Have you ever looked at an old photo and wondered about the person who took it? What inspired them to capture that moment, and did they know we'd be observing it decades later, piecing together stories of a different time?

We're incredibly grateful for those who preserved a glimpse of the past, and for the photos shared with the Historical Society, allowing us to continue sharing the stories of Cook County and Grand Portage. Now, we're asking you to do the same for future generations.

To celebrate its centennial in 2025, the Cook County Historical Society is creating a special community-focused, time-capsule calendar. We're collecting images from you, our community, that capture what Cook County and Grand Portage mean to you today, or what best represents the area and community in 2025. Imagine someone 100 years from now looking back at life here today through these images.

We'll compile submitted photos with some from our archives to create this "community time capsule."

The deadline for submissions is June 30. Learn more about the Community Time Capsule Calendar, submission guidelines, and more via the QR code or this link: cookcountyhistory.org/2026-community-time-capsule-calendar

That’s not all: join the Cook County Historical Society for more centennial celebration events, including They Had a Big Feast: Chippewa City and Ojibwe Food Knowledge at the Turn of the 20th Century with Staci Drouillard on July 15 at the Chippewa City Church, the return of a favorite: Women of Cook County on July 31 at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, and our Centennial Celebration and Dinner on September 23 at North House Folk School. Learn more at cookcountyhistory.org/events. 

About the Cook County Historical Society

The Cook County Historical Society (CCHS), which is celebrating its centennial in 2025, is committed to the collection, preservation, and dissemination of Cook County history, connecting it to the state of Minnesota's narrative. CCHS manages five historical sites: the Cook County History Museum (1896 Lightkeeper's House), the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, St. Francis Xavier “Chippewa City” Church, the Bally Blacksmith Shop, and a 1930s fish house replica featuring the fishing tug Nee-Gee.