Chronology

1938 - The Waseca County Historical Society was formed.

Early artifact donations were exhibited in a space in the basement of the Waseca County courthouse.

1940 - John Oleson and the A.F. Sponberg family donated original hand-hewn logs from log cabins. The logs were used to reconstruct a pioneer dwelling on the south lawn of the courthouse. The society's collection was displayed inside the cabin for a number of years and then a block annex was built to the west of the courthouse to accommodate the growing collection.

1950s - The society was in need of more space and the county needed the area to expand. The cabin was moved to the Waseca County fairgrounds and enclosed in a cement block building dedicated as Hodgson Hall.

1962 - The Johnson brothers, Edgar, Marvin and Everett, and their families bought the former Methodist Church building. Two years later, after renovations, they donated and officially dedicated the building as Waseca County's museum.

1991 - the Waseca County Historical Society acquired the Bailey house along with a generous donation from the Lewer family. The house was restored and placed on the National Historic Register in 1994 as the P.C. Bailey House.

April 2000 - The renovation of the Bailey-Lewer House was completed and designated as the Research Center for the Waseca County Historical Society.