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Each week a small segment of Vernon County history is published in the county papers.
For the week of 3/8/2026
by Kristen Parrott, curator
The “Good Earth – Deep Roots” art show will open at the Vernon County Museum and History Center this Saturday, March 14. It will run for nearly two weeks, closing on Thursday, March 26. During this time, the museum and history center will be open every day from 11AM to 4PM. Suggested donation of $10 to tour the art show and the museum exhibits.
Guest curator Nathan Popp of Viroqua has chosen mainly landscapes, from the museum’s collection, for this art show. Artists include Virginia Torgerson O’Brien and Ethyl Maifeld. Ethyl was born in Victory in 1914, daughter of Tollef and Clara Anderson. She was a painter, and her work was exhibited in Boston and New York City, as well as in Wisconsin and Iowa.
Virginia embroidered a picture of the Vernon County Normal School while she was a student there in 1964-5, under the instruction of art teacher Naomi Flugstad. The picture includes the gingko tree that grows on the north side of the building, a building that now houses our museum and history center. This gingko is believed to be the oldest one in Vernon County.
Seven other artists are also represented in the show. The art will be displayed in the first-floor, wheelchair-accessible conference room. The art show will be complemented by a silent auction of art created by contemporary local artists. Art for sale will include prints of Gordon Glass’ drawings of local buildings.
Other pieces of artwork can be found throughout the museum in our regular exhibits. Featured in the first-floor U.S. 250th exhibit is a crocheted U.S. flag of 13 stars and stripes, created by Alvera (Johnson) Sneed of Purdy, Dach Ridge, and Viroqua. She crocheted this flag for the U.S. 200th in 1976.
On 3rd floor you will find a quilt created by Ethel Munson of Sandhill Ridge near La Farge. Also part of our U.S. 250th commemoration, this quilt features embroidered portraits of U.S. presidents from Washington to Reagan. The quilt is located next to the “Fashion of ‘76” exhibit.
In the tobacco exhibit on 2nd floor is a painting that depicts the perspective from inside of a tobacco shed, looking out the opened doors. This work was painted by Verna Buhr and Judy Gates. A painting by Amos Miller of Westby is featured in the “Protest!” exhibit on 2nd floor, depicting local activist Stephen O’Donnell at a protest at the Wisconsin state capitol. And in the medical exhibit on the same floor is a painting by an unknown artist of three Viroqua doctors, circa 1910. One of the doctors is Civil War surgeon William A. Gott.
Lots of art for you to enjoy, both in the art show and silent auction, and in the regular exhibits. Remember that the museum and history center will be open daily 11AM to 4PM from March 14 through March 26.
Landscape painting by Ethyl Elfberg Maifeld.
For the week of 3/1/2026
by Kristen Parrott, curator
The next meeting of the genealogy class will be Thursday, March 12, at 10AM, at the Vernon County Museum and History Center. The topic for the day will be finding Wisconsin genealogical information. Teacher Karen Sherry will lead the class in learning more about how to research Wisconsin ancestors.
New students are always welcome to join the class. Vernon County Historical Society members attend for free, and non-members are asked to pay $5 per class session. Classes are held in the first-floor, wheelchair-accessible conference room.
Our winter art show, “Good Earth – Deep Roots”, will be running from Saturday, March 14, through Thursday, March 26. The museum and history center will be open every day during that time period, from 11AM to 4PM. Art on exhibit from our collections will include several pieces by local artists including Mabel Treseder (later Mabel Gardner) of Viola, 1875-1934, and Dorothy Werth of Viroqua, 1924-2022. Guest curator Nathan Popp has chosen these works.
A silent auction of art created by local artists will also be part of this special event, as will a scavenger hunt of artistic elements found on objects around the museum. There will be a suggested donation of $10 for touring the art show and the museum exhibits together.
The history center is rarely open on weekends in the winter, so be sure to take advantage of these special hours during the art show. You are also welcome to come in to do research, or tour the regular exhibits, during this time period.
A new exhibit has just opened at the museum about the battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) and its connection to Vernon County and Viroqua. On display are artifacts donated by Viroqua resident Thor J. Thorson, who served on the ship. Learn about the history of the ship and about three area men who served on the ship during different decades. A special feature of this display is a video interview with Thor about his experiences on the USS Wisconsin. The exhibit is located on the third floor and is accessible by the elevator.
A new exhibit about the USS Wisconsin has just opened at the Vernon County Museum.
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