The Rock County History Center in Luverne has over 6,000 nutcrackers in its collection and is said to be among the largest in the world. As the “nutcracker capital of the Midwest”, the town has more nutcrackers than people.
The collection began in the home of local historian Betty Mann in 2001, and by 2015, she had over 2,500 on display in her townhome. As president of the Rock County History Center at the time, she didn’t want to hear anyone say, “If you’ve seen one museum, you’ve seen em’ all,” so she made sure the History Center would be unique with its nutcracker collection.
The center is also home to exhibits that explore early life in Rock County. Fans of mechanics can find an original Luverne car dating from 1909, one of only two known to exist, and a 1917 fire engine, among the first built by the Luverne Automobile Company. There’s also a covered wagon, a bison mount, Ice Age fossils, and a replica of a 1867 claim shanty, giving visitors a glimpse into pioneer life in the region.
There is so much to see that you might want to set aside an afternoon to take it all in!