12 min read

Local History News: April 20, 2023

Joe Hoover Apr 20, 2023 1:32:00 PM

Local History News - Minnesota Historical Society, Heritage Preservation

Field Note

Examining exhibit and a video on mobile phone at the American Ski Jumping Museum and Hall of Fame

Heritage Preservation, Planning, and Outreach staff were in Red Wing at the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame Museum to talk about possible solutions and grants available for doing inventories of their museum collections. During their meeting, museum volunteer Greg Windsperger gave staff a tour of the museum and explained Red Wing's connection as the birthplace of ski jumping.

Local History Workshops

Save the (tentative) Dates!
MNHS Local History Services is working with the MNHS Native American Initiatives to offer the workshop “Native Nations and Local History Organizations.” Focused on building an understanding that Minnesota shares borders with four Dakota and seven Ojibwe nations who are oftentimes overlooked or underrepresented in non-Native spaces, this training is intended to support the work of history organizations across the state. Participants will leave the session with a better understanding of how to talk about Native Nations in Minnesota.
Tentative Dates and Locations:

Tuesday, May 30 from 10 am to 1 pm at the Treaty Site History Center in St. Peter
Wednesday, May 31 from 9 am to 12 pm at the Becker County Museum in Detroit Lakes

More details and registration information coming soon.

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: History of Franconia Township Scholarly Research Project
A qualified historian was hired to research and analyze Franconia Township holdings at multiple research institutions and other repositories to determine which primary source documents are held at each location, which will be useful in understanding the township's history throughout the period from the geological formation of the earth to the 21st century. Prepared written research report with appendices. This research gives historians and townspeople the opportunity to know the locations of the primary source documents related to the township's history in an easy-to-use format, which will save them time and expense when conducting their research.
Recipient: Franconia Township
Amount Funded: $9,999
Project Details

May Grants Open House
May 4 - Online: The Grants Office will hold a virtual Grants Office Open House using Google Meet from 2 to 3:30 pm in order to provide additional grants support to our communities. We encourage people to RSVP to Gillian by email with a short summary of what you want to talk about and she will try to ensure that someone helpful will be available. Learn more »

From the Blog

This week's blog post is from the Robbinsdale Historical Society. Have a blog? Let us know!

Map of Robbinsdale with real estate ads superimposed over the top saying-From the stuffy city flat to the freedom of the country YOU CAN REALIZE YOUR DREAM NOW and Garden Plots At Robbinsdale $25 Down$5 month

Glenwood Manor
The Glenwood Manor subdivision in Robbinsdale was developed in the 1920s on the site of the Horatio Stillman farm. Stillman had arrived in Minnesota Territory in 1854 and homesteaded a tract of land for farming in Crystal Lake Township. In 1864 he went off to serve as a soldier in the Eleventh Regiment during the Civil War. After returning home, Stillman took part in civic affairs and served in various positions, including Township Supervisor, Justice of the Peace, and School Board member. Continue Reading »

From the Tube

This week's post is from Minneculture. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

Rose-Cleveland-and-Evangeline-Whipple in garden Whipple is holding small dog

If You Knew All I Could Tell You
Archives tell an important story. The people in them—and the people left out—say a lot about our politics, culture, and consciousness. In the 20th century, it wasn’t uncommon for archivists to choose which artifacts made it into the official record based on what they thought defined our history. This means that a lot of people—especially queer people—were left out of the archives. Their lives were erased. Listen to podcast »

Job Opportunities

Minnesota Historical Society's Job Announcement, Internship, Fellowship, and Volunteer Opportunity pages.

LOCAL

Library Director - City of Saint Paul, St. Paul, MN
Summer Visitor Experience Staff - The Works, Bloomington, MN
STEM Summer Camp Assistant - The Works, Bloomington, MN
Exhibition and Studio Services Manager - Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN
Youth & Family Programs Specialist - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
Chief Guard - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
Visitor Experience Associate - Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Winona, MN
Executive Director - White Bear Center for the Arts (WBCA), White Bear Lake, MN

REGIONAL

Museum Guide - University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Executive Director - La Crosse County Historical Society, La Crosse, WI
Archivist, WVM Oral History Program - Wisconsin Veterans Museum, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, Madison, WI
Archaeologist, Assistant Project Leader - State of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
Senior Curator - Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison, WI
Facilities Repair Worker - Circus World Museum, Wisconsin Historical Society, Baraboo, WI
Executive Assistant - Circus World Museum, Wisconsin Historical Society, Baraboo, WI
Operations & Volunteer Coordinator - Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, WI
Executive Director - Sawmill Museum, Clinton, IA
Education and Outreach Coordinator - Johnson County Historical Society, Coralville, IA

