Previous Programs

History Speaker Series:
History of the Craft Brewery​

Thursday, June 9th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Brewer's Lounge at Wooden Hill Brewery
Join the Edina Historical Society in welcoming Doug Hoverson to present an interesting look into local brewery history on Thursday June 9th at the Wooden Hill Brewery Brewer's Lounge! Craft breweries have spread rapidly through the United States--there are twice as many breweries now as there were at the previous peak in 1871. Small community breweries once provided a source of employment, a market for grain and hops, a product enjoyed by many, and a place for people to gather. Join brewing historian Doug Hoverson for a look at the role that local breweries played in the 19th century and how they have changed the brewing scene today.

History Speaker Series:
A Pictorial History of Northern Irish Resistance
Molly McIntosh

Friday, March 11th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
​Edina History Museum in the Terrace Room
In honor of Saint Patrick's Day, Molly McIntosh will present an overview of street art in Northern Ireland with the beautiful and moving murals made by local artists that explore the Northern Irish conflict in a way that only witnesses could portray. These images walk viewers through more than thirty years of history, resistance, and conflict. ​Featured speaker at Princeton University in 2021, Molly is a multi-faceted historian of art and history.​

​100 Years of Christmas at Dayton's
James Neagbour

Friday, December 3, 2021 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 
Saturday, December 4, 2021 from ​4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
​Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
This popular program is back for another holiday season!
For 100 years Dayton’s department store helped Minnesotans celebrate Christmas.  We will look at how Dayton’s made the Christmas season magical by reviewing various window displays, unique gifts, store promotions, Santa Land, the unforgettable auditorium displays, along with a general history of the Minneapolis retail store.  We will also look at the behind the scenes action by examining anecdotes from the management and the ever-helpful store employees, who made the name Dayton’s synonymous with Christmas shopping.

if these streets could talk
Andrew Scipioni

Friday, October 22, 2021 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
Have you ever stopped to wonder how your street got its name? Many of our street names are a reflection of Edina’s history and development. Whether derived from geologic features, names and nationalities of early settlers, adjacent communities or former property owners, every street has a story to tell. Join us for a trip down Memory Lane (literally) as our speaker shares his years of research into the stories behind many of Edina’s roadways. You may just learn something new about the street where you live!

Thank You For Shopping
Kristal Leebrick

Thursday, September 23, 2021 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
Throughout the twentieth century, department stores ruled the retail landscapes of downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. More than just shopping centers, stores like Dayton’s, Powers, Donaldson’s, Young-Quinlan, the Emporium, and the Golden Rule were centers of social life. From the legendary Dayton’s Christmas and spring flower displays to celebrating a special occasion at Schuneman’s River Room, the department store was a destination for generations of Minnesotans, within the Twin Cities and beyond. Thank You for Shopping author Kristal Leebrick presents the history and stories behind Minnesota’s great department stores, offering a lively trip back to the glory days. She will have books for sale.

Edina's First Refugees: The Irish at Cahill Settlement
​T.J. Malaskee

April 19, 2019 at the Historic 1879 Minnehaha Grange Hall
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Experience the heroic story of some of Edina’s earliest European settlers. These heroic pioneers fled one of Europe’s most devastating epidemics—the Potato Famine—to settle among the rolling hills of what was then southwestern Richfield township. The story of the Cahill Irish is the story of a community within a community, one that left a lasting mark on the Edina we know today.

Back to School for Adults: Historic Cahill School
​T.J. Malaskee

May 10, 2019 at the Historic 1879 Minnehaha Grange Hall
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Enjoy a fun-filled evening for adults as we experience by-gone days in the Historic Cahill School, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and one of Edina’s oldest buildings. Explore 19th century education during the age of wooden desks, kerosene lanterns and coal-burning stoves in this authentic one-room schoolhouse. You’ll be greeted by 19th century school master, Mr. Thomas, sharing tales of Minnesota’s one-room schoolhouses, followed by refreshments across the courtyard at the Historic 1879 Minnehaha Grange Hall.

