$250 WalMart grant helps pay for Winneshiek County historical projects

Members of the Michels family with the Sattre historical market

The Winneshiek County Historical Society has received a $250 grant from the Walmart Foundation, thanks to the community service volunteer hours accumulated by Decorah Walmart employee Maureen Michel.

The grant money will be used the repair and repainting of the Pioneer Cemetery and School historical marker that is located southeast of Decorah.  The sign marks the location of a rock and concrete monument to the memory of 40 Norwegian pioneers who were buried at the site as early as 1850.  In 1852, a log school was built on the eastern portion of the site.  It is recorded as the first rural school in the county.

It will not be the first historical marker that the Michel family has worked on.

Maureen's husband Richard and sons Cody and Ian helped deliver and set in place a repainted Sattre Log School historical marker.  They also worked on the Hesper Community historical marker. 

The Winneshiek County Historical Society has set in place and maintains nine historical signs throughout the county.