Steele County Historical Society

A private, nonprofit, educational organization established in 1949, the Steele County Historical Society is the official historical society of the county and one of the oldest in the state. Located at 1700 Austin Road in Owatonna, MN the SCHS is home to the Village of Yesteryear offering 19 historic structures and the History Center which houses the exhibit hall, gift shop and the Zamboni Genealogy, Archives and Research Library that are open to the public and funded by private contributions. In 2022, SCHS merged with the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum.  The Orphanage Museum preserves the legacy of the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children and the Owatonna State School. The facility was built to house orphans, dependent, abused and neglected children from 1886 to 1945.  The location later became the Owatonna State School from 1945 to 1970 which provided academic and vocational training for children with developmental disabilities. The Orphanage Museum is located across town at 540 West Hills Circle, Owatonna, MN.  The SCHS collections include diaries, graphics, books, artifacts, and other historical materials accessible at our campus and on loan at other organizations. The SCHS collections, programs and exhibits help Steele County residents connect with each other, have conversations that shape our communities, and make informed decisions based on our past and present.

We appreciate the support of our donors as it is due to your faith that we are able to be successful.