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  • Lakes Area Museum Alliance Kicking Off New Program January 30th

Lakes Area Museum Alliance Kicking Off New Program January 30th

January 20, 2025 Steve Schwaller

(Spirit Lake)– You’ll have an opportunity later this month to visit a unique museum in Dickinson county that many people don’t even know exists. It’s part of a new program through the Lakes Area Museum Alliance dubbed “Nights at the Museum with Lucy Lama”. Mary Dreier, curator of the Dickinson County Museum which is a member of the alliance, says the first program will be held Thursday, January 30th at 6:30 pm at the Winchester Store Museum on the east side of East Lake Okoboji…

“The Winchester Store Museum is kind of a hidden gem of the Lakes Area. It is the only museum of its kind in the country. It highlights and replicates the Hill and Sperbeck Hardware Store that was in downtown Spirit Lake in the 1920’s. What David and Jane Kruse have done is recreated that store inside a building on their property. And it is magnificent.”

Dreier says most will be surprised to learn Winchester sold much more than just guns back in those days. She says they operated hardware stores nationwide including the one in Spirit Lake and another locally in Lake Park…

“In the 1920’s they reached out and created 6,400 different hardware stores throughout the country which focused on Winchester products which included the guns and ammunition, of course, but also household goods, canoes, camping gear, print materials. You’ll be amazed when you come inside this museum, so I hope you can all come. It’s a museum that’s usually open by appointment only so this is a grand chance to see a place you might not be seeing otherwise.”

Dreier says there will be no charge for the January 30th event but donations will be accepted. She adds that RSVP’s aren’t required but would be appreciated. You can do that by clicking here.

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