages. The solution: Victory Gardens! Successful gardens led to the need to preserve food - by canning it, because freezers were a luxury. Learn how Carlton County women grew and preserved food during World War II.
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.
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!
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!
