PLENTY TO SHARE - Waseca County Historical Society Board President Kathy Roycraft addressed Historical Society Members during their annual member meeting at the museum on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann
Waseca County Historical Society holds member meeting
Thu, 10/22/2026 - 8:00am
From a historic flag's return to the parade route to growing financial support, the Waseca County Historical Society (WCHS) had plenty to share at its annual meeting on Wednesday, October 14.
Members and guests gathered at the museum to review 2025 accomplishments, celebrate recent developments and look ahead to 2027 while enjoying a grazing table and desserts provided by Infinity Catering of Janesville.
The society recognized several leadership and staffing changes, including the departures of board members Carol Raimann and Dan Forrest, former Co-Director Joan Mooney, and researchers Virginia McCarthy and Mary Amsrud. WCHS welcomed Assistant Curator Anna Simmons in 2025 and acknowledged Elizabeth Anselmo's recent promotion to Executive Director.
The museum's 2025 exhibits included HATS, Portrait of a Lady, and the Mermaid of Loon Lake. Behind the scenes, the collections catalog grew by 1,217 records, reaching 270,935 by year's end.
Museum attendance rose from 84 visitors in August 2026 to 102 visitors in September. Membership remains an area of focus, declining from 358 at the end of 2025 to 277 in October 2026.
Financial support showed encouraging growth, with annual giving campaign donations increasing from $10,216 in 2024 to $17,822 in 2025. The society also recently received a generous $40,000 estate bequest.
One of 2025's biggest stories was the rediscovery of an enormous American flag at Hodgson Hall, which attracted national attention through CNN.
The flag made a memorable return during the 2026 Waseca Marching Classic Parade, when 12 volunteers carried it through the streets for the first time in a parade since 1942. Despite steady drizzle, the occasion marked a significant moment in local history. Museum staff have since taken steps to preserve the flag and plan for its long-term care and storage.
Board President Kathy Roycraft received special recognition for her ongoing maintenance of the Bailey Lewer Research Library porches and grounds.
The society also acknowledged the closing of Trinity Lutheran Church in Wilton, whose historic cornerstone now rests outside the Bailey Library.
Among the projects underway is a grant-funded Native American interpretive panel developed by Jeff Jarvis featuring a map highlighting Indigenous place names throughout Waseca County.
Building preservation will be a top priority in 2027, particularly repairs to the museum's exterior brickwork and front steps and the roof at Hodgson Hall. Both will require significant funding and planning. “These are not small projects, and they won’t happen overnight,” Anselmo reminded attendees.
Despite these challenges, WCHS continues to make progress in preserving local treasures and strengthening community connections, while demonstrating that local history is more than something kept on a shelf.