The New Prague Area Historical Society started around 1981. Long enough to be considered part of New Prague’s history itself!

 

Actually, it had its roots in 1974 when a group of citizens began preparing for the Minnesota Bi-Centennial in 1976. They organized the 3-day celebration that summer and were instrumental in having New Prague designated as an official Bi-Centennial City. This same group of individuals went on to form the New Prague Area Historical Society in 1981.

 

Over the years the Society has been involved in many activities including:

 

• Numerous guest speakers on endless topics related to our area's history.

 

• Sponsored bus tours throughout MN and WI to interesting historical locations; and conducted walking tours highlighting New Prague’s history.

 

• Sponsored Annual Christmas Concerts at the Park Ballroom

 

• In conjunction with St. Wenceslaus Church, we initiated the “Vanocni” Christmas Concerts including a sit-down dinner. These popular concerts were produced 5 times over a 10-year period.

 

• We took the lead in raising funds to restore the historic Centennial Log Cabin in Memorial Park. It allows us to store and display many early settler artifacts. We open it for educational programs for students along with having it open during many community events. We've added a rough shed next door to serve as an agricultural interpretive center.

 

Through a generous donation from the Komarek family, the NPAHS has a home in the library, enabling us to conduct meetings and present a rotating display of historic artifacts. It also allows us to store a growing collection of photographs, oral histories, city documents, and anything worthy of preserving. A BIG thanks to the community for providing much of this!!

 

Which brings us to where we want to go.

 

We want to continue with many of the types of activities mentioned above, maybe though with a new and improved twist. But we also realize technology will play a big role in how we preserve our history and making it more interactive and accessible to the public.

 

We have and will continue to source funding either through grants or donations to add to our growing inventory of devices. These devices will allow us to digitalize, better preserve, and effectively categorize many of our artifacts while enhancing public use.

 

You are reading this through our new website, which we believe will be a main avenue into the NPAHS. Make sure to bookmark the website address for your convenience. We invite you to browse through it, utilize it, provide suggestions, and most importantly, become involved!

 

The future of our history has never looked better!