Cokato Museum
Like many small towns rich in Minnesota history, Cokato is no exception. The Cokato Historical Society and Museum are dedicated to keeping that history alive.
The museum, a cooperative effort between the City of Cokato and the historical society, features a variety of permanent exhibits displaying remnants of the past, along with featured exhibits throughout the year.
Examples of past exhibits have included “Weavings of Charles Benson,” featuring handspun rugs by the Cokato native made from recycled fabrics. The Cokato Museum also honored Cokato’s long tradition of its hometown festival, the Cokato Corn Carnival, with the exhibit “60 (Y)ears of Corn.”
The Gust Akerlund Studio, located on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Fourth Street, is open for viewing and features original cameras, equipment, and furnishings used by the early 20th century photographer.
Visitors of the museum can also get a glimpse of what Cokato used to be like with artifacts from some of its most significant historical landmarks such as the post office, bank, pharmacy, and dentist’s office.
Cokato’s first settlers arrived as early as 1858, and the museum captures the lifestyles during the town’s early days by featuring period clothing, furniture, and farming equipment.
In summer 2010, the Cokato Museum will commemorate the final years of Cokato High School and the early years of the combined Dassel-Cokato High School. This exhibit will feature memorabilia, photos, and other artifacts associated with this transition.
Along with the temporary and permanent exhibits at the museum, the Cokato Historical Society also hosts an annual New Year’s open house and tin melting, demonstrating to attendees the Finnish custom of “predicting” the coming year.
A relatively new event hosted by the Cokato Historical Society and the museum is the Upper Midwest Model T Snowmobile Rally, featuring several early models of Model T mobiles on skis. The first year of the event, the rally attracted news media from KARE 11 because the temperature that weekend did not rise above 0 degrees.
The fourth annual Model T Snowmobile Rally is set for Jan. 15 and 16, 2011, in Peterson Park, located across from the museum.
The museum hours are Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sundays noon to 4 p.m., closed Mondays and major holidays. Tours are available by appointment. Check out the Cokato Museum’s website, www.cokato.mn.us. for more details or call (320) 286-2427.
