Crow Wing Co. Historical Society Museum Restoration Project Officially Completed

A project long in the making has finally been completed at the Crow Wing County Historical Society Museum in Brainerd. The over-100-year-old building has been renovated and preserved so it will be able to house the county’s history for years to come.

“It feels great. It’s had a lot of positive feedback that we’ve gotten on it. We really feel like the environment has been improved so the public can really enjoy it more,” said Rachel Breun, Crow Wing County Facilities Coordinator.

The building that was originally constructed in 1917 underwent some much needed renovations to extend the life of the building.

“The county had applied for a grant and received funding to repair and restore the building. They did a lot of exterior work. There was water coming in different places,” explained Hillary Swanson, Crow Wing County Historical Society Executive Director.

The renovations included updated exterior windows, handicap accessibility, and it also added a humidification system that will allow the artifacts to be better preserved.

“The main goal of the project was to preserve the envelope of the building. There was repairs made to the clay tile roof. We updated the windows. The gutter system was updated and also a lot of mechanical controls and equipment within the building,” explained Breun.

Another new feature of the restoration project is a brand new welcome sign made by students at Central Lakes College.

The building has a rich history in itself and was once the home of the county jail and the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s living quarters.

“This building was built in 1917 as Crow Wing County’s jail and sheriff’s residence. In the 1970s they needed a larger jail. Someone came up with the idea, rather than demolish this building, to turn it into a county museum,” Swanson said.

The renovations and preservation was a priority for the county so that the building will be able to house the history of the area for future generations.

“It was important to us. The building is just over a hundred years old. It is on the Historic Register and it was very important to us to preserve this building so we could continue to use it,” added Breun.

If anyone would like to check out the new renovations, the Crow Wing County Historical Society Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.