Ward County Historical Society’s Pioneer Village Museum at Burlington. Photos by Andrea Johnson/MDN

BURLINGTON — The Ward County Historical Society’s Pioneer Village Museum at Burlington has been spiffed up and is ready for what promises to be an exciting summer.

Historical Society President David Leite said in an email that the Pioneer Village will be open for guided tours beginning May 20. The hours of operation this summer will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday through Saturday until the end of September. The museum will also offer special group tours that can be scheduled in advance by calling 839-0785.

Among some of the special events planned for this summer will be a public field school in partnership with North Dakota State University in Fargo, according to Leite.

About a dozen students, led by NDSU public history professor Angela Smith, will be at the museum to carry out the project from May 31 to June 11. The professor and students will also talk with community members who come by to see what they are studying. During the field school, Smith and her students will also offer a genealogy workshop, a personal archival tip session, and a historic photo scanning class, according to Leite. The students will also give a public presentation and will invite the community to see everything they have accomplished at the end of the session on June 11.

“Our goal is to partner with the community and take students into Ward County where they can contribute to the interpretation of local history,” said Smith in information provided to The Minot Daily News by the historical society. “It’s a hands-on learning experience for students, and the community has a stake in it.”

According to the historical society, Smith has previously led field schools at Ellendale in 2015, Linton in 2017, and Fessenden in 2019.

“This is an ideal opportunity for the museum to have interpretive work professionally done in a short time,” said Leite.

He added that there are many small-town museums across North Dakota that, like the Pioneer Village Museum, have great collections of historic artifacts but they need to have expert help to learn how to preserve them and the most up-to-date museum practices to present them to the public.

The historical society is also planning other events this summer at the museum, which has 12 historic buildings on display such as the original Ward County Courthouse, a church, a school, a jail, and a building with a display of the county’s military history. The museum was formerly located at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot before it was relocated to Burlington a few years ago.

The Grand Opening Festival is scheduled for Saturday, June 25.

“It’s time to show off our historical buildings in its new Burlington location in a grand way and also celebrate 70 years as a Historical Society,” said Leite. “This all-ages event will have something for everyone. Kids can play games that their grandparents might have participated in or enjoy a ride on a hay wagon. There will be a costume contest for visitors that come dressed in their early 1900s period dress. Have an old-time tintype photo taken in the historical surroundings of the Pioneer Village. The Frozen Fingers Music Association of Minot will be heating it up with an afternoon concert in the Village church. Grab a meal from one of the food trucks and follow it up by tasting and judging some homemade pies from the pie-making contest.

“In addition to all of this, there will be demonstrations of basket making, blacksmithing, and other crafts throughout the Village. Volunteers will be dressed in period costumes and can tell you about the buildings and their contents. Besides the Pioneer Village collection, there will be a number of antique tractors and cars on display by local collectors.”

Another big event is planned for August, when the historical society will hold its annual Car and Tractor Show on Aug. 6 and 7. The event will also feature a flea market, kite flying, and activities for children. Food trucks will also be on site.

“This popular event always brings in a wide variety of antique and show cars and tractors, from muscle cars to Model T’s,” said Leite.