Editing Luverne, Minnesota (section)

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Luverne Public Library.jpg|thumb|left|Carnegie Cultural Center (former Luverne Public Library)]]
* [[Palace Theater (Luverne, Minnesota)|'''Palace Theater''']] on Main Street underwent a $1 million renovation. Then on September 6, 2007, the theater hosted the world premiere of [[Ken Burns]]' epic 15-hour PBS documentary, ''The War''—first aired on PBS September 23, 2007. Luverne is one of four U.S. cities that serve as anchor points for ''The War''. The series tells the story of World War II from the perspective of "so-called ordinary Americans" who fought and lived through the global cataclysm. GOP presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania Senator [[Rick Santorum]] held a town hall meeting at the Palace Theatre January 30, 2012. The packed gathering occurred one week prior to the Minnesota precinct caucuses held to influence the selection of delegates for party nominees as part of the 2012 presidential campaign.<ref>[http://www.palacetheatre.us/ The Palace Theater website]</ref>
* '''Carnegie Cultural Center''' in Luverne, Minnesota, is a historic building originally constructed in 1902 as a [[Carnegie library]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Carnegie Cultural Center soon to be home to Luverne Street Music students, teachers |url=https://star-herald.com/index.php/news/carnegie-cultural-center-soon-be-home-luverne-street-music-students-teachers |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Rock County Star Herald |language=en}}</ref> After the Council for Arts and Humanities of Rock County ended its lease in 2020, the city repurposed the space. Luverne Street Music, a non-profit that connects music instructors with students, now occupies the building.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arts board, city council terminate lease for Carnegie Cultural Center space |url=https://star-herald.com/news/arts-board-city-council-terminate-lease-carnegie-cultural-center-space |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Rock County Star Herald |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Luverne Street Music |url=http://www.luvernestreetmusic.com/index.html |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=www.luvernestreetmusic.com}}</ref> The Carnegie Cultural Center underwent renovations in to create soundproof music studios in the basement while preserving the open floor plan and architectural details of the main level.<ref name=":1" />
*'''Rock County History Center''' showcases the history of Rock County through exhibits, artifacts, and documents. It features permanent displays like a collection of over 5,300 nutcrackers,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-01 |title=Cracking the big time: A giant attraction for a nutcracker-happy town |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/01/01/cracking-the-big-time-a-giant-attraction-for-a-nutcrackerhappy-town |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=MPR News |language=en}}</ref> alongside temporary exhibits on specific historical topics. The Center also houses a research area with historical documents and photographs for public exploration.[https://rockcountyhistorical.com/attractions/rock-county-history-museum/]
*'''Green Earth Players''' produces children's summer theater at the Palace Theater.
* '''Verne [[Drive-in theater|Drive-in Movie Theater]]''' features new films for viewing outdoors.<ref>[http://www.vernedrivein.com/darksite/about.asp Verne Drive-in Theater website]</ref>
* '''Rock County Veterans Memorial,''' dedicated May 28, 2007, is located on the south lawn of the historic and refurbished Rock County Courthouse. Many have likened the quality of the Memorial to what would be seen in Washington, D.C. The Memorial was built by KA.H.R.—a family foundation. Supplementing the Memorial are individual paver stones that honor by name Rock County veterans of all services. The design allows future Rock County veterans to be added to the site. Many surviving World War II honorees were aboard an Honor Flight sent to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., on May 1, 2010. Minnesota Governor [[Tim Pawlenty]] and the state's First Lady took a personal interest in the Rock County group by being present at the send-off and previously hosting a group of Rock County World War II veterans at the Governor's Mansion. Among the veterans on the Honor Flight was long-serving former State Representative [[Wendell Erickson|Wendell O. Erickson]].<ref>[http://rockcountyveteransmemorial.com/ Rock County Veterans Memorial website]</ref> The memorial lists 10 men as killed or missing in action in the [[Vietnam War]], however 4 of those named (Boyd Beyer, Harold Keith Binford, Arlo Hemme and Dale Ruddvy) do not appear on records of those killed or missing in the war.
* '''Brandenburg Gallery''' – Photography from Luverne native and National Geographic photographer [[Jim Brandenburg (photographer)|Jim Brandenburg]] is located on the first two floors of the Rock County Veterans Memorial Building dedicated in July 2009 on Luverne Street at Courthouse Square. Featured subjects include wildlife, the outdoors and a focus on the vanishing prairie. Profits from the Gallery go to support the mission of the Brandenburg Prairie Foundation.
* '''Herreid Military Museum''' and the Heritage Gallery occupy two upper floors of the Rock County Veterans Memorial Building. Dedicated in 2009, the new galleries building adjoins the new Kahler Terrace providing an outdoor setting for community events. A tunnel connects the building to the Rock County Courthouse, itself beautifully renovated in 1987–88. Both structures were built from locally quarried Sioux quartzite. The Memorial Building's transformation from the former county jail and Sheriff's residence to a museum complex was driven by the KA.H.R. Foundation of Warren Herreid II and Jeannine Rivet.