Opening Reception for Fabulous 15!
Lawshe Memorial Museum - FREE (suggested donation $3)
February 9, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m..

Join us for the opening of the Dakota County Star Quilters' 15th Annual Quilt Show. Featuring more than 150 unique quilts, this perennial favorite includes a small quilt auction and a quilt challenge. Exhibit runs February 10 - March 5, 2010

Quilting Class Fabulous 15!
During opening reception at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. - ticket required ($4-$6)
Tracy Trevethan presenting on the art of quilting. Please call (651) 455-8104 for tickets. Sponsored by the Dakota County Star Quilters.

Curved Piecing Simplified Using the Canyon Dance Pattern
Lawshe Memorial Museum - Registration Required ($30)
February 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Class taught by Tracy Trevethan. The class will require a template set and a pattern that retail for $46, but Tracy has offered to sell them for $20. Contact Cindy Hilleary at cindy.hilleary@comcast.net or at 651-454-0209 to register for the class. For additional information visit www.dakotacountystarquilters.org.

LeDuc Hosts 60th Wedding Anniversary Party for
Local Legends Dick & Jane Darsow
LeDuc Historic Estate - FREE
February 14, 2-4 p.m.

Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings and Dakota County Historical Society invite friends and relatives of Dick and Jane Darsow to celebrate the Darsow's 60th Wedding Anniversary at the LeDuc Historic Estate. The open house, which is free and open to the public, will honor the tireless volunteerism of the Darsows. Not only have they researched and written the history of the City of Hastings, but they have also given freely of their time and resources as volunteers at their church, the Pioneer Room, and the LeDuc Historic Estate. Please join us in this very special Valentine's Day event. RSVP to Margaret Goderstad at 651-437-3365

DCHS Offers FREE Webinar Access to Peers - Get more information here.

French-Canadian Genealogical Research
Lawshe Memorial Museum - FREE
February 18, 7 p.m.

French-Canadians were among the earliest of explorers and settlers in Quebec and in the Midwest. John Schade will discuss early settlement of Quebec, the fur trade, migration to MN, and the importance of Notarial records in addition to more traditional sources. John is the MGS Library Chair and former President of the Minnesota Genealogical Society (MGS) and the Canadian Interest Group

Midwest Genealogy Libraries
Lawshe Memorial Museum - FREE
March 18, 7 p.m.

Darlene Joyce will discuss a wonderful array of genealogy resources in Minnesota and 11 bordering states. We will take a visual tour of some of the major repositories for genealogical and family history research in our region; discuss preparations for an important library visit; learn how to search many key data collections from your home computer; share tips on good ways to stay "current" on the constant changes affecting major genealogy libraries; discuss several ways to take advantage of inter-library loan and online downloading of Midwest data. Darlene (Cruikshank) Joyce, is a Certified Genealogist, former Director and Vice President of the MN Genealogical Society, and chair of the MGS Cemetery Project.

Mapping the County: The Dakota County Surveyor
Extended Through April 2010
Hastings Administration Center
1590 West Highway 55

Dakota County has had a surveyor since the 1850s and while the role has essentially remained the same, to map and identify property parcels, the way in which the job is done has changed drastically. This exhibit takes a look back at the history of the department, the tools used through the decades, monuments and mapping oddities.

Special thanks to John Stake and Todd Tollefson of the Surveyor's Department for their assistance with this exhibit.