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Museum Collections Technician - Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County, Crawfordsville, IN
Museum Educator - Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County, Crawfordsville, IN
Experience Designer - Minnetrista Museum & Gardens, Muncie, IN
Ohio History Service Corps AmeriCorps member - Ohio History Connection, various locations in Ohio
Curator of Inuit Art - Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, Winnipeg, MB
Visitor Service Representative - Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, MB
CMHR Educator in Residence Program - Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, MB
Communications & Programming Assistant - Dalnavert Museum, Winnipeg, MB
Curator - Museums of Burlington, Burlington, ON
Executive Director - National Trust for Canada, Ottawa, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

Talent Resources Intern - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
Data & Demographics Intern - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
Exhibit Fabrication Intern - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
Museum Studies Internship - Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, Walcott, IA
Education Coordinator - Fargo Air Museum, Fargo, ND
Collections Intern - Floyd County Library, Carnegie Center for Art & History branch, New Albany, IN

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Black and white photo of the Prinsburg Band standing for portrait. 16 members with insturments wearing suits and standing in what appears to be the room a one-room school house
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Kandiyohi County Historical Society.

Be sure to check with each organization for COVID-19 updates and safety measures for in-person events.

Event: Squad Up! Social Club
Freeborn County Historical Museum - Are you a Millennial or Gen Z? Do you want to explore the Albert Lea and Freeborn County area? Then join Squad Up!, which is run by staff at the Freeborn County Historical Museum and meets0 monthly for different social activities and classes, from board game nights to wine and beer tasting. Meetings are typically held the first Tuesday of the month. For more information, call 507-373-8003.

Presentation: Willet – Hauser Story
April 22 - Winona: 12 pm. Winona County History Center - Garrick Holey, VP of Production, will share the story of how the Hauser Art Glass Company was formed in Winona by James E. Hauser in response to the need to repair neglected stained glass in the wake of WWII rationing. Learn more about the birth of Winona’s stained glass industry and the other even older companies, like Willet, that joined in from across the nation. Learn more »

Exhibit: Adelaide Magner ...landscape, portrait, ashcan artist
April 22 through October 21 - St. Peter: Adelaide Magner was born in Nicollet in 1872 and, from an early age, showed a talent for art. After high school, she went on to study at the Minneapolis School of Fine Arts, now known as the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In 1901, she left home to study portraiture under Robert Henri and landscape painting under Douglas Connah at The New York School of Art, in New York City. Her talent was quickly recognized, and she won several awards, which allowed her to travel around the world to further her knowledge of art. The display will include many original pieces by Adelaide as well as digital reproductions and sketches of artwork from throughout her life. Learn more »

Event: Trains at the Depot Returns
April 22 and 23 - Bemidji: Beltrami County History Center - Multiple operating models will be on display, including size N Scale to HO Scale to O Gauge and a fabulous LEGO City with operating LEGO trains. The train club layout will be open for tours, and train videos will be available for viewing throughout each day. Put on by Northern Ironhorse Railroad Society and Beltrami County Historical Society. For more information call 218-444-3376.

Event: Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
April 23 - St. Paul: 1-4 pm. Armenian Cultural Organization of Minnesota - In recognition of the 108th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, when over a million Armenians died at the hands of the Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1918, the Armenian Cultural Organization of Minnesota will hold a remembrance program in celebration of Armenian resilience. Location: Minnesota History Center. Learn more »

Event: Stepping Out For Autism Walk
April 23 - Austin: 1 to 3 pm. Hormel Historic Home - This event is our biggest fundraiser of the year. All of the proceeds go to support our year-round autism programming at the Hormel Historic Home. Come be a Super Hero for someone with ASD! Join us in your Super Hero costume for entertainment, music, raffle prizes, and a light lunch (costumes are optional but encouraged). Learn more »

