[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 7, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E705]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S 80TH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 7, 2014

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the many 
dedicated volunteers of the Washington County Historical Society in my 
State of Minnesota as the organization celebrates its 80th anniversary. 
Since its inception in 1934, the Society has played an invaluable role 
in preserving the history of the county and educating today's citizens 
about past generations.
  Eighty years ago, a local women's group identified the need to 
protect stories and artifacts from Washington County. Working together 
with the Stillwater Rotary Club, the group formed and held its 
inaugural meeting on April 11, 1934 where it elected its first 
president and received its first donation, a copy of the ``History of 
Washington County and the St. Croix Valley.'' The Society still has the 
work in its collection today, in compliance with its policy of 
permanently keeping all donations.
  After first operating out of a single room in the Stillwater Public 
Library, the Society has steadily grown in size by increasing the 
number and variety of items and locations in its collection. It 
purchased the former Stillwater Prison Warden's House from the State 
for $100 in 1941 and turned the property into a museum. The Warden's 
House museum is still in operation today, making it the second oldest 
house museum in Minnesota.
  The Historical Society continues to grow to this day. It recently 
purchased a 14,000 square foot building in Stillwater, MN, that will be 
made into a state-of-the-art museum and research facility. The Society 
currently has about 700 members, operates two interpretive museums, and 
provides educational, research, and historical preservation 
opportunities throughout the county.
  Mr. Speaker, the valuable efforts of the Washington County Historical 
Society during the past eight decades are commendable and worthy of 
recognition. In honor of many people who have built the success of the 
Washington County Historical Society, it is a privilege to submit this 
statement in honor of its 80th anniversary.

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