Minnesota Centennial Historical Pageant

Drawing of a covered wagon on a beach with a lake, pine tree, and teepee. Red text over drawing. Green outer band with white text.

The Minnesota Centennial Historical Pageant held at Lake Bronson State Park was one of several held across the state at various locations. These all had a standard script written by Harold Searls. The serious of historical pageants intended to convey the state’s history to a large audience. These pageants did not dive too deeply into their themes and instead focused on bolstering the state’s tourist industry and thus commemorated the nineteenth century legends of the state. The breakdown of the ninety minute pageant includes the history of Minnesota from the prologue through seven episodes, all with musical accompaniment, and ends with all singing the state song, "Hail to Minnesota." Some shows included local native American tribes.

Minnesota was established as a territory on March 3rd, 1849, and became a state in 1858. In 1947, the Minnesota Legislature passed an act designating 1949 as the territorial centennial year of Minnesota’s founding and as such appropriated funds to the Minnesota Historical Society for the execution of events, radio broadcasts, and publications for the year-long celebration. Minnesota’s centennial prompted a few significant changes throughout the state, including the creation of a more extensive K-12 school curricula to include Minnesota history, signage and publicity marking historic sites and trails, the strengthening of historical societies across Minnesota, and a directory of Minnesota-related films.