Presentation: What is a Powwow?
April 24 - White Bear Lake: 6 to 7 pm. White Bear Lake Area Historical Society - A powwow, or what the original people of this area, the Dakota, would call a Wacipi, is a traditional Native American celebratory and ceremonial gathering that involves music, dancing and socializing. Join us to learn more about the tradition, protocols and opportunities for experiencing a powwow today. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Meeting: 101st Annual Member's Meeting
April 25 - Duluth: 5 pm. St. Louis County Historical Society - Dr. Steven Matthews, Associate Professor of History at the University of Minnesota Duluth will be the keynote speaker at the St. Louis County Historical Society’s Annual Member’s Meeting. The theme of his presentation is "The Unrelenting Honesty of Objects." Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: Kennedy Simpson: White Racism and Personal Identity
April 25 - Roseville: 12:30 to 2 pm. Roseville Library - How have Black people struggled to create and interrogate images of self-identity in a historical context of white racism? Kennedy Simpson is a Graphic Designer from St. Paul. She takes inspiration through her experiences as a mixed-race person, using Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop to explore ideas of racial confusion and the impacts of micro-aggressions. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: How to Become an American
April 27 - Minneapolis: 6:30 pm. Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest - How to Become an American begins with a diary found in a Minneapolis home—and from there author Daniel Wolff examines the sweeping history of immigration in the United States. Through the experiences of one unnamed, seemingly unremarkable Jewish family, Wolff crafts a deeply human odyssey that journeys from the slave society of pre-Civil War Charleston, SC, to the milling/manufacturing society of post-World. Location: Mill City Museum. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: Oldest Twin Cities: A Guide to Historic Treasures
April 27 - Online: 7 pm. Washington County Heritage Center - While blending old-world history with modern-day relevance, local author Julie Jo Severson explores hidden and legendary gems throughout the region she’s called home most of her life. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Tours: Glensheen Lock & Key guided tour
Starting May 1, Glensheen Historic Estate - The new tour launch, "Lock & Key," will take guests through spaces in the mansion, carriage house, boathouse, grounds, and gardens. This tour complements Glensheen’s self-guided Classic or Full Mansion tours. Guests will learn about the Congdon family and the staff who worked for them across the estate, along with seeing behind-the-scenes spaces typically not open to the public. It will be their first guided tour offering in a few years. Cost: $18 members/$36 nonmembers. Learn more »

Tour & Presentation: History on the River: Educational Cruises Celebrating Our Heritage
May 18 through September 21 - Winona: Winona Historical Society - The favorite educational series, History on the River, is returning this season with added cruises! Choose from two different cruise times on the third Thursdays in May, June, July, August and September. Each presentation will be offered during a 4-5:30 pm cruise and again for a 6-7:30 pm cruise. Cost: $35 members/$45 nonmembers. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame Museum, Housed in the River's Edge Convention Center, St. Cloud, MN.

Independent Museum Professionals TALK: A Productivity Tool Round Up
April 25 - Online 1 to 2 pm (CT). American Alliance of Museums - In this workshop presenters will be sharing and swapping tools for prioritizing time, managing projects, and minding budgets – all to help you work smarter. Find answers to these questions and more. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Second Annual LyrOpen Fair
April 24, 25, & 26 - Online: A series of three educational webinars on topics pertaining to Open Access*. Presenters will give overviews and analyses of open content models, crucial open infrastructure programs, the impact of federal public access mandates and the global context of our Open initiatives in the United States. Attendees will also learn how their institutions can evaluate and participate in Open programs through Lyrasis. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Tuesday, April 25 - Session 1: Exploring the Open Access Landscape
Wednesday, April 26 - Session 2: Open Infrastructure for Gauging Activity & Impact
Thursday, April 27 - Session 3: Attempting to Make Sense of the OSTP Memo

*Open access (OA) means free access to information and unrestricted use of electronic resources for everyone. Any kind of digital content can be OA, from texts and data to software, audio, video, and multimedia.

Celebrate May Day: Panel Discussion w/ Workers Who Have Organized Minnesota's Cultural Institutions
May 1 - Online: 7 to 8:30 pm (CT). East Side Freedom Library - A Panel Discussion with Workers Who Have Organized Minnesota's Leading Cultural Institutions. What better way to celebrate May Day than to hear from some of these workers about their reasons for organizing, their strategies for organizing, their experiences together, and their dreams for how their work, their lives, and the very functioning of their institutions could be better. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Endowments and Your Nonprofit: A Focus on the Fundamentals
May 2 - Online: 9:30 to 11 am (CT). Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - Learn how an endowment fund may benefit your organization and about the variety of giving options available to supporters of the fund. Cost: $45 members/$65 nonmembers. Learn more »

Hierarchies All Around: Addressing Class, Socioeconomic Status, and Rank
May 3 - Online: 1 to 3 pm (CT). Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - This workshop helps organizations and institutions understand how social class and socioeconomic status can affect their clients, members, patients, students, and employees – and how they can work against unnecessary hierarchies, allowing them to function both more equitably and more effectively. Cost: $45 members/$65 nonmembers. Learn more »

