Historical Society Offers Museum Tours and Movie Viewing for Hot Air Affair

The St. Croix County Historical Society will offer two different activities for the Hudson Hot Air Affair on Saturday, February 8th.

The Octagon House Museum will be open for guided tours from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a special display on motion pictures. Admission for the tour is $7 for adults, $3 for students and $2 for children.

Come in from the cold and learn about the early years of moving pictures. Long before Thomas Edison’s Kinetoscope and the Lumière brothers’ Cinematograph, the Victorian era ushered in a variety of devices for animated entertainment. From the simple thaumatrope, to spindle views and the stereoscope, see how early animation evolved into modern day cinema.

Following the museum tour, refreshments will be served in the anteroom of the Carriage House and the Museum Gift Shop will be open for shopping.

The Historical Society will also offer a free viewing of the recently released “History of Hudson” documentary. The movie will be playing on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Hudson Area Library at 700 First Street. Learn about Hudson’s history from the early French explorers to the 1950s.

For those who would like their own copy of the movie, it is available as a fundraiser for the Historical Society for a suggested donation of $15 at the Hudson Area Library during regular hours.

Dopkins Accounting Service of River Falls and Hudson continues as the museum’s sponsor for the Hot Air Affair.