A bequest in the will of City Attorney Leon Lum in 1927 was the nucleus in forming the Crow Wing County Historical Society.

On Nov. 18, 1927, a group of citizens met at the Chamber of Commerce rooms with S. R. Adair and R. R. Gould in charge. The group heard Judge L. B. Kinder reveal that Mr. Lum had left $500 with the express purpose that it be used in forming a county wide historical society.

The will specified that W. A. M. Johnstone, A. J. Forsythe and Mrs. Irma Camp Hartley be responsible for organizing a group. Added to this group to help in the planning were Adair, Mrs. M. A. Bronson Gould F W. Wielano and Judge Kinder, who volunteered to do legal work in obtaining a charter at no fee.

A total of 36 members signed the first charter, and the following officers were elected at a December meeting in 1927: Adair, president; Mrs. Bronson, vice president; Mrs. Wieland, secretary; Mrs. W. A. Fleming, treasurer; Forsythe, Mrs. Hartley and Mrs. J. M. Elder, directors; Judge Kinder, historian.

Many officers served through the course of the years, including area artist, Mrs. J. G. (Sarah Thorpe) Heald, who was secretary for 17 years and also curator of the County Museum. Present officers of the Historical society are: John Stensrud, president; Mrs. Nell Spencer, secretary and Museum curator; John Fitzpatrick, treasurer; John (Pete) Humphrey, Wayne Curtis and Tom O'Brien, directors.

The County Museum has operated for many years in the basement of the courthouse in Brainerd. The Museum contains one of the largest and most valuable collection of artifacts in a wide area, but is exceedingly cramped for space as years ago by and treasures continue to mount. A number of plans have been considered for the future of the Museum; none of which have come to fruition at the present time.