Winona Walking Tours: Homes of Windom Park
2026-06-13 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-06-14 10:30 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Winona County History Center, 160 Johnson Street, Winona, MN, 55987
Join a local guide on a Winona Walking Tour to learn about the homes of Windom Park Historic District! Explore the lives of those who built the incredible mansions surrounding Windom Park and some of the other sites along the way.
To guarantee your spot, pre-register by calling 507-454-2723 ext. 0. Pay at the tickets desk when you check in on tour day (walk-ins welcome). Fees are $10 public or $6 WCHS members, per person, per tour. All tours start and end at the Winona County History Center and last for 60 minutes. Each tour includes a bottle of water.

History Buff Book Chat: The Kitchen Front
2026-06-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Winona County History Center, 160 Johnson Street, Winona, MN, 55987
For our June History Buff Book Chat, we will discuss The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan.
Two years into World War II, Britain is feeling her losses: The Nazis have won battles, the Blitz has destroyed cities, and U-boats have cut off the supply of food. In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front is holding a cooking contest—and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host. For four very different women, winning the competition would present a crucial chance to change their lives.
Join in a conversation about a different book each month from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. The Book Chat group is open to everyone. Meet in Wanek Hall on the second floor of the Winona County History Center. Feel free to bring your lunch!
Upcoming books:

History on the River: The Clamming and Pearl Button Industry
2026-06-25 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-06-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Cal Fremling Cruise Boat, Winona Levee, Winona, MN, 55987
In “The Clamming and Pearl Button Industry as Told by a Clammer’s Wife,” storyteller Terry Visger shares a variety of stories for people of all ages. Taking on the persona of a clammer’s wife from 1900, Terry tells the story of the clamming industry in which freshwater mussels were harvested from the Mississippi River, sent to factories, and made into buttons. After the story, Terry shares information about these mussels, which are now one of the most endangered animals in the US.
Cruises must be booked in advance by calling 507-454-2723 ext. 0 or stopping in the History Center. Space is limited.

Incorporating Native Plants Into Home Gardens
2026-06-30 13:30 - 15:00 | Winona County History Center, 160 Johnson Street, Winona, MN, 55987
Cavan Mittage-McNaught works as the Education and Outreach specialist for Prairie Moon Nursery. Cavan’s program “Seed Starting & How to Incorporate Native Plants Into Home Gardens” will focus on how we can all support the environment in our own yards by choosing native plants. Fifty Meadow Blazingstar prairie plants (Liatris Ligulistylis) will be given away during Cavan’s program.
The “Incorporating Native Plants” program is hosted in conjunction with the art show Beneath our Fields: A reflection on what existed prior to our Croplands, featuring drawings by Lois Peterson. Lois’s work will be on display in the Slaggie Family Lobby gallery space on the first floor of Winona County History Center from May 16 – July 15.

History on the River: The Legacy of Cal Fremling
2026-07-30 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-07-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Cal Fremling Cruise Boat, Winona Levee, Winona, MN, 55987
With speaker Michael Kennedy, discover the legacy of Cal Fremling. Dr. Cal Fremling was one of the foremost authorities on the endangered environment of the Upper Mississippi River and spend most of his professional career studying the human effect on the River. Fremling was a researcher and a professor for thirty-two years at Winona Sate University and the author of Immortal River: The Upper Mississippi in Ancient and Modern Times.
Cruises must be booked in advance by calling 507-454-2723 ext. 0 or stopping in the History Center. Space is limited.

History on the River: Navigating the Lock and Dam System
2026-08-27 16:00 - 17:30, 2026-08-27 18:00 - 19:30 | Cal Fremling Cruise Boat, Winona Levee, Winona, MN, 55987
Learn about the history, creation, and modern work of the Mississippi River Lock and Dam System with local lock master, Judy Denzer.
Cruises must be booked in advance by calling 507-454-2723 ext. 0 or stopping in the History Center. Space is limited.