Reel History: Dawn of the Drive-In - A History of Movies Under the Stars
​Alex Weston

June 6, 2019 at the Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Enjoy a special night of movies, popcorn and history at the Edina History Museum! 
On June 15th, 1966, over 1700 automobiles arrived to view the inaugural film at Mann's France Avenue Drive-In Theater. Advertised as the “world’s most distinctive and beautiful drive-in theater” with the “world’s biggest screen,” the France Avenue Drive-In was one of more than 4000 drive-in theaters built during the 1950s and 1960s. Join filmmaker and historian Alex Weston for an exploration of the Drive-In in American culture, featuring local history, movie clips, vintage trailers and rare photographs from the golden age of movies under the stars.
 
Note: 
This program will show some clips from movies that were rated “PG-13 ““R” by the MPAA.  

Apollo: Why America Went to the Moon
David Jones

July 20, 2019 at the Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
It has been 50 years since Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the lunar surface, making "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." On July 20, 1969, hundreds of millions across the world watched as Apollo 11 made its historic landing. That day will long be remembered as the first-time mankind ventured beyond the earth’s boundaries to explore a new world. But why did we go to the moon? What was it about that moment in history that would lead the nation to embrace a quest that many deemed impossible? Join us for a non-technical discussion of the many forces at work -- political, social and fiscal -- that led to mankind’s greatest technological achievement.

Boathouses of Lake Minnetonka
Melinda Z. Nelson

August 3, 2019 at the Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
If you’ve ever sailed, boated or paddled past a vintage boathouse on Lake Minnetonka and wished its rustic wooden walls could talk, you’ll enjoy this fascinating conversation with author Melinda Nelson and photographer Karen Melvin.  Melinda and Karen will share stories and photos of vintage and new boathouses around Lake Minnetonka and sign copies of their book. If you already own a copy, bring it and the authors will happily sign it!

Minnesota Hauntings
Johnsdale Paranormal Group

September 13, 2019 at the Historic 1879 Minnehaha Grange Hall
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Creaking floors. Door ajar. Lights flickering. Hairs on end. Tis the season for all things creepy. What better way to celebrate the other-worldly than spending an evening with some ghost hunters? The acclaimed Johnsdale Paranormal Group will be treating us to an evening of highlights from their favorite Minnesota Hauntings.
Come ready for some chills and thrills. Nightmares guaranteed.

Back to School for Adults: Historic Cahill School
​T.J. Malaskee

September 20, 2019 at the Historic 1879 Minnehaha Grange Hall
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Enjoy a fun-filled evening for adults as we experience by-gone days in the Historic Cahill School, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and one of Edina’s oldest buildings. Explore 19th century education during the age of wooden desks, kerosene lanterns and coal-burning stoves in this authentic one-room schoolhouse. You’ll be greeted by 19th century school master, Mr. Thomas, sharing tales of Minnesota’s one-room schoolhouses, followed by refreshments across the courtyard at the Historic 1879 Minnehaha Grange Hall.

An Irishman's Journey to the Land of 10,000 Lakes
Kieran Folliard

September 27, 2019 at the Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Join us for an evening with the charming and engaging, Kieran Folliard.  
Kieran is the consummate entrepreneur with a keen eye for creating culinary experiences for Minnesotans with an Irish twist; Kieran’s Irish Pub, The Local, The Liffey and Cooper.  And we can’t forget to mention the creator of the refreshing, 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey.
Kieran will keep us entertained as he shares his journey from the Emerald Isle to the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Pioneers of Color: The Yancey Family of Edina
T.J. Malaskee

November 16, 2019 at the Historic 1879 Minnehaha Grange Hall
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The Yancey family was one of Edina’s founding families, leaders not only in the local community, but across the State of Minnesota as well. Discover the amazing history of this pioneering family, from their early years in slavery to becoming successful frontier farmers and important leaders in the growth of Edina. The story of the Yanceys isn’t just the story of one historic family; it is the story of Edina’s roots and its successful transition from a rural community to a prosperous suburb.

100 Years of Christmas at Dayton's
James Neagbour

December 6, 2019 at the Edina History Museum/Terrace Room
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
This popular program SOLD OUT the last two years, so we are bringing it back for a third holiday season!
For 100 years Dayton’s department store helped Minnesotans celebrate Christmas.  We will look at how Dayton’s made the Christmas season magical by reviewing various window displays, unique gifts, store promotions, Santa Land, the unforgettable auditorium displays, along with a general history of the Minneapolis retail store.  We will also look at the behind the scenes action by examining anecdotes from the management and the ever-helpful store employees, who made the name Dayton’s synonymous with Christmas shopping.