The Dakota County Historical Society will host Fur Trade Weekend at the Sibley Historic Site in Mendota, Minn., on Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. both days. The event will be held on the grounds of the Sibley Historic Site.

Admission to the event is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students, $8 for ages 5 – 17 and free for 4 and under. Members of the Dakota County Historical Society, Minnesota Historical Society and Friends of the Sibley Historic Site receive a 20% discount on admission. Admission is good for one day.

The Sibley Historic Site is located at 1357 Sibley Memorial Highway in Mendota, Minn. Contact the Sibley Site at 651-452-1596, or visit www.dakotahistory.org for more information.

Visitors to Fur Trade Weekend will experience the Sibley Historic Site set in the 1830s when Mendota was the center of the fur trade. Visitors can walk the grounds and interact with fur trade reenactors, explore the houses of Henry Sibley and Jean-Baptiste Faribault, and enjoy live music and presentations on various topics related to life in the 1830s and the fur trade each day. Special children’s activities will include paddle painting and traditional games.

Founded in 1939, The Dakota County Historical Society (DCHS), preserves, interprets and promotes the history of Dakota County, Minn.  DCHS operates three historic sites -- Lawshe Memorial Museum at 130 3^rd Avenue North in South St. Paul, Minn.; the LeDuc Historic Estate at 1629 Vermillion Street in Hastings, Minn.; and the Sibley Historic Site -- as well as a research library and research Web site. DCHS memberships range from $25 to $60 for individuals and households. Corporate memberships also are available, starting at $100. Call 651-552-7548 or visit www.dakotahistory.org for more information.