By Kathy Paulsen, New Richland Star Eagle

After much patience, sweat equity and even some prayers, the Clarks Grove Heritage Society is celebrating a new museum.

The Clarks Grove Heritage Society first began about 20 years ago with just a few people thinking ahead and interested in preserving some of the artifacts, pictures and stories of Clarks Grove.

From that humble beginning, loyal citizens met and discussed how nice it would be if there was a place in their town that could be used or established to preserve the pictures and memorabilia that people might want to donate. Phyllis Hanson and Kathy Jensen talked often about a museum, and the topic of finding a place was brought up at nearly every heritage society meeting. Several members of the society started checking out possible sites that might have been available.

The old creamery was thought ideal; after all it was the first cooperative creamery in Minnesota, but there were too many drawbacks for that site. The condition and layout of the building made it inadequate and too difficult to accommodate the elderly and handicapped.

Several members of the Heritage Society kept looking for possible sites as their original goal was to get a museum established was 1995. Unfortunately the society didn’t have the means, or the money, to meet that goal, but the thought stayed strong.

In fall 2013 Everett Jensen approached the city council with a plan the society had developed.  Following that meeting, a delegation from the society met with the council and discussed the matter further. Though they had worked on gathering donations and holding special fundraising events like pancake suppers, the society knew they didn’t have the funds that would be needed for this entire project. They asked the city if they could help.

The city was the key that helped open the doors for a museum for the city of Clarks Grove as they helped pay the remaining amount that was needed.

The Heritage Society’s original idea was to construct a 24-foot by 36-foot building but the city fathers’ felt that would be too small for the things they hoped would one day be a part of the city museum. They were right, as donations are already coming to light from people who were saving items for a museum.

Construction for the building that would house the Clarks Grove Museum began in June 2014, and the society was able to start moving items into the building the first part of December. The Clarks Grove Heritage Society Museum is at 103 Independence Ave., just north of the city fire hall and water tower.

The society will host an open house and ribbon cutting from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Organizers hope people will attend to see this new addition to the city. They also hope that once people have seen some of the items in the museum they, too, will think of things they might add and preserve as part of the history of the Clarks Grove area.

People are encouraged to contact members of the Clarks Grove Heritage Society if they have questions or would like to donate memorabilia and pictures. Letters, especially from those who no longer live in the area and have ties to Clarks Grove, can be sent to the Clarks Grove Area Heritage Society at P. O. Box 188, Clarks Grove, MN 56016.