The Dodge County Historical Society began in 1948 and is located in the St. John’s Episcopal Church which was built in 1869. The museum in the church archives many historical items from Dodge County through the founding years beginning in the mid 1800’s. The museum is open from 1 to 4pm Thursday, Friday and Saturdays. Admission is free but donations are encouraged.
Currently the DCHS maintains a number of buildings including the Ashland School house and Old Settler’s House in Mantorville. The Ashland School house was built in 1885 and brought to Mantorville in 1964. The Old Settler’s House was built by the brewmaster in Mantorville in 1856. Each summer during the Dodge County Fair they have exhibits at the Log Cabin which originally served as the Fairgrounds office. Other Dodge County Historical Places include three in Wasioja, including the Seminary Ruins, Civil War Recruiting Station and the Wasioja Township School building.
Upstairs at the old limestone church building there are collections on display from 150 years ago. There are many more items catalogued and stored by the staff. Most items are accessible through the digital archive and may be viewed by computer. Downstairs is a very interesting collection of military items from the Civil War on through the Second World War.
The man on the DCHS logo is Henry Dodge, whom the county is named after. Dodge was the governor of the Wisconsin Territory, which included all of Minnesota in 1838. Few white men ventured into this area prior to 1840 since it was a disputed territory between the Sioux, the Sauk and the Reynard Indian Tribes and a very violent place to travel into. The first white hunters who came to Dodge County prior to the 1840’s were part of hunting parties comprised of large number of Sioux Indians. Henry Sibley, who became Minnesota’s first governor, hunted elk and buffalo with a Sioux hunting expedition in 1840. The group was accompanied by over 250 Sioux braves who were harvesting and drying meat for winter.
There is one person on staff, and twenty volunteers, of which eight are Dodge County Historical Society board members.
