Live Grenades Discovered, Removed from Minnesota History Center

Three live World War I-era grenades were discovered and safely removed from the History Center of Freeborn County in Minnesota this week after a curator found one while cataloging items from the center's collection, which had not been properly evaluated for decades. The Albert Lea Police Department and St. Paul bomb squad were called in to handle the potentially dangerous situation. Initial investigations revealed that the grenades had been donated in the 1960s, and while one was identified as live, two others were found to be deactivated. The center closed its doors for safety during the incident, and staff had previously embarked on a comprehensive audit of their collection, which includes around 30,000 items yet to be rechecked. Executive Director Stephanie Kimble acknowledged that past donation practices lacked the rigorous standards seen today, leading to the discovery of dangerous items. Similar incidents have occurred in other institutions, highlighting ongoing concerns about the handling of historical munitions.