Nearly 200 years ago, the Italian explorer Giacomo Beltrami was looking for the source of the Mississippi River and exploring the land that would eventually bear his name. And Wednesday, the Beltrami County Historical Society will honor his legacy at 6 p.m. at Turtle Lake Town Hall, 19143 Lake Julia Drive NW. The celebration will recognize the 70th anniversary of the installment of a monument near Buena Vista Hill, where Beltrami passed through during his journey in 1823.

“This is the spot on which he stood during (the) culmination of his search for the source of the Mississippi,” said Gary Rozman, executive director of the Beltrami County Historical Society. The event will include several speakers and presentations, including Beltrami County Commissioner Richard Anderson and Bemidji Mayor Rita Albrecht.