James J. Hill, known as the "Empire Builder" for his work building rail and shipping lines from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean, died in his Summit Avenue home on May 29, 1916, at age 77. Hill left behind a personal fortune of $63 million. As one of the wealthiest and most powerful figures of America's Gilded Age, Hill embodied the era of Manifest Destiny.
D.E.A.R. Hunting (Divas Enjoy Awesome Retail) is held the first day of deer hunting season to give non-hunters something fun to do! Our shops and restaurants offer specials and fun activities throughout the day.
Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danu is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. Their standing room only concerts throughout Ireland are true events featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire. For two decades, Danu's virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals (Irish and English), have performed around the globe and recorded seven critically acclaimed albums. Their live DVD, One Night Stand, was filmed at Vicar St. Dublin.
Flour milling was a dangerous job with lots of moving machinery, high-powered water turbines, and tall grain elevators where one wrong move could have disastrous consequences.
Explore the dangers that workers faced on a guided tour of the Washburn A Mill. Learn about the deadly 1878 mill explosion that led to the rebuilding of the riverfront, see daily hazards like the "Humphrey manlift" that took the life of a millworker in 1936, and hear about the dangers of working in the related railroad and lumber industries.
Celebrate with us the 30th anniversary of Dancescape 2020! The annual dance show will include choreography created and performed by students, faculty and guest choreographers exploring a variety of themes through the language of expressive movement.
A reworked and expanded version of 2019’s Buddy Holly and Friends – Not Fade Away! This show features, in addition to all the “Holly Hits,” music from the original artists of that star-studded, but chaotic, and ultimately tragic 1959 “Winter Dance Party Tour.”
The cast is now complete! Charles Fraser as our trusted MC, Nicholas Freeman sings the Holly hits, Brian Pekol stands in for Dion (& the Belmonts) and Allen Malicsi does a groovy Ritchie Valens. And there’s a Big Bopper surprise!
With your paid admission to the Dakota County Fair, come enjoy a slower pace in Dakota City, where the year is 1900. Throughout the week you can experience how a rural village was celebrating the end of summer; see threshing demonstrations, listen to the Chautauqua performances, smell delicious aromas from cooking demonstrations in the family home, watch the blacksmith and wood worker as they demonstrate their craft, and more!
When the days are short, we have an opportunity to spend more time exploring and enjoying the night sky. Join educators from the Native Skywatchers program to learn more about Dakota and Ojibwe star maps and constellation guides. View a large Dakota star map in the exhibit Our Home: Native Minnesota, and then learn how to find those constellations in the night sky.
Plus enjoy art activities, large-format images from MNHS Press children's book The Forever Sky, and fun for the whole family.
The Daisy Dillman Band – national recording artists for RCA, United Artists and MCA Records, Minnesota Music Award-winners and Minnesota Rock Hall of Famers.
Dairy Day Festivities include: Meet Princess Kay of the Milky Way, $5 lunch meal, cheese samples, cow milking contest, live music, tractors to look at, children’s activities, and more!
