Heritage Museum

The Heritage Center, featuring a Victorian-style front, is operated and managed by the Lake Benton Area Historical Society. It includes a visitors center and musuem, as well as a wind power learning center. The Society’s mission is to collect, preserve and disseminate knowledge about the history of the Lake Benton area and to relate that history to its visitors.

For additional information, contact the Heritage Center at 507-368-9577; email at lbenton@itctel.com; or stop in/write the office at 108 S. Center Street, PO Box 267, Lake Benton, MN 56149.

The offices of the Lake Benton Area Historical Society (LBAHS), Lake Benton Area Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB),Lake Benton Economic Development Authority (EDA), Diners Club (Senior Dining Program) and the Food Shelf are located in the Heritage Center.  In May of 2007, the City Office relocated to the Heritage Center.

 

Initial steps to organize a historical society in Lake Benton were taken in July of 1996. Shortly thereafter, in the spring of 1997, plans were underway to construct a Heritage Center which would include a visitors center, a museum, and a wind power learning center.

 

Funding for the project continued and in June of 2000 a ground breaking ceremony was held and the process of constructing the 54’ x 105’ building began. By the summer of 2001 the interior of the structure was completed and finishing touches on the exterior, complete with a Victorian-style front, were accomplished in September of 2001.

 

"The Wind Garden" exhibit was added to the building prior to the WindFest and plans are progressing for the establishment of additional wind-related items. This exhibit encourages visitors to learn how technology better enables man to successfully adapt to, and benefit from, his natural environment.

 

The history of Lake Benton will follow a timeline which offers a chronological history of the 14,000 years of natural and human history in the region from the age of glaciers to the present. The timeline travels around the perimeter of the room, beginning with information relating to the glaciers to the left of the entry and ending with the display "A Vision for the Future" to the right of the hall entry.