One of their early efforts was the Song of Hiawatha pageant. A few years later the group took on sole sponsorship of the pageant and renamed themselves the Hiawatha Club. There were 25 original charter members. Bob Owens, an organizer and long time active person in the group, recalled that he had enjoyed memorizing poetry from the time he was quite young. While rehearsing for the first performance in 1949, the group experimented with automobile headlights to produce the lighting because no power was available at the grounds site.
Lighting is vital to the Hiawatha Pageant.
Vast improvements have been made in both lighting and sound over the years. The sound system was at first a standard public address system. Over the years it has been enhanced with the use of stereophonic equipment. The sound follows the action as the players move freely about the 1,500 foot stage area. On a quiet evening, it can be heard in many locations around Pipestone.