Lake County Pioneer Village Museum

Lake County Historical Society operates the Pioneer Village in Kenmare, ND. This is a 27-building museum/village that entices one to spend hours going through it. One visitor described it as: The Smithsonian of NW North Dakota. The original Norma Town Hall displays a collection of Vintage quilts dating back to the early 1900’s, a doctor’s one-horse buggy, a collection of Indian Stones from the area, spinning wheels dating back 120 plus years, Dr. Gammel's list of babies delivered at the Kenmare Hospital, and much more. Another highlight is Anne’s Dress Shop with vintage dresses, wedding dresses into the late 1800’s (including a wedding dress from four generations). You can touch mink, fox, and weasel stoles, most of which have eyes, noses, and ears still on them. This dress shop is extensive, with swimsuits from the 1920s, flapper dresses from the roaring twenties, etc.

The Village also includes the V & R Toy Museum (over 2000 toys, a brown bear floor rug, and a train track with two engines pulling a train. The Heidenburg-Petersen Military Museum houses an extensive military display with uniforms back to the Spanish-American War, German prisoner of war dog tags, etc. The Niobe Town Hall has a large kerosene lamp collection, buggies, sleighs, an original Taylor Drug store, stained glass windows from area churches, and much, much more. Other buildings include: Arties Doll House, Cindy’s Millenary Shop, Duffy’s (original CCC barracks), Kenmare News, Nott House, two one-room school houses, two cook shacks, Bintz House, Hartland Lutheran Church, and many more.

Most buildings are accessible, and accessible bathrooms and picnic tables are also on site. We are open Memorial Day to Labor Day on Wednesday-Friday, 4 pm to 7 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m to 5 pm. Tours can be arranged within a few minutes with a phone call. 701-240-4505

Pioneer Days are always on the second Sunday in July.