The Historical Society traces its roots back to 1930, when a group of history-minded individuals organized a society to collect sketches of early day life as part of the county's upcoming Diamond Jubilee. This and a similar attempt in 1949 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Minnesota Territory were short-lived. Twenty-three years later, organizers achieved success when in 1972 they signed the Articles of Incorporation to formally create the Society as a non-profit Minnesota corporation.

During the Society's first five years, meetings were held around the county, in people's homes, in town halls, and at the courthouse. In 1977, the Society acquired rent-free office space in Sherburne County's Becker building. Since then, the Society has collected nearly 7,000 artifacts, plus a substantial archival collection including 5,000 photographs that document the area's rich and unique history.

The Society's membership, operating support, program offerings and public participation have grown significantly over the years, indicating a heightened awareness of the museum and the Society's growing contribution to community life and development. This increased growth created a need for a new museum that offers expanded learning opportunities for visitors and provides museum-standard exhibit galleries and storage facilities for its valuable collection. Follow the progress of our new building construction in our photo gallery.