Saturday, May 15, 2021, 8:00 am-2:00 pm
Rain or Shine!

The Rice County Historical Society will be hosting its Spring Flea Market on Saturday, May 15. Market vendors will bring a great variety of items to shop for including; antiques, collectibles, crafts, glassware, kitchen appliances, wood benches, and more.

Additionally, the Rice County Fairgrounds will be hosting the Cannon Valley Farmers Market simultaneously. Food trucks will be onsite during this event too. So it should be a great day!

It is exciting to offer this event once again at the Rice County Historical Society grounds, as we prepare it to be a Covid Aware event with everyone doing their part to ensure it to be a safe and positive experience to make this Flea Market as safe as possible for both the vendors and the shoppers. Vendors for the Flea Market will be spaced out on the grounds of this event in awareness of Social Distancing (6’+). Face coverings will be required for both the vendors and shoppers during this six-hour event. Hand sanitizer stations will be set up throughout the grounds. Social distancing signs will be posted for kindly reminders to stay 6’ apart. The RCHS will monitor the Governor’s mandates and will follow them if there is any changes for outside events. With the help of all, this can be a successful and safe event.

If you know of anyone wanting to sell their items at this Flea Market, please share this information with them. There will be a lot of foot traffic during the day.

All who are interesting in being a vendor (of any experience level) are encouraged to give us a call. Vendor spots available are 10’x20’ stalls and can be reserved for $20 prior to the day of the event. If there are any spaces remaining, they will be available for $25 on the day of the event.  You are encouraged to bring a tarp or table, canopy, or whatever necessary to display your items. First time sellers are welcome! Vendors will be able to set up starting at 5:30 am.

The Flea Market will be in the Museum’s front parking lot as well as behind the RCHS Museum of History, at 1814 NW 2^nd Avenue, Faribault, MN 55021. Vendors are invited to reserve a spot for the Flea Market by making a fee payment and completing a Vendor Agreement Form.

For more information or to sign up to be a vendor, please contact the Rice County Historical Society during regular business hours, Monday – Friday / 9am – 4pm, 507-332-2121 or send us an email at rchs@rchistory.org.

Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 7:00 pm

Please join us for this online program on the history of Bicycling in Rice County, presented by Tim Madigan, a local historian and member of the Faribault Flyers bicycle club.

The presentation will cover the history of bikes and biking in Rice County from the 19th century to today, with an emphasis on the last 50 years.

For more information contact RCHS at 507-332-2121 or check www.rchistory.org. The online program will be held using Google Meet. You can access the event here: https://meet.google.com/ipp-kyxr-vds

ONLINE PROGRAM: Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 7pm

Please join the team from 1855 as they share their latest documentary on the Orinoco Company.

In the late 1800s, Faribault tycoons set out to colonize Venezuela in the pursuit of fortune. They banded together to invest in The Orinoco Company, led by the larger-than-life former Mayor of Faribault: Donald Grant.

Logan Ledman and Samuel Temple, the team behind the documentary series 1855, are excited to premiere their latest episode about The Orinoco Company and how the calamitous actions of Faribault investors nearly sparked a war between much of Europe, South America, and the United States. It is a story about imperialism, wealth, and the farcical effect of ambition.

A discussion with the creators will follow the online premier.

For more information contact RCHS at 507-332-2121 or check www.rchistory.org.

The online program will be held using Google Meet. You can access the event here: https://meet.google.com/ipp-kyxr-vds

With Susan Hvistendahl

Thursday, January 21, 7 pm

Local author and historian Susan Hvistendahl will present “Historic Happenings of Rice County”, an online program for the Rice County Historical Society on Thursday, January 21, at 7 pm.

Hvistendahl, who wrote a “Historic Happenings” column for the Entertainment Guide of Southern Minnesota from 2007-2016, will speak on four topics: Heisman trophy winner Bruce Smith of Faribault, the early bicycling craze in Rice County, the history of the St. Olaf Band since 1891 and Northfield’s iconic Archer House, ravaged by fire last November.

For more information contact RCHS at 507-332-2121 or check www.rchistory.org. You can join the meeting at 7pm using this link: https://meet.google.com/tby-vsmc-xyu