Martin County Historical Society

Community Organization in Fairmont, MN

Welcome to the Martin County Historical Society! Our Mission is to preserve and share the history of Martin County by acquiring, conserving, appropriately displaying, and making it accessible for viewing, research, and educational purposes. We hope you enjoy the many features of our site; please contact us if you have any questions or requests. Thank you for taking the time to enjoy Martin County’s History!

The Martin County Historical Society came into existence on February 2, 1929, at the Martin County Courthouse at which time the constitution was adopted. It was founded by Mrs. H. W. Brodt. The first board of directors included several famous Martin County citizens such as Judge Julius Haycraft (the first president) and Major Arthur M. Nelson.

In 1956 Dr. & Mrs. Roscoe C. Hunt donated $15,000.00 to the MCHS for the purchase of the former Catholic School on Blue Earth Avenue. This then became the Pioneer Museum, which is made up of three floors of displays. Dr. Hunt had a room named after him in the museum for his generosity.

A new addition on the west side of the museum was completed in 1995 which expanded the staff’s office space and created the main lobby area which has turned into another popular display area.

A state of the art Research Library was completed in 2003 which houses the majority of MCHS’s many resources and makes for a great spot to hold meetings. An elevator has also been added to the museum to make our displays much more accessible.

In 2009 the MCHS purchased the house next-door, which used to be the Catholic Rectory, and added the building and property to the Pioneer Museum’s grounds. Also, the Martin County Genealogical Society moved into the building in 2009 bringing their research expertise, knowledge, and resources with them.

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Martin County Historical Society

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Martin County, MN


Martin County, MN

Visit our county page and you will find information about our town and county's points of interest, festivals/events and faith community. You also will find stories about the contributions made by farmers/ranchers located throughout our county and of course you will learn about the community organizations that have built and continue to build strong communities (chambers, community groups, and departments, etc) and much more when you visit the Martin County, MN page.