During the 1870s and 1880s, scores of settlers arrived in present-day Walsh County. Drawn to the fertile land and the prospect of farming, the newcomers were intent on building homesteads, creating community, and putting down roots. The arrival of the Great Northern Railway in the 1880s further encouraged settlement, as it provided easier access to markets and transportation. In the fall of 1881, Walsh County was born. As one would expect, a history spanning over 140 years is filled with rich stories of people, communities, and the landscape. Here, at Walsh County Historical Museum visitors are transported back in time, coming face to face with its storied past.

From a frontier trading post to a rustic log cabin to country school, there’s plenty of history for everyone to enjoy at the museum. A complete main street with turn-of-the-century shops dazzle the young and young at heart and connect all who enter with the past. You can almost hear the sound of wagon wheels and the nicker of horses. Walsh County Historical Museum is also home to a plethora of wildlife displays, Indian artifacts, military memorabilia, and plenty of other treasured trinkets and mementos that tell the story of the county and its people.

The building itself is a historical gem. The museum resides in the former Minto School, built in 1895 from bricks made right here in Walsh County. Once home to students in elementary through high school, imagine the tales these walls could tell. The excitement of the first day of school, the thrill of winning the big game, young love, big dreams, and the bittersweet days of graduation, all held within. There’s so much to explore and experience as you dig into the past at the Walsh County Historical Museum.