SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINN.— (NOV. 18, 2020)– The Dakota County Historical Society(DCHS) will host a virtual presentation called “Fast and Rough: Minnesota’s Hockey Scene in 1920” by Jayson Hron on Thursday, December 3, 2020. The presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. and is offered to the public free of charge due in part to funding provided by the Union Pacific Foundation’s COVID Relief Grant. To register, please visit (www.dakotahistory.org/ events).

Registration is required to receive the meeting room invite and passcode. While the event is offered free of charge, donations are encouraged to offset the financial hardships COVID-19 is having on historic sites while many remain closed.

Many Minnesotans’ hockey consciousness begins with the first state high school hockey tournament in 1945, or the North Stars’ birth in 1967. However, important moments in Minnesota’s hockey development as the State of Hockey occurred long before 1945 or 1967. 100-years-ago was an influential year across the country, as the U.S. emerged as a world power, thousands of soldiers continued to return home from World War I, many women gained the right to vote and the U.S. earned silver in hockey at the Olympics. 1920 shaped up as an inflection point that pushed hockey to a new level of popularity in Minnesota. This presentation will give a glimpse into some of 1920s most significant Minnesota hockey people and happenings within the context of what was going on at the time.

Jayson Hron is a former communications manager for USA Hockey in Colorado Springs, Colo. and currently works as Director of Communications and Marketing for the Port Authority in Duluth. He started his career as a sportswriter, editor and page designer with Murphy McGinnis Newspapers. He also served as communications director for the United States Hockey League and later, director of public relations in the athletics department at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Since 1999, he has freelanced as a contributor to numerous media outlets, with bylines appearing at Minn-Post.com, ESPN.com, The Hockey News, the St. Cloud Times, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Arizona Republic.

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 3rd Avenue North in South St. Paul, Minn.; the LeDuc Historic Estate at 1629 Vermillion Street in Hastings, Minn.; and the Sibley Historic Site at 1357 Sibley Memorial Highway in Mendota, Minn. — 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.