Olmsted County Historical Society

Established in 1926 as the Olmsted County Historical Society, by Burton Eaton (left) local attorney to Drs William and Charles Mayo, co-founders of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. The name changed to the History Center of Olmsted County (HCOC) in 2006.

The 2010 vision for the History Center is to become a gathering place for the broader community that inspires and encourages the exploration of history in order to understand the past, its relevance to the present and enlighten the decisions of tomorrow.

HCOC actively serves the community assisted by over 400 volunteers. In 2008, volunteers provided the History Center with 13,826 hours of time, an equivalent to 6.64 full time positions. This is a saving to the organization of more than $281,912 in payroll costs (estimate figured based on information from Independent Sector.org website.)

The History Center shares the stories of the past with over 30,000 people who visit the region annually. HCOC serves over 7000 children annually from public and private school districts in SE Minnesota. Collaborating with the Olmsted County Master Gardeners through its educational gardening programs over 4200 pounds of fresh produce were given to Channel One Food Shelf serving Rochester and the SE Minnesota Region in 2010. HCOC donates services and uses of its assets to help other area nonprofit organizations throughout the area by allowing them access to us its 46-acre campus and historic sites for fundraising and collaborative events.

The History Center maintains and staffs the ONLY PUBLIC VIEWING POINT for Olmsted County vital records. The History Center provides attractions and hosts events to serve the needs of Mayo Clinic visitors and patients.

The History Center sits on 46 acres of agricultural land located in beautiful SW Rochester. The main building houses the Historical Societies collections of artifacts and archives, which include vital records, maps, photographs and other documents. The museum has both permanent and temporary exhibits interpreting the past in its people, events, and culture. The research center provides services to individuals both in person and around the world via online access to over 2 million catalogued and indexed records and photos. The website boasts over 1.5 million hits annually with over 70,000 unique page visits by individuals from around the world.

The History Center owns and maintains two properties listed on the National Registry of Historic Places; the 1860's George Stoppel Farm and the Historic Mayowood Mansion, former home of Dr. Charlies H. Mayo co-founder of the Mayo Clinic.

By supporting the History Center you support its mission to g ive people of all ages and backgrounds access and opportunity to learn about the past through interpretive programs and exhibits, research, publications and events.