Minnesota Historical Society cancels Ramsey House tours on Dec. 26 after facing criticism

After receiving criticism for scheduling tours of the Alexander Ramsey House in St. Paul on Dec. 26, the Minnesota Historical Society reversed course Friday afternoon and canceled the events.

Tours of the historic mansion have been suspended for years on that date in recognition of the 1862 mass hanging outside Mankato of 38 Dakota men while Ramsey was governor.

But this year, officials with the Minnesota Historical Society, which owns the 19th century house and 25 other historic sites across Minnesota, said new staff members were unaware of that practice and tickets were sold for four tours.

Ben Leonard, the nonprofit’s vice president of historic sites, said in a statement earlier Friday that officials would go through with the booking and make note of the day’s significance during the tours. But later Friday, he said the tours would be canceled after receiving “very valuable feedback” and “out of respect for the Dakota community and to allow for a day of mourning on this painful anniversary.”

He said they will fully refund ticketholders and offer free tickets to Holidays at the Hill tours at the James J. Hill House.

It would have been the first time since at least before the pandemic that tour groups were set to go through the Ramsey House on Dec. 26. It had been the practice to suspend tours on that date because of Ramsey’s role as governor leading up to the mass hanging — and the later banishment of the Dakota from Minnesota.

According to Minnesota Historical Society records, in a special session of the state Legislature in September 1862, Ramsey said: “Our course then is plain. The Sioux Indians of Minnesota must be exterminated or driven forever beyond the borders of Minnesota.”

Josie Bergmann, a tour guide at the Ramsey House for the last five years, was the first to raise concerns publicly about the tours being conducted for the first time in years.

“It is deeply disappointing,” she said before the tours were later canceled. “No. 1, that we didn’t recognize this error. And, then that it’s still going to go on. It sends a bad message.”

The Historical Society’s change of course came after the Minnesota Star Tribune sent emails Friday asking officials, including director and CEO Kent Whitworth, whether they consulted with Native American officials before deciding to continue the tours.