Cokato Museum & Gust Akerlund Studio
Encyclopedia
Cokato Museum & Gust Akerlund Studio is a local history museum in Cokato, Minnesota
, which is dedicated to chronicling the story of the people of the city of Cokato and the surrounding townships in southwestern Wright County
. There are two buildings that comprise the facility.
The first is the Cokato Museum, which opened in 1976. The museum features several permanent displays, covering topics such as immigration, agriculture, pioneer life, businesses, and education. A temporary gallery is used to feature exhibits about a variety of subjects. The museum also has a research area, which includes local newspapers, state and federal census records, church records, cemetery listings, and family histories.
The other building is the Gust Akerlund Photography Studio, located adjacent to the museum. The studio was purchased in 1902 by Akerlund and moved to its current location in 1906. Akerlund operated the studio for most of the first half of the twentieth century. The studio was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1977. Its amenities include authentic photographic equipment, studio furnishings, and an adjoining living quarters used by the photographer and his family. The studio also has a collection of 14,017 negatives, of which 11,552 are glass plate negatives. Entered onto the National Register in 1976, the studio was donated to the Cokato Museum in 1986 for preservation. This structure is the only known early twentieth century photo studio left standing in the Upper Midwest. It is not known how many are left remaining in the country.
The museum is operated through a partnership of the City of Cokato and the Cokato Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Cokato, Minnesota
Cokato is a city in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,694 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, which is dedicated to chronicling the story of the people of the city of Cokato and the surrounding townships in southwestern Wright County
Wright County, Minnesota
Wright County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1855. As of 2010, the population was 124,700. Its county seat is Buffalo.-History:...
. There are two buildings that comprise the facility.
The first is the Cokato Museum, which opened in 1976. The museum features several permanent displays, covering topics such as immigration, agriculture, pioneer life, businesses, and education. A temporary gallery is used to feature exhibits about a variety of subjects. The museum also has a research area, which includes local newspapers, state and federal census records, church records, cemetery listings, and family histories.
The other building is the Gust Akerlund Photography Studio, located adjacent to the museum. The studio was purchased in 1902 by Akerlund and moved to its current location in 1906. Akerlund operated the studio for most of the first half of the twentieth century. The studio was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1977. Its amenities include authentic photographic equipment, studio furnishings, and an adjoining living quarters used by the photographer and his family. The studio also has a collection of 14,017 negatives, of which 11,552 are glass plate negatives. Entered onto the National Register in 1976, the studio was donated to the Cokato Museum in 1986 for preservation. This structure is the only known early twentieth century photo studio left standing in the Upper Midwest. It is not known how many are left remaining in the country.
The museum is operated through a partnership of the City of Cokato and the Cokato Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.