October 26th, 2022
Mankato, MN – Join the Blue Earth County Historical Society for a weekend celebrating 121 years of tradition Friday, November 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The anniversary weekend will include free admission to the BECHS History Center Museum, door prizes, gift shop specials, refreshments, and a chance to view Celebrating 100 Years of Lincoln School.
As a part of our Anniversary Open House, we will also be releasing The Art of Marian Anderson, a 140+ page book highlighting the different works of Marian Anderson. There will also be a limited-time special display of Marian’s originals.
The Blue Earth County Historical Society was founded on November 7, 1901, with the task to collect, preserve and present the history of Blue Earth County for present and future generations. The Society continued that mission with the acquisition of the historic R.D. Hubbard House in 1938 which served as the organization’s first permanent home. In 1988, BECHS moved the museum, archives, and collections storage into the Heritage Center (former MSU lower campus Newman Center). At this time restoration of the Hubbard House began. In 1995, the restored 1905 historic house opened as a tribute to the local entrepreneur R.D. Hubbard. In 2010 BECHS opened its third site, the Marian Anderson Art Gallery made possible through the generous donation by Marian Anderson of her entire inventory of art to benefit the Society. The Marian Anderson Art Gallery closed in January 2012, and the inventory was relocated to the History Center. In 2014, BECHS began expanding into the entire building and renamed the building the History Center and Museum with the main entrance located on Warren Street.