The Mower County Historical Society is holding its next 2019 Lunchbox History Series at noon on Thursday, Sept. 26 in the Pioneer Building at the Historical Society in Austin. The topic is “The Grand Meadow Quarry: Its Discovery and Special Importance” presented by Tom Trow.

Trow and Lee Radzak, former archaeologists for the Minnesota Historical Society, investigated a report made by Mower County resident Maynard Green about deep holes in a 5-acre wooded area north of Grand Meadow. What they found was both surprising and unique to Minnesota’s past: a large pre-contact Native American site that has been of special significance for thousands of years.

Trow has most recently worked at Twin Cities Public Television as the executive In charge of over 125 documentary productions for broadcast TV, all created in partnership with Minnesota nonprofits and state agencies. Nine of those programs have won Emmy Awards for TPT. Previously, he was the first outreach administrator at the University of Minnesota, where he served as the Director of Community and Cultural Affairs for the College of Liberal Arts. Prior to that, he was a professional archaeologist, working with the Minnesota Historical Society.

As the Field Director for the Statewide Archaeological Survey, Trow brought a crew of researchers to southeastern Minnesota, to investigate the archaeological history of the lands that drain through the Root River. It was then that he came to Mower County to investigate the most important archaeological site in our county.

MCHS Executive Director Randal Forster said he is “thrilled to have Tom Trow visiting the Historical Society so he can share his knowledge about the Chert Quarry in Grand Meadow.”

The Historical Society recently opened a new exhibit, “Prehistoric Mower County-featuring the Maynard Green Collection.” This special presentation will give visitors an opportunity to hear from someone who was there when the site was first explored in the early 1980s.

Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. for this free event.