Local History News: August 9, 2023

Field Note

Heritage Preservation, Planning, and Outreach staff were in Duluth at the groundbreaking of a new "Oral Health Hub" at the Children’s Dental Service Duluth Clinic which will provide dental care for approximately 20,000 kids annually and is scheduled to open in 2024. Children's Dental Services received a grant to hire qualified professionals to complete roof rehabilitation and exterior work on the former J.C. Schobes Bakery and Confectionery located in Duluth. Built in 1894 it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Children's Dental Services is a nonprofit, public health dental clinic providing dedicated to improving the oral health of children from families with low incomes by providing accessible treatment and education to our diverse community.

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: Collections Storage Updates
The grant project upgraded the museum’s collections storage space with new shelving, archival storage materials, and a collections processing workstation to meet current needs, comply with basic museum standards, and prepare for future needs. An additional 78 linear feet of storage shelving was added.

Previously the collections area was disorganized, with no archival materials being used to care for and protect artifacts. The shelving was old display shelves from a retail store with not enough linear feet to accommodate their current storage needs. As a result, much of the collection in the storage area sat on the floor. 

During the installation of the shelving, a museum patron who heard what the museum was doing donated metal flat file storage cabinets to the museum. Volunteers and the collections assistant moved the bulk of the small fishing lures and tackle to these drawers after they had been lined with polyethylene foam. The drawers were also used for large archives such as maps and large prints, with layers of archive-safe tissue in between.

Objects are now stored in archive-safe materials and containers, which will extend their lifespan for future generations to learn from and enjoy. Artifacts that had previously been stored in an unsafe manner, both for the object and for staff, are now more securely stored on shelving or in containers. And catalog records for the location have been updated so that in the future, objects are readily found and accessed, broadening their use for research or display.
Recipient: Minnesota Lakes Maritime Society
Funded Amount: $9,478
Project Detail

Grants Office Webinar: First Steps Towards a Grant
August 17 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: In this webinar, you will learn what you need to do to register for a grants portal login, how to apply, what the grant programs offer, what they can fund, and which resources are available for applicants. If you have never applied for a grant before or would like to hear about the basic process again, this webinar is for you. Presented by Grants Associate Gillian Maguire.
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com
Join by phone: ‪(US) +1 386-361-3086‬ PIN: ‪420 891 978‬#

Small Grant Deadline
The next small grant deadline (requests of $10,000 or less) for the MHCHG program is Friday, October 13, 2023.

From the Blog

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

My Life in the Sparkle Section - Cokato Museum
My involvement in the Cokato Royalty program began in 1991.  As a graduating senior, I was eligible to run for Miss Cokato and when I received the interest letter in the mail, I quickly checked the YES box and mailed it back to the Royalty Committee.  As a lifelong Cokato girl, I knew this was in my future and I looked forward to it more each year. Little did I know how that simple action of returning an interest letter would lead me to still be involved with the Cokato Royalty program all these years later. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Update on 1800s Wreck - Trident Sciences
• History Friday: Control Data -  Kraus-Anderson
• New Faces, New Spaces - Rethos
• Woodbury’s First Post Office Building - Woodbury Heritage Society

From the Tube

This week's post is from Washington County Historical Society. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

The Lure of the Pearl Button
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, more than a lumber boom was occurring in the St. Croix River valley. A pearl button boom was also underway, employing thousands of ‘clammers’ and button factory workers who labored in the business of making buttons and decorative elements for jewelry and watches. The pearl button industry was short-lived. Advances in plastics technology and mussel over-harvesting led to its early demise but its history is amazing and includes unique stories of locals ‘making it big’ during the pearl button boom.  Watch Video »

More MN Tube posts

• Prohibition in Pipestone County - Pipestone County Historical Society
• New Ulm, Minnesota: A Brick & Architecture Destination - Minnesota Bricks
• Georgette Tadros: Immigrant Stories - Immigration History Research Center, U of MN
• Exploring the SMSC Wacipi (pow wow) - Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
• Schell’s Brewery and the Prohibition Era Part II - Brown County Historical Society
• John Stoulil - The Eighth Air Force Historical Society of Minnesota
• Photo Negative Preservation - History Center of Olmsted County
• 16 Years of Plein Art Painting the Gunflint Trail - Gunflint Trail Historical Society Chik-Wauk Museum
• Hometime: Betsy's House, Episode 2: Restoration (Part 2 of 2) - Betsy-Tacy Society
• Farming Days - Otter Tail County Historical Society
• The Thunder Mug - Stevens County Historical Society
• Lyon County Vietnam Veteran: Robert Meyer - Lyon County Historical Society

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Facilities Maintenance Technician - Snake River Fur Post
• Sales Assistant II - MN History Center
• Acquisitions Registrar - MN History Center
• Exhibitions & Loans Registrar - MN History Center

LOCAL

• Collections Assistant - Jackson County Historical Society
• Instructor Openings, experts to teach basic home maintenance classes - Rethos, Twin Cities Metro
• Collections Management Database Specialist - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Head of Security - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• STEM Education Manager (Learning and Instruction) - Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
• Human Resources Business Partner - Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
• Program Facilitator - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
• Facilities Service Technician - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN

REGIONAL

• Architectural Historian - Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
• Collections Specialist - Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, WI
• Education Program Liaison - Sheboygan County Museum, Sheboygan, WI
• Audio Visual Technician - Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Retail Supervisor, Museum Shop - Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Development Manager - The Children's Museum of Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 
• Shuttle Driver - Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, Taliesin Preservation, Spring Green, WI 
• Artist and Local Arts Services Manager -  Iowa Arts Council, Des Moines, IA
• Registrar/Preparator - Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA
• Hospitality and Communications Coordinator Council Bluffs - Union Pacific Rail Road Museum, Council Bluffs, IA
• Park Ranger (I) - Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, National Park Service, Philip, SD
• Historian - Dakota Prairie Grassland, US Forest Service, Bismarck, ND

