Preserving the Past by Pat Mulso

Pat Mulso was the interim executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village, 1031 Bridge Ave., until last week, when Kim Nelson took over as the museum’s new executive director.

The Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village Board of Directors and I, Pat Mulso, past executive director, are happy to announce and welcome our new executive director, Kim Nelson. Kim will bring new enthusiasm and ideas to our museum programs and events and we look forward to her insight into new programming for the youth of Freeborn County through the museum. Please give her your support as she learns our current programs and welcome her at our next event, Echoes from the Past.

Echoes from the Past: A Journey into History will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the museum. Tickets are $7.50 and will be available at the museum in advance and at the door the night of the event as space permits. This will be our 16th annual Echoes from the Past: A Journey into History, where the lives of four individuals who lived and were part of the history of our county come to life. Their stories will be told by re-enactors who have developed their story lines from data collected on each individual. Each presentation will be approximately 15 minutes. Refreshments will be available after the program.

The museum will host a four-hour AARP defensive driving refresher class from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 25. The cost is $20 for AARP members or $25 for non-members, which includes the class materials and administrative fee. You must pre-register for the class and will need your driver’s license to do so. The refresher course is needed every three years after the initial eight-hour class is taken to continue receiving a discount on your auto insurance.  Call or stop by the museum to register during our regular business hours. You will receive your certificate at the end of the class. Our next refresher class will be from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 22.

We have also had requests for an eight-hour class which has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24. If you are 50 or older and have not taken the eight-hour class you may do so. The cost is the same as listed above and we will need the same information. Plan to bring a sack lunch. Coffee and water will be provided. You will receive your certificate at the end of class. Pre-registration is required.

We want to say thank you to all our volunteers who helped during fair week and we hope everyone enjoyed their visit to the museum. We had over 1,000 visitors.

Our annual Autumn in the Village will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 17. In the past this event was on a Sunday, but this year we are having the event on a Saturday. Watch for details soon.

I have enjoyed my 11 years as the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village. I will continue to work behind the scenes for a few months on the archive grant project and to mentor Kim as she learns the ins and outs of our complex. We will have an open house for the archive grant project later this fall; watch for an announcement.

I look forward to visiting my children, grandchildren, friends and other family, and to working more hours on my genealogy research and — of course — the planning of our next large family reunion in 2019.

During fair week we had visitors from all over the United States and some foreign countries.  They were amazed at our complex and all we have to offer. Have you visited the museum complex lately? Please take time to enjoy this wonderful resource that is located in your home town. Until another time, remember, “What happens today is history tomorrow!”