Following, Leading, & Managing in the Current Climate
May 12 – July 5, 2023 - Online: American Association for State and Local History - History organizations are complex and exist in an even more complex society. Operating in this climate calls for new ways of thinking about leadership. The course will engage in an exploration of major theories of management, leadership, and followership that can serve professionals in meeting the challenges of everyday work life and issues facing the sector. Cost: $850 members/$950 nonmembers. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

The Maltz Museum uses AI to keep memory of Holocaust alive - Spectrum News 1

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

NEA Challenge America
April 27 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Arts - This grant program offers support primarily to small organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines that extend the reach of the arts to groups/communities with rich and dynamic artistic and cultural contributions to share that are underserved. Challenge America features an abbreviated application, a robust structure of technical assistance, and grants for a set amount of $10,000. Learn more »

Arts Education
May 19 - (Deadline): Minnesota State Arts Board - Arts Education Grants to help Minnesotans develop personal relationships with an art form(s) by supporting learning experiences for individuals of all ages and abilities. Project grant funds may be used for age-appropriate classes, workshops, camps, after-school programs, online education programs, community arts education, school residences or partnerships, etc. Learn more »

National Trust Preservation Fund
June 1 - (Deadline): National Trust for Historic Preservation - are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for preservation projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector. Learn more »

Public Impact Projects at Smaller Organizations
June 28 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - Public Impact Projects grants seek to assist you in meeting your community’s needs by expanding the scope, reach, and excellence of your public programs. These awards support a variety of activities that focus on enriching interpretive strategies, strengthening interpretive skill sets or enhancing community engagement with public-facing programs. This program aims to meet small and mid-sized organizations where they are by supporting projects that are appropriate in scope and content to each organization’s resources and community needs. Learn more »

Humanities Collections and Reference Resources
July 18 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - This grant program advances scholarship, education, and public programming in the humanities by helping libraries, archives, museums, and historical organizations across the country steward important collections of books and manuscripts, photographs, sound recordings and moving images, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, art and material culture, and digital objects. The program strengthens efforts to extend the reach of such materials and make their intellectual content widely accessible. Projects may address the holdings or activities of a single institution or may involve partnerships between organizations. Learn more »

Underrepresented Communities Grants
July 18 - (Deadline): National Park Service - These grants help diversify the nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Grant-supported projects include surveys and inventories of historic properties associated with communities underrepresented in the National Register, as well as the development of nominations to the National Register for specific sites and districts. Learn more »

News

Resource for Disaster Response
Spring and summer can be peak times for emergencies in Minnesota, including floods, tornadoes, and mold outbreaks.
If you have an emergency that affects historic materials, heirlooms, or art, head to the Minnesota Alliance for Heritage Response website. Here you will find information on first response, emergency salvage, and health and safety. Be careful out there, and remember to prioritize human safety over the safety and salvage of your collections. Contact them at conservationhelp@mnhs.org for further information or additional help.

Minnesota State Archives March 2023 Acquisitions
With the assistance of the Heritage Preservation staff and the Mille Lacs County Historical Society, birth and death records (dated 1887-1942) of Princeton Township (Mille Lacs County) were transferred to the State Archives. The records join other birth and death records of the township preserved in the State Archives.

Ramsey County Public Works Department staff transferred Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority resolutions dated 1987-2020 (bulk dated 1987-2018), and agenda packets dated 2008-2018.
Learn more »

25 Pine County History Museum volunteers are standing in the middle of the gallery floor looking up at the camera National Volunteer Week
This week Pine County History Museum celebrated and recognized National Volunteer Week (April 16 - 22) and the work of volunteers who are involved in almost every aspect of the organization. This year’s National Volunteer Week theme, “Volunteering Weaves Us Together,” is an opportunity to shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve. Pictured are some of the volunteers who share their love for & commitment to the Pine County History Museum & Event Center through thousands of volunteer hours. Learn more »


Featured Book Mapping the Farm: The Chronicle of a Family, by John Hildebrand. Minnesota Historical Society Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History Zeppelin in Minnesota: a study in fact and fable Volume 39, Issue 7, 1965	Featured Article MNopedia Swift and Company ICE raids, 2006 Featured MNopedia Article

Minnesota History Organizations Directory • County, Chapters, and Local • Statewide/Topical Historical • Regional History Coalitions • Professional Organizations	Minnesota Main Streets Reinvigorate your community's commercial district.	Preservation Specialists Directory Look up products or services.

From the Heritage Preservation Department
Reminder: Due to COVID-19 all Heritage Preservation Department staff (Grants Office and Local History Services) are working remotely until further notice. If you need to connect with a specific staff member, please email them directly.

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