Research Center
Trace your family and the history of the Melrose area.
In the Research Center of the Melrose Area Museum, visitors will be assisted in searching the files and records collected to date. These include newspaper articles, family histories, oral history tapes, video histories, death notices and photographs.
Volunteers are busy each week collecting and filing newspaper articles and obituary notices. Interested persons will find records on many families and people of the area who distinguished themselves in a variety of areas, such as sports, politics, farming, religious, military, academics, the arts, etc.
Our photographic files contain original photographs donated by residents of the area and photocopies of many other photographs.
Melrose Beacons, 1908–2008 are digitized and can be accessed by name, subject and year at the museum.
The research center is open during museum hours — Wednesdays 9–4, April 15 – Sept 30 — and by appointment at 320-256-3933.
What’s in the collection
Family histories (50)
Family histories included in the collection. Visit the research center to view them, or call to ask about a family.
- Borgerding, Christopher
- Buttweiler, John
- Edelbrock & Welle Families
- Gamradt, Friedrich
- Gerken, Lukas
- Grigsby, Lewis & Hannah
- Grove, Melissa
- Haskamp, Gramke
- Haut, Walter & Margaret
- Hellermann & Hinnenkamp
- Hellermann, Gerhard & Catharina
- Hinnenkamp, Bernard & Catherine
- Hinnenkamp, Heinrich
- Hoeschen, Anton
- Hoeschen, Conrad & John M.
- Holdvogt & Imdieke
- Hollermann, Herman
- Hollermann, Joe (moonshine)
- Hollermann Mfg. Co. & Family
- Imdiekes of Meire Grove
- Kind, George W.
- Krick, Harold John
- Kuhlmann, August
- Kulzer, George
- Kulzer, Joseph & Catherine
- Lizotte, Rene (barber)
- Marthalers
- McKee, Kinlay, & Stafford
- Meyer & Imdieke
- Meyer & Nathe
- Nelson, Gladys E
- Niehaus, Joseph, Sr
- Pallansch Family
- Peschel, Hazel
- Pfau Family
- Renneker, Ennenking & Koch
- Sand Family
- Sandbrink & Hilger
- Stelten, Fred & Angela
- Thull, Andrew & Marie
- Vogt, Merman
- Weber, Frank & Loretta
- Welle Family Tree
- Wenker, Bernard & Anna
- Wensmann, August & Annie
- Wessel & Rolfzen Families
- Wessel Family
- Wielinberg, Frank & Elizabeth
- Wilhelm, Brutger, Koch, & Klapperich
- Zuercher, Fred & Anna
Oral histories (32)
Oral history tapes in the collection, recorded with residents of the Melrose area.
- Vi Berns
- Leona Blenker
- Bill Daley
- Randy Douvier
- Paul Ellering
- Ruth Graham
- Ervin Hinnenkamp
- Garland & Rosemary Johnson & Mary Pfannenstein (The Garland)
- Alice Klaphake
- Joe Knops
- Donna Kociemba
- Louis Kundel (Melrose Credit Union)
- Joe Leach, Marshall Johnson (Dunghanrach)
- Henry Loxtercamp
- Bob Meyer
- Bob Meyer & Pat Gallagher (re: Jim Gallagher)
- John L. Meyer
- Leo P. Meyer (Meyer Electric)
- Frances Monroe
- Milton Nietfeld
- George O’Brien (Melrose Theatre)
- Mark Olberding
- Lucille Orth
- Albert & Marie Primus
- Walter Rieland
- Hilda Rolfzen
- Ed and Mildred Salzmann
- Ervin Schiffler (New Munich Ballroom)
- Bishop Henry Soenneker
- Sam Uhler (Great Northern)
- Curly Wiehoff
- Frances & Sylvester Zech
Video histories (33)
Video history tapes in the collection — community events, interviews and local history.
- City Center dedication
- Clark Davis family reception
- Farewell Ted Wessell
- Flag disposal ceremony, Melrose Legion, 1994
- Fran Hertzog discusses Jennie-O
- Gallagher Days 1949
- Give a Gift Volunteers & Girl Scouts at St. Mary’s School 1994
- History St. Paul’s Church, Bertie and Dale Dirschel
- Jim Fogerty, MN State Historical Soc., Oak Hill Cemetery Tour
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat
- July 4 in Melrose Lions Park
- Kiddie Parade
- MAHS Annual Meeting 2001 (First Antiques Home Show)
- MAHS Ice Cream Socials 1989, 1994 (includes museum tour), 1995
- Mark Olberding interview
- Melrose Hospital History
- Melrose IDC 1997
- Memorial Day Melrose 1995, 1996, 1997
- “Messages from Melrose” play 1997
- Miss Melrose 1997
- Open house, Melrose Fire Hall 1993
- Ordination Bishop Jerome Hanus 1987
- Petermeier School History
- “The Power of Cooperation,” Stearns Electric 60th anniversary
- Progress in Motion, City of Melrose
- Santa Claus Day Play 1994
- Sportsmen’s rubber duck race 1987
- Tour of museum, Aug 1994
- Tours of old City Center, auction and demolition of building
- Town & Country Players, 2001
- Vandalism Oak Hill Cemetery 1996
- Wilfred Hetzel
- WW II Memories — various subjects