Paynesville Area

Community
Information

View from
the Lake

The Paynesville Historical Society is OPEN for the season. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays & Fridays 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays; and closed on Mondays There are three buildings on the grounds - an old country school and two with displays. The main building has a new "150 Years in Paynesville" display featuring a timeline of events in Paynesville, Minnesota, the USA and the world. If you have a donation, want a special tour, need information, call the museum at 320-243-7547. Pictured above: The inside of the old Brown Schoolhouse at the museum. Historical Society Columns 2006 Lamps provide sunshine  •  Civil War monument still stands Antique collection on display  •   Fort existed in Paynesville History of summertime fun  •   Small towns have history Quilting: A Work of Art  •   Museum open for the season Historical Society Columns 2004 Hair pictures used as keepsakes 9.1.04 Fire departments date back to 1736 8.18.04  •  A brief history of photography 8.11.04 Wool used to make yarn 8.4.04  •  Beads and beadwork have long histories 7.28.04 Schools go back to 1800s 7.14.04  •  Paynesville had community band 6.23.04 Lake ice used for cooling 6.23.04  •   Windmills used as power source 6.9.04 Historical Society Columns 2003 Sunshine Lamps provided natural light 9.3.03  •  Indian life - good and bad 7.30.03 Battle of the railroads 7.23.03  •  Booklovers started public library 7.9.03 Historical Society Columns 2002 Kitchens 8.28.02  •  Dairy Cattle 8.21.02 Post Offices 8.14.02  •  Paynesville Museum 8.7.02  •  Clothing Styles 7.31.02 Military Exhibit 7.17.02  •  Indian Mounds 7.17.02  •  Area history 7.10.02 Woodworking 7.3.02  •  Wash day 6.26.02  •  Photography 6.19.02 Phone service 6.12.02  •  Sowing seeds 4.3.02 Historical Society Columns 2001 Sewing 8.29.01  •  Flower club 8.22.01 French 8.15.01  •   English 8.8.01  •  Scandinavians 8.01.01 German settlers 7.25.01  •   Indians 7.18.01  •  Shoe Making 7.4.01  •  Fishing 6.20.01 Voices of the Past Series Interviews of Paynesville residents from the 1930s James Haines  •  Herbert Haines  •  Clarence Chisholm William Schmiginsky  •  Gustave Lobitz  •  William Hoeft Samuel Nehring  •  Herman Knebel  •  Isac Johnson Dennis Kelly Turn of the Century Articles Historical Society Columns 2000 Buffalo 6.14.00  •  Schools 6.28.00  •  Dolls 7.5.00 Paynesville Firsts 7.12.00  •  Early Cars 7.19.00  •  Indians 7.26.00 Mail Carrier 8.2.00  •  First 50 years 8.9.00  •  Zion Township 8.23.00 Booklovers Club 9.6.00 Historical Society Columns 1999 Blacksmith 6.9.99  •  Festivals 6.16.99  •  Children's Museum 6.23.99 Girl Scouts 6.30.99  •  Moonshine 7.7.99  •   Museum History 7.14.99 Old Fire Truck 7.21.99  •   WWII Vets 7.28.99  •   Merchants Hotel 8.4.99 Radios 8.11.99  •  Odd Fellows 8.18.99  •  Farewell 8.25.99 Flour Mills 9.1.99  •  Blind Bill 9.15.99  •  Parfleches 9.22.99