The Museum maintains an extensive local history library for use by appointment. Holdings
include a growing photo archive currently containing over 3000 images, both historical and
professional books, and archival materials. The Museum also maintains files of most Brown
County newspapers.
Copies of photo archive prints are available for public use.
Moving Lincoln Hospital, 1940 - 1941
Lincoln Hospital, a four story brick structure built in 1920, was originally located on Lincoln Street between south 4th and 5th Avenues. St. Luke’s (Now Avera St. Luke’s) Hospital purchased the structure in 1940 and moved it to its present site on the corner of State Street and South 3rd Avenue where it became part of the hospital complex.
The move of the 4,000 ton structure began on the morning of September 14, 1940 and ended in April, 1941. The building moved on railroad trucks which ran on three sets of railroad tracks running under and 150 ahead of the building at all times during the move. The structure was pulled straight out onto Lincoln Street, turned north and pulled to 1st Avenue, turned east and pulled to State Street for the final turn south to the new site. A combination of horses and tractors supplied the power to propel the building along the route.
As the building neared the corner of 3rd Avenue headed north, it had to be jacked up two feet to meet a rise in the street profile because the building could not make uphill progress however slight the incline. The work moved slowly, hampered by snow and ice, and occasionally, bitter cold.
The final turn was a compound curve necessary to swing the building over its new foundation. The building was first moved onto a vacant lot across the street from the new site, and then backed onto the footings.
The move which cost $32,261.60 was supervised by A.J. Crowe of Chicago, a specialist in that line of work. Equipment for the move weighed nearly 300 tons.
This photo and information was provided by the Dacotah Prairie Museum
Photo Archive 
Lincoln Hospital, a four story brick structure built in 1920, was originally located on Lincoln Street between south 4th and 5th Avenues. St. Luke’s (Now Avera St. Luke’s) Hospital purchased the structure in 1940 and moved it to its present site on the corner of State Street and South 3rd Avenue where it became part of the hospital complex.