Blue Earth County Historical Society

What Blue Earth County Historical Society does

The Blue Earth County Historical Society (BECHS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1901 for the semi-centennial celebration of Mankato and Blue Earth County, now in its 125th year of operation. The organization preserves and interprets local history through two physical museum locations in Mankato, Minnesota: the year-round History Center at 424 Warren Street (housing exhibits, a research center, the Marian Anderson Art Gallery, and a gift shop) and the seasonal R.D. Hubbard House at 606 S Broad Street, a 16-room 1871 French Second Empire mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places and open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Its archival assets include over 18,000 photographs, nearly 500 scrapbooks, microfilmed newspapers from 1857-2009, 81 documented finding aids, and 277 archived newsletter issues, making it the primary genealogical and local-history research hub for the county.

BECHS operates with four core staff members (Executive Director Jessica Potter, Communications & Events Manager Heather Harren, Collections Manager Shelley Harrison, and Museum Manager Rachel Walden), supplemented by volunteers and interns. Its technology stack is intentionally lightweight and outsourced: a WordPress-based website, FareHarbor for ticketing, Qgiv for donation processing, Amelia for appointment booking, and Zoom for hybrid programming. There is no proprietary technology platform; the closest thing to a differentiated digital product is the Stones & Stories self-guided cemetery tour line, which has launched five installations between 2020 and 2026 using smartphone-accessible audio narration paired with historic imagery. Digital content production also includes the Surrounded By History podcast (70+ episodes with KTOE radio) and a YouTube library of 160+ videos.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit mix spanning earned and contributed income. Earned revenue comes from admissions ($5-$10 per visit), individual and business memberships ($250-$1,000/year), History Book Club series ($50/series), Speaker's Bureau presentations ($75-$150), event-space rentals (History Center meeting rooms and Hubbard House Park for weddings), and gift shop / Marian Anderson art sales. Contributed income includes an annual 125th Anniversary campaign currently targeting $125,000 in unrestricted donations—representing roughly 36% of the disclosed $350,000 annual operating budget—with the balance expected from earned streams. The organization reaches members and supporters through community-led, event-driven GTM: History Book Club, Hubbard House After Hours tours, cemetery walking tours, hybrid educational programs, and the annual Timekeeper's Ball gala, supplemented by email newsletters, Facebook, Instagram, and a content-rich website. Primary customer segments are genealogists and family historians, K-12 schools, general local-history enthusiasts, local business members, and major donors/sponsors.

Name

Blue Earth County Historical Society

Legal name

Blue Earth County Historical Society

Website

https://blueearthcountyhistory.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Blue Earth County Historical Society (BECHS) is a Mankato, Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1901 that preserves Blue Earth County history through two museum locations, a research center, educational programs, and digital content, serving genealogists, K-12 schools, local businesses, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage and Museum Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

Keywords

• Historical society services
• Museum admission programs
• Genealogy research services
• Local heritage education
• Cemetery history tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Mankato

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions providing free admission, discounts, quarterly newsletter (The Historian), and one complimentary 30-minute research session. Available in individual and business tiers.
2. Admission Fees: Entry fees to History Center museum ($10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 children), Research Center ($10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 children), and Hubbard House tours ($10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 children). Free for members.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Unrestricted donations and annual giving campaigns. Currently running 125th Anniversary campaign targeting $125,000. Includes recurring donation options, commemorative bricks, memorial/honor donations, and planned giving.
4. Event Space Rentals: Rental revenue from History Center meeting rooms (up to 75 people) and Hubbard House Park grounds for weddings and outdoor events.
5. Gift Shop and Art Sales: Retail sales of books, Marian Anderson fine art prints, and historical merchandise both at physical gift shop and online store.
6. Educational Programs: Fees for History Book Club ($50/series), classroom visits ($25/presentation), speaker's bureau ($75-$150/presentation), and special event tickets ($10-$15/person).
7. Self-Guided Tours: Cemetery walking tour products (Stones & Stories) sold as hybrid A/V experiences for Vernon Center, Lake Crystal, Glenwood, Minneopa, and Calvary Catholic cemeteries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Blue Earth County Historical Society operates two museum venues — the History Center and the Historic R.D. Hubbard House — and a research center that preserves and interprets the history of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. It sells admissions, memberships, educational programs, cemetery tours, event rentals, and gift shop merchandise, and produces publications and a podcast for members and the public.

