Location: 118 North Main Street, Le Sueur, MN 56058
This hand-built house held Dr. W. W. Mayo’s first medical practice witnessed events of the US-Dakota War of 1862, and eventually served as the family home for another giant of Minnesota history — the Cosgrove family of the Green Giant Company.
The Mayo House is managed in partnership with the Ney Nature Center and MHIS, Inc (Mayo House Interpretive Society.) Both the Mayo Family and the Ney Family arrived in this area of the MN River Valley in the mid-1850s. There is no way of knowing if the families knew each other but the general history of the time of settlers in the Le Sueur-Henderson area is shared.
Visit our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up to date with tours, hours, important dates, and more information!
Tour the Mayo House
Fees
Adults: $6
Seniors (65+), Veterans, Active military*, College students: $5
Children ages 5-17: $4
Children age 4 and under: Free
MNHS members and Ney Nature Center members: Free
For more information on MNHS memberships and their benefits, visit here.
NNC & MNHS Members, please be prepared to show your membership card or confirmation upon arrival.
Tour Information
May 1 – September 2, 2024
Open Saturdays 10:00 am–4:00 pm, and Sundays 1:00 pm–4:00 pm.
Costumed guides will lead you through the home while they share stories of the Mayo and Cosgrove families who lived here before founding the Mayo Clinic and the Green Giant Company, respectively. During the holiday season, Christmas and Candlelight Christmas tours are held on select weekends. The costumed guides will interpret some 1800s Christmas traditions that may have been celebrated by the families.
If you are interested in a private tour, please contact us at 507-665-3250 or mayohouse@neycenter.org.
Events
Toys and Games of the 1800s at the Mayo House
Tuesday, August 13th from 9-11:30am
Step back in time and immerse yourself in the delightful world of nineteenth-century toys and games! At the W.W. Mayo House, discover how kids in the 1800s entertained themselves with creativity and resourcefulness, crafting their own toys from available materials.
Join us for a fun-filled morning where you’ll:
- Create Your Own Rag Dolls and Tops: Learn the art of making traditional toys.
- Experience Old-Time Games: Try out various games that children played over a century ago.
- Hands-On Activities: Engage in interactive and educational activities that bring history to life.
Don’t miss this chance to enjoy a nostalgic journey through play and creativity!
Ages 8+
The W.W. Mayo House as the first library in Le Sueur.
For more information, please check out the W.W. Mayo House’s page on the Minnesota Historical Society website here.