We learned many lessons in history class. But how many of us know our local history? Sure, many of us were taught about the Dakota War of 1862 and the hanging of 38 Dakota men — the largest one-day execution in American History — that followed in Mankato. But what about the Winnebago Indian Agency’s ties with the city of St. Clair?
The St. Clair Historical Society members would like to inform us all about the Winnebago Native Americans’ ties with the St. Clair area with an exhibit at the St. Clair School’s Media Center on Saturday, June 22, from 8 a.m. to noon. This event is part of the city’s multiple-day celebration, “St. Clair Days.”
St. Clair’s Historical Society is fairly new, and according to founding member Winnis Buesing it was formed over three years ago thanks in part to the St. Clair Days committee. “The committee asked what they could add to the event at one of their meetings,” she explained. “They asked what they could add since they needed another event. I told them that I had an idea.”
That idea was to have an interactive exhibit around town showing St. Clair residents and visitors of the St. Clair Days celebration where old businesses were in town. “I told them that I needed someone to help me,” Buesing added, “and the committee knew right away who to contact.”
Bryce Stenzel, known locally as our “Honest Abe,” was in the parade. Buesing asked him to join the committee, and he accepted. Along with those two in the St. Clair Historical Society are Connor Vanerdewyk, Kate Thompson, Nancy Schleuter, and Tom Koenke. According to Buesing, Vanerdewyk is still a high school student at St. Clair.
“It’s a great combination that we have already in our committee,” she said. “We have a real historian in Bryce and Connor, a high school-aged kid interested in history.”
Since their initial event involving a walking exhibit around St. Clair, the historical society has worked diligently to uncover the city’s hidden history. With their event at the St. Clair School Media Center, they want to share what life was like for the Winnebago Indian Agency, who lived in much of Blue Earth and Waseca counties from 1855 to 1863. A highlight of the exhibit will be the Winnebago Agency House — a socioeconomic hub for the reservation — located near modern-day St. Clair. Many artifacts from that time period will also be on display.
The exhibit will include artifacts and a pamphlet with maps showing the relocation of the Winnebago throughout the 19th century and a timeline of their time in the St. Clair area.
During the event, there will also be tours of the whole school. Buesing said that the library would be a part of that tour, which would allow visitors to check out the display. Visitors are asked to use door “A” to enter the school building.
The St. Clair Historical Society may be small, but for a new organization, it has already done a lot of research, including many hours of artifact collection and other informational research for this event alone. With its mission of uncovering St. Clair’s past, the committee is following a quote from novelist Pearl S. Buck printed on its pamphlets for this event: “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.”
