Cox House Self-guided Tours
2025-07-19 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-02 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-16 13:00 - 16:00, 2025-08-30 13:00 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Cox House, 500 N. Washington Avenue, Saint Peter, MN, 56082, United States
Cox House Self-Guided Tours Begin in June
Step inside the beautifully preserved 1871 E. St. Julien Cox House and explore at your own pace.

Tour Dates: June 7 & 21, July 5 & 19, August 2, 16 & 30
Hours: 1–4 p.m.
Admission: Free. No reservations required. Free-will donations appreciated.

Upon arrival, you’ll receive a short introduction and a printed guide to help you navigate the home. Wander from room to room and experience what life was like in Victorian-era St. Peter.
New this year: A temporary textile display features historic garments from the Nicollet County Historical Society collection, highlighting fashion, fabric, and finely stitched details from the past.
Admission: Free will donations are welcome to help us support this historic property
Location: In St. Peter, Minnesota, at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Skaro Street.
Accessibility: The Cox House is not fully accessible. There are steps and uneven grounds.

Shadows at the Crossing: Spirits of Old Traverse des Sioux
2025-10-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Traverse des Sioux, 1851 N. Minnesota Avenue, Saint Peter, MN, 56082, United States
Lantern light, prairie air, and voices from the past. Experience Traverse des Sioux after dark on this immersive guided tour. At six stops along the trail, you’ll meet costumed interpreters portraying real people connected to this place. They’ll share their stories in first person, giving you a glimpse into the choices, challenges, and resilience that shaped Minnesota Territory.
As daylight fades, the atmosphere shifts. Early evening tours highlight the prairie landscape; twilight and nighttime tours surround you with rustling grass, night sounds, and the glow of lanterns on the rocky path. The setting creates an unforgettable focus on the storyteller before you.
Long before Minnesota was a state, Traverse des Sioux was a river crossing, a gathering place, and the site of the 1851 Treaty. Today, little remains of the town, but Shadows at the Crossing brings its layered history to life.
Tour details:
– Six stops led by a guide
– 60–65 minutes in length
– Daylight tours (6–6:30 pm) emphasize the site; twilight and evening tours (6:40 pm and later) heighten the atmosphere
Tickets:
– Adult: $12
– Senior (55+): $10
– Child (12–17): $5
MNHS & NCHS members: 20% discount
Recommended for ages 12+
Advance purchase encouraged

Shadows at the Crossing: Spirits of Old Traverse des Sioux
2025-10-04 18:00 - 20:00 | Traverse des Sioux, 1851 N. Minnesota Avenue, Saint Peter, MN, 56082, United States
During Shadows at the Crossing, step into the past on this immersive, lantern-lit outdoor tour that brings the history of Minnesota Territory to life. Along the way, you’ll encounter the spirits of those who lived at Traverse des Sioux during its most pivotal years. Their stories of courage, conflict, resilience, and cooperation offer a deeper understanding of our shared history.
Once a key gathering place along the Minnesota River, Traverse des Sioux experienced a surge in prosperity after the signing of the 1851 treaty, but its growth was short-lived. Today, little remains of the once-thriving town, making this event a rare opportunity to explore its layered legacy.
Tickets:
Adult: $12
Senior (65+): $10
Youth (ages 12–17): $5
MNHS & NCHS members receive a 20% discount
Recommended for ages 12 and up due to the interpretive nature of the program.
Advance purchase recommended. Walk-ups will be accommodated as space allows.
Tickets go on sale Friday, September 12.

Shadows at the Crossing: Spirits of Old Traverse des Sioux
2025-10-04 18:00 - 20:00 | Traverse des Sioux, 1851 N. Minnesota Avenue, Saint Peter, MN, 56082, United States
Lantern light, prairie air, and voices from the past. Experience Traverse des Sioux after dark on this immersive guided tour. At six stops along the trail, you’ll meet costumed interpreters portraying real people connected to this place. They’ll share their stories in first person, giving you a glimpse into the choices, challenges, and resilience that shaped the Minnesota Territory.
As daylight fades, the atmosphere shifts. Early evening tours highlight the prairie landscape; twilight and nighttime tours envelop you in the rustling of grass, the sounds of night, and the glow of lanterns on the rocky path. The setting creates an unforgettable focus on the storyteller before you.
Long before Minnesota was a state, Traverse des Sioux was a river crossing, a gathering place, and the site of the 1851 Treaty. Today, little remains of the town, but Shadows at the Crossing brings its layered history to life.
Tour details:
– Six stops led by a guide
– 60–65 minutes in length
– Daylight tours (6–6:30 pm) emphasize the site; twilight and evening tours (6:40 pm and later) heighten the atmosphere
Tickets:
– Adult: $12
– Senior (55+): $10
– Child (12–17): $5
MNHS & NCHS members: 20% discount
Recommended for ages 12+
Advance purchase encouraged

Cox House Summer Tours
2026-06-06 13:00 - 16:00 | Cox House, 500 N. Washington Avenue, Saint Peter, MN, 56082, United States
Step inside the beautifully restored E. St. Julien Cox House and explore at your own pace. No reservations needed.
When you arrive, we’ll give you a brief introduction and a printed guide to help you move from room to room and experience what Victorian-era living looked like.
This summer, we’re also featuring Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence on the main floor, a Smithsonian poster exhibit that explores the women’s suffrage movement and connects it to local history through the life of Lillien Cox Gault.
Admission is free. Free-will donations are gratefully accepted and help us care for this beautiful historic home. Thank you!
Please note: The Cox House is not fully accessible. There are steps and uneven ground.

Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery. This project received support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative.

Treaty of Traverse des Sioux Exhibit Tours
2026-06-09 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-27 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-21 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-25 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-04 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-08-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Nicollet County Historical Society – Treaty Site History Center, 1851 N. Minnesota Avenue, Saint Peter, MN, 56082, United States
The Treaty Site History Center stands where the 1851 Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed 175 years ago. This Treaty between Dakota leaders and U.S. government representatives added millions of acres of Dakota land to the U.S., significantly impacting Dakota communities and the future of southern Minnesota. Our permanent exhibit interprets this watershed event and its lasting impact on Dakota communities and the future of southern Minnesota.
Explore this history during a guided exhibit tour at the Treaty Site History Center.
During the tour, you’ll learn about the Dakota, explore why the treaty was negotiated, what it changed, and how its legacy continues to shape this region today.
If you live, work, or raise a family in southern Minnesota, this history shaped the place you know.
Tours are $5 per person and free for NCHS members. Space is limited to 20 participants. RSVP is required.

Tours require a minimum of 3 registered participants. If that minimum is not met, registered attendees will be notified by email 48 hours in advance and offered the option to reschedule or visit that day for a self-guided tour at the tour admission price.

Cox House Summer Tours
2026-06-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Cox House, 500 N. Washington Avenue, Saint Peter, MN, 56082, United States
Step inside the beautifully restored E. St. Julien Cox House and explore the home on a self-guided tour. No reservations needed.
When you arrive, we’ll give you a brief introduction and a printed guide to help you move from room to room and experience what Victorian-era living looked like.
This summer, we’re also featuring Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence on the main floor, a Smithsonian poster exhibit that explores the women’s suffrage movement and connects it to local history through the life of Lillien Cox Gault.
Admission is free. Free-will donations are gratefully accepted and help us care for this beautiful historic home. Thank you!
Please note: The Cox House is not fully accessible. There are steps and uneven ground.

Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence is organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery. This project received support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative.
