EXPLORING WISCONSIN'S WATERWAYS: BRULE - ST. CROIX- Mississippi 203

   Winona is an attractive, history-conscious river town. Historic preserva-
tionists and the State Historic Preservation Office have succeeded in having
18 historic structures, reflecting various aspects of the city's economic,
social,
and cultural history, added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The
city has 3 historical museums, each depicting different themes in the commu-
nity's development.
Julius C. Wilkie Steamboat Center, Levee Park at the foot of Main Street
  The Center promotes and preserves knowledge of the steamboating era on
the Mississippi. One deck is a museum of Mississippi riverboat history.
Winona State University faculty prepared a slide tape on the steamboating
era to introduce and to supplement the displays. Other parts of the center
recreate steamboat decor of the turn of the century. Luncheons are served
aboard the Julius C. Wilkie. Also at the park you will find the Winona Prin-
cess, a paddle wheeler which offers river rides.
Winona Armory Museum, 160 Johnson Street
  The Winona County Historical Society owns and operates the Armory
Museum which contains large displays of artifacts broadly portraying
Winona and Winona County history. The stained glass and main street dis-
plays are among the most notable. Here also are housed the Society's library
and archives.
Polish Cultural Institute of Winona, 102 Liberty Street
  The Institute was organized in 1976 to preserve the history of Winona's
Polish population. By 1905 Winona had the largest Polish population of any
city in Minnesota. These people came from the part of Poland under Prus-
sian domination and, therefore, in some ways they shared cultural similarities
with the other major foreign-born group in Winona, the Germans. The Po-
lish Cultural Institute houses artifacts of both the Old World and the Winona
experiences. Displays relate to local history, humor, folklore, family life,
and
religion.
Saint Stanislaus Polish Catholic Church*, 601 East Fourth Street
  This beautiful church, built in 1894 to replace an 1872 structure, was
de-
signed as a large and imposing house of worship. It blends classical styles
to
symbolize the importance and the faith of Winona's Polish Catholic commu-
nity. The congregation raised much of the money to construct the edifice
by
organizing the Polish Catholic Church Building Company, which sold shares
of stock to the Polish community. Initially Winona's Polish population at-
tended the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, which had a German-speaking con-
gregation, before forming its own church in 1871.
Winona County Courthouse*, Washington Street between 3rd and 4th
Streets
  In 1888 Charles G. Maybury and Son, Winona architects who designed a
number of Winona public buildings including St. Stanislaus Church, de-
signed this imposing Romanesque courthouse, selecting Dresbach buff sand-
stone and Lake Superior brownstone for the structure's exterior. Stained
glass, polished granite, French glass, mosaic work, carved oak, and brass
hardware fittings for doors and windows are some of the high quality features