Gas Storage Tank Explodes & Burns in Alexandria, MN – Sep. 12, 1978
Sep. 12, 1978 - Gas Storage Tank Explodes & Burns in Alexandria, MN Do you remember Tuesday, September 12th, 1978, when a Williams Brothers Pipeline gas storage tank exploded and burned on the western edge of Alexandria, MN? Just before noon, lightning
109 Years Ago, Douglas-County-Raised AO Holverson Dies on the Titanic
109 years ago today, late on April 14, 1912, the “unsinkable” RMS Titanic struck an iceberg. Among the 1,500 people that perished in the disaster was Alexander Oscar Holverson, who had grown up in Urness and Alexandria in Douglas County,
The Big Ole Santa Suit – And The Woman Who Made It
Do YOU remember Big Ole dressed up as Santa Claus? How much fabric do you think the suit required? (Answer at the bottom of this post! No cheating!) Do you know the woman behind the jolly red suit? Local seamstress Petra Anderson
Veterans Day 2020 – Hear from WWI Vet Henry Davis
In honor of Veterans Day and those who have served, we’d like to introduce you to Henry Oscar Davis, WWI Veteran and longtime resident of Douglas County, Minnesota. Henry Davis was deployed in France and part of the last drive
The 1918 Red Cross Quilt
Have you seen the 1918 Red Cross Quilt at the Douglas County Historical Society? Today, in honor of National Quilting Day, we'd like to tell you about this amazing quilt (which raised $3,500 in today's value during WWI). In 1918, during
COVID-19 Self-History Interview
Everyone’s experience matters. Your history matters. Help us record your history. With events being as momentous as they are in Minnesota, we'd like to offer a tool in the form of a Self-History Interview to help us begin recording the daily lived
The 500 Block Fire – Feb 25, 2020
Feb. 25, 2020 Today, Alexandria lost a piece of our historic heart on Broadway. Some lost their businesses; some lost their homes. Right now, we are thankful that it appears no one lost their lives and that fire departments from near
Alexandria’s Famous “Molly the Cow” Is Traveling Again, As “Flat Molly”
In 1909, mischievous Alexandria high school students carried out a series of Halloween pranks after school hours, which included leading Molly the Cow into the school and up the steps to a second floor classroom. A sign around Molly's neck
Rev. Bennett A. Benson and family, First Lutheran Church in Alexandria, MN in 1915
This 1915 photo card features the Norwegian Lutheran Church building that was built in 1907. This replaced an earlier pioneer church founded in 1872 by Norwegian immigrant families in Alexandria, Minnesota. Services were held in Norwegian. Each immigrant group in
Alexandria Residential Historic District – The Silk Stocking Neighborhood
Like many towns in Minnesota, early Alexandria settlers who prospered had the wherewithal to build lovely homes in a variety of architectural styles. Skilled carpenters and craftsmen were found among the community, and constructing these homes provided steady employment. The