Old Home Town Museum
OHT has a diverse selection of artifacts that cover the history of Stephen and surrounding area since its founding in 1878 to recent events. Artifacts include residential, agricultural, business, sports, military, and personal items.
Visit our Welcome Center! The recently upgraded facility has displays of refurbished original artifacts from a local soda fountain (Carl’s), restaurant (C&H Café), and drive in (Flat Top Inn). It serves as the OHT Welcome Center and meal serving center for the Stephen Days Pie and Ice Cream Social each July.
Handicap Accessible
OHT grounds and displays are handicap accessible except for the historical Swanson house. An ADA compliant restroom with baby changing station on site.
OHT has been in operation since July of 1991. It is fully funded through donations from individuals and partnering with local civic organizations. It is formally organized as an LLC with 501©(3) non profit public charity status with donations tax deductible.
Donations
Each year OHT schedules multiple facilities and displays improvement projects to improve your experience. To donate to our projects:
To use Paypal or any credit/debit card scan the QR Code or use link.
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=R2F2A9JEU2858
Complete a direct Venmo transfer to OHT Venmo Account: @OHTmuseum
Send an Email to OHTmuseum@stephenmn.com for more detailed information on projects and special gifting.
Mail in donations addressed to Old Home Town Museum, PO Box 284, Stephen MN, 56757.
Contact Information
- Address: 608 Fifth Street - located adjacent to Stephen/Argyle Central High School on main street
- Phone: 218-689-0576 (David Sunsdahl)
- Email: OHTmuseum@stephenmn.com
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Hours
- Sunday afternoon, 1:00 P.M.- 5:00 P.M. (during the months of June, July and August)
- Interested parties can view the displays by appointment by calling: (218)-689-0576
Swanson House
The converted former residence of Cutsy and Francis Swanson (Editors and Publishers of the Messenger from 1925-1965) which was built in 1916. Among the items found wall to wall in the museum are antique furniture, “a neat old fashioned kitchen”, a beautiful sideboard, old kitchen cupboards filled with unique dishes, pots and pans, an old ice box, 2 old organs, a fainting couch, a collection of 142 dolls dressed in hand crocheted costumes…the list goes on and on. Upstairs you will find a neat old fashioned teacher’s desk made by using square nails, an old rural student’s school desk and other antique furniture. There is also a nice display of old fashioned clothes from the early 20th century.
Hotel Stephen
The Hotel Stephen was a primary hotel servicing the railroad depot and the Kittie Stagecoach which ran to Roseau from 1904 until 1931. The veranda is a scale replica of the original Hotel Stephen veranda.
Multiple historical business displays, Mile Marker 68 UFO Event display, school history, military uniform display, a chapel, and various town historical items. Business displays include a full barbershop (Schafer/Whalen), First National Bank turn of the century bank, Nyland’s Shoe Repair with complete shoe repair shop originating in 1895, Idle Hour Theater with full size early projector, and a dairy history display.
Agriculture & Industry Building
The Early History display provides an overall history of the development of the region. It includes governance under 7 different flags, chain saw carvings of Tamarack Mack who was the first settler in the region in 1871, early transportation and trade routes, the completion of the railroad and the formalization of the town of Stephen in 1878. A replica of the Kittie stagecoach that traveled between Stephen and Roseau is included.
Displays include antique Rumely tractors, hit and miss motors, and early farming tools shown along with a discussion of the development of the farming drainage and road geography in the region.
An oil and gas display highlighting some of the early service businesses along with Industrial business history including early blacksmiths and present manufacturing.
A unique farm tractor learning area for kids is included.
Stephen Historical Mural
The mural depicts the early formative history of Stephen starting with Tamarack Mack, the first settler in the region (1871) and the railroad being completed through Stephen in 1878 defining Stephen’s formal development as a town.
A display of old implements including a thrasher, plows, and early planters used by pioneer farmers is included in the outside display area.
