Pipestone County Museum

In 1896 the City of Pipestone hired regional architect Wallace Dow to design a City Hall that would do justice to the bright future of the fledgling city. It was to be two and a half stories with a bell tower and a hip roof, built wholly of locally quarried Sioux quartzite and steel at the cost of around $7,000. It was originally to hold the City recorder’s office, fire department, city lock-up, a council room, a room for the fire department and a public hall. “…the structure will be the handsomest City Hall in southwestern Minnesota.” The process began in earnest in April and was completed in December 1896.

Pipestone City Hall provided a place for the community to gather outside of regular government business. From the beginning there were many dances and lectures held in the large second floor space. The building hosted wrestling matches, roller skating and even a few indoor baseball games!

By 1966 both the City and the Fire Department had moved to new locations, leaving the building virtually empty. The parks department did use the old fire hall garage as a repair shop and a room was leased to the local Boy Scouts, but other than that it was unused and fell into some disrepair. As it so happened the Pipestone County Historical Society was looking for a permanent residence and after much back-and-forth the City deeded them the building.

The Pipestone County Historical Society repaired the building and opened a Museum in 1967. Old City Hall has served as the headquarters for the Pipestone County Historical Society for over 50 years. In 2013 the Society launched a major rehabilitation project on the building. As a Museum it hold five exhibit galleries and a research archive, as well as collections storage.

If Walls Could Talk. Pipestone, MN. Pipestone County Historical Society, 2011.

Pipestone's Old City Hall; 1896-1960, unpublished, Pipestone County Historical Society, Pipestone, MN.