Welcome to the home of the Lac qui Parle History Center.

Our mission is to represent visually and chronologically the priceless heritage of Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, which includes Lac qui Parle State Park, and the towns of Bellingham, Boyd, Dawson, Louisburg, Madison, Marietta and Nassau. Lac qui Parle (locals pronounce it Lak kwa Par-uhl ) is a French translation of the native Dakota name, meaning “lake which speaks” and is a reference to a lake formed by the widening of the Minnesota River along the northeastern border of the county.

The museum campus consists of six separate buildings:

• a 9,000 sq. ft. educational museum and research library
• a furnished 1870’s log cabin
• a rural schoolhouse built in ca. 1887, equipped for that period through the early 1900’s
• an agricultural machinery, tools and early transportation exhibit building
• A 1933 Gas Station
• The Robert Bly Study where Madison’s native son, Minnesota’s First Poet Laureate, did much of his early writing

Exhibits include

• 294 personality dolls in enclosed display cases
• 3,000 piece salt & pepper shaker collection
• mounted big game, wildlife & flora & fauna exhibit
• military display of all wars from the Civil War to Desert Storm
• Township Row – contains 22 individual displays
• A “Century of Education” Schools display
• Strong genealogical holdings; index of newspaper obituaries; microfilm library of all LQP County newspapers plus some original newpaper archives.

Admission is free will donation.

PERMANENT EXHIBITS

Township Row 

The Timeline Wall illustrating the history of Lac qui Parle County.

The country store

One of several period rooms

The Fifties Room

Military display of all wars from the Civil War to Desert Storm

OUTSIDE EXHIBITS

 a furnished 1870′s log cabin