Product overview

Blue Earth County Historical Society (BECHS) operates a multi-facility museum and education organization offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offerings are the History Center Museum (year-round museum with rotating exhibits and hands-on history experiences) and the Historic R.D. Hubbard House (seasonal French Second Empire mansion tours). Supporting these are the Research Center for genealogy and local history research, and Education Programs including field trips and speaker services. The Society has expanded into digital experiences with Stones & Stories (self-guided cemetery audio tours), a podcast, and video content library. Revenue-generating add-on services include memberships, business partnerships, event sponsorships, facility rentals, the Marian Anderson Art Gallery, an online gift shop, and The Historian quarterly publication. The organization serves historians, genealogists, educators, students, tourists, and community members interested in Blue Earth County's heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• History Center Museum On-site museum offering permanent and temporary exhibits on the history of Blue Earth County; open to the public with paid admission and serves as the Society's primary visitor destination.
• Historic R.D. Hubbard House Historic house museum offering guided tours of a preserved residence; serves visitors, school groups, and members interested in Blue Earth County's built heritage.
• Research Center Services Staff-assisted and self-directed access to local history and genealogical archives, including finding aids and online research indexes, for family historians, researchers, and the public.
• Stones & Stories Cemetery Tours Guided cemetery tours that interpret the lives and stories of people buried in local cemeteries; sold to the general public, members, and tour groups.
• Marian Anderson Art Gallery Art gallery presenting exhibitions at the History Center; serves visitors interested in regional art and the visual culture of Blue Earth County.
• Educational Programs Structured, curriculum-aligned local-history programs and group experiences delivered on-site and off-site to K-12 schools, homeschool groups, scouts, and community organizations.
• Event Space Rentals Rental of Society facilities (including the History Center and Hubbard House grounds) for private events, meetings, weddings, and community functions.
• Individual and Family Memberships Tiered annual membership offerings that provide free admission, newsletter, discounts, and member benefits to individuals and families supporting the Society.
• Business Memberships Tiered annual memberships designed for local businesses that provide recognition, event benefits, and community association with the Society in exchange for dues.
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages Tiered corporate sponsorship packages that underwrite specific programs, exhibitions, or events in exchange for visibility, recognition, and association with the Society.
• The Historian Newsletter Periodic print and/or digital newsletter delivered to members featuring articles on local history, Society news, and program announcements.
• Surrounded By History Podcast Audio podcast produced by the Society that explores local history topics and is distributed to the public and members.
• Gift Shop On-site retail store at the History Center selling history-themed merchandise, books, and gifts to visitors and members.
• Video Content Library Online library of video content that supports the Society's educational programming and extends engagement with members and the public.
• Online Research Indexes and Finding Aids Web-accessible indexes and finding aids that help genealogists and researchers locate materials in the Society's archives without visiting in person.
• Donations Program Charitable giving program soliciting donations from individuals and organizations to support museum operations, preservation, and programming.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: National nonprofit focused on historic site preservation, including advocacy and grants that benefit National Register properties like BECHS's Hubbard House. Relevant as the broader incumbent ecosystem player in historic site preservation.
• Minnesota Historical Society: Statewide historical society operating multiple museum sites, a research center, and educational programs across Minnesota. Directly comparable as a larger incumbent in the same local history/heritage space, with overlapping mission, programs, and donor base.

Direct peers

• Hennepin History Museum: Urban Minnesota county-level historical society operating museum exhibits, archives, and educational programming in Minneapolis. Direct peer operating in the same space at slightly larger scale within the same state.
• Brown County Historical Society (New Ulm, MN): Rural Minnesota county historical society operating a museum, research archives, and educational programs of comparable scale to BECHS. Closest analog in terms of operating model, staff size, and community-driven membership/donation revenue mix.
• Dakota County Historical Society: Minnesota county historical society operating a museum, historic site, and research collections in the Twin Cities metro. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and product offerings to BECHS.
• Ramsey County Historical Society: St. Paul-based county historical society running a museum, historic house (Gibbs Farm), archives, and educational programs. Highly comparable structure to BECHS with a historic house museum component.
• Nicollet County Historical Society: Adjacent-county historical society (St. Peter, MN) operating a museum, historic house, and genealogy research services. Comparable in mission, geographic scope, and product mix to BECHS, serving an immediately adjacent rural Minnesota county.

Regional players

• Meeker County Historical Society: Small rural Minnesota county historical society with comparable operating model, collections, and education programming. Useful comparable for assessing the typical financial scale of a single-county historical society.
• Steele County Historical Society (Owatonna, MN): Rural southern Minnesota county historical society with a comparable mix of museum, research archives, and educational programming. Similar scale and operating model, though serving a non-adjacent county.
• Washington County Historical Society (Stillwater, MN): Minnesota county historical society with museum, archives, and historic sites in the St. Croix River Valley. Comparable in structure and rural-MN operating model, serving a different but adjacent geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bechshistory
• Instagraminstagram.com/bechshistory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-earth-county-historical-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blue Earth County Historical Society