County historical society holds 2025 annual meeting

By Enterprise Staff
The Kittson County Historical Society held its annual meeting for its membership on Thursday, Oct. 9. This is the second year of meeting in October after the membership voted at the 2023 meeting to change the date to October to hopefully avoid inclement weather. Thursday’s high temperature was 65 degrees and sunny.
Four board members were re-elected to their positions — Lowell Younggren, Macyn Lofstrom, David Lindegard and Anna Jauhola.
The membership heard Director Cindy Adams’s 2025 progress report, which showed an overall good year. With the lake drawn down at Lake Bronson State Park, Adams said she and the board anticipated a much slower year. To draw people in, the museum received an arts grant, which allowed them to hold a series of successful events, including two concerts, an art show, two art classes and a history speaker. But the surprising draw was the Minnesota Historical Society’s archaeological survey of the lakebed, which brought people from all over Minnesota and North Dakota to volunteer with the survey. These volunteers also visited the museum.
Just a few weeks ago, the Minnesota Historical Society held a volunteer appreciation event at the museum. Executive board members and others from MHS also attended the event.
Adams has also applied for a nearly $100,000 grant to complete the lighting project at the museum. This grant would cover the cost of updating exhibit lighting in the museum, which is original to the building built in 1973.
Many improvements were continued at the museum as well, including the fountain reconstruction and a new exhibit featuring a 1950s beauty shop. Big projects in the works include maintenance on the Soo Line caboose and the Two River Church steeple.
Board Treasurer Deb Cederholm gave an update on the endowment fund, which is doing well and continues to move toward the goal of $1.5 million. Once it reaches that goal, the historical society would be able to use only the interest for museum operations.
In other business, the membership:
• Heard the 2024 annual meeting minutes and reviewed the financial funds.