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Assistant Curator - Midway Village Museum, Rockford, IL
• Museum Education and Tour Manager - Oberlin Heritage Center, Oberlin, OH
• Oral Historian - HBCU Radio Preservation Project, WYSO/Mimi Valley Public Media, Yellow Springs, OH
• Assistant Director - HBCU Radio Preservation Project, WYSO/Mimi Valley Public Media, Yellow Springs, OH
• NAGPRA Coordinator & Community Liaison (End-Dated) - The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
• Museum Collections Registrar - History Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• Preservation Planning Unit Director - History Colorado, Denver, CO
• Director of Education & Engagement - Utah Historical Society, Salt Lake City, UT
• Museum Assessment Program Program Officer - American Alliance of Museums, Arlington, VA
• Director of Learning - Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, KY
• Education & Event Coordinator - Dundas Museum & Archives, Dundas, ON
• Senior Communications Coordinator - Canadian Museums Association, Ottawa, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Board of Directors (3 openings) - Minnesota Genealogical Society

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Image used with permission. From the collections of the St. Louis County Historical Society.

Submit your history organization's news and events to localhistorynews@mnhs.org.

History Revealed: Whiteness in Plain View Racial Exclusion in Minnesota
August 10 @ 7 pm (CT) - Online: Ramsey County Historical Society - Widely seen as a progressive stronghold of the Midwest, Minnesota also has some of the greatest racial disparities in the nation. Historian Chad Montrie maintains that those disparities have their roots in Minnesota’s earliest days as a territory and in the decades that followed. Join him and James Curry for a discussion of our state’s historical record of white exclusion of African Americans. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Exhibit: Re-Visioning Winona
August 11 through September 24: Reception on August 11 @ 4 to 6 pm - Winona: Winona County History Center - Winona is a historical town with a rich and storied history, from its life on the Mississippi River to its many cultures and industry. But how will it be seen in the future? In Re-Visioning Winona, Artist and WSU professor Patrick Lichty will use drawing machines, 3D laser scanning, and Artificial Intelligence to imagine how Winona might look through the machine lens. For more information call 507-454-2723.

Event: Changing The Narrative
August 12 @ 5 pm - Minneapolis: The Somali Museum of Minnesota and We are Water - Come contribute to the ongoing narrative of climate justice and highlighting the unique perspectives and experiences of the Somali community. Empowering individuals to share their stories and contribute to the ongoing narrative of climate justice and highlighting the unique perspectives and lived experiences of the Somali community, this event aims to deepen understanding of the challenges faced by Somalis concerning climate change impacts on water resources. Featuring, opening speaker: Osman Ali; keynote speaker, Jothsna Harris; and poet, Khadiia Abdi. Location: Hagfors Center - Augsburg University. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Tour: History in Your Backyard
August 13 @ 1 to 4 pm - Woodbury: Woodbury Heritage Society - A ten-stop tour of the city. The event starts at Heritage House where participants can grab a map and passport to visit 10 sites that tell the story of Woodbury's past. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: The Explosion of the Local Pop Music Scene,1963 to 2000
August 15 @ 6 pm - Mankato: Blue Earth County Historical Society - An informal exposition of and meditation on what could be called a "super boom of music" in Mankato and North Mankato between 1963 (British Invasion) – 2000 (end of People’s Fair). Also features a guided tour of the Music and Memories exhibit at the Blue Earth County History Center.  Cost: $7 members/$nonmembers. $10. Learn more »

Film Screening: En Avant l’Etoile du Nord: Ou La Joie De "Vie"
August 15 @ 5:30 pm - Bemidji: Beltrami County Historical Society - This 62-minute documentary by independent journalist Christine Loÿs explores French history, heritage, and identity in Minnesota.  Ms. Loÿs will attend to introduce and answer questions about her film. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: Stands Before His People: Enmegahbowh and the Ojibwe
August 17 @ 7 to 8 pm (CT) - Online: Washington County Heritage Center - Author Verne Pickering presents his book about the life and legacy of Enmegahbowh, the first Ojibwe Episcopalian priest in the United States who, during the turbulent frontier days of the 1800s, worked for peace, opportunity, and cooperation among peoples.  Cost: Free. Learn more »

Course: Midwest Genealogy Foundations: Migrations to and through the Midwest
August 18 & 19 @ 8:30 am to 4 pm - Mendota Heights: Minnesota Genealogical Society - This institute-style short course will prepare students to follow ancestors’ migrations to and through the Midwest. Students will learn: about major migration patterns; where to find records to document ancestors’ migrations; and better understand why families paused or stopped where they did. Cost: $195 members/$220 nonmembers. Learn more »

Exhibit/Screening: Seeking for the Lost 
August 18 @ 7:30 to 9 pm - Minneapolis: African American Interpretive Center of Minnesota - In the post-Emancipation era, ex-enslaved people hoped to be reunited with family. One tactic was to place heart-wrenching ads in Black newspapers across the country. The ads included descriptions of their loved ones and the last place they were seen. Seeking for the Lost features eight 20x24 portraits by visual artist Christopher E. Harrison based on ads placed in Minnesota's Black newspaper, The Appeal. You're invited to the screening of the exhibition video followed by a discussion with Harrison and visual arts curator Taylor Jasper. Location: Public Functionary. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum:  New Brighton History Center, operated by the New Brighton Area Historical Society, New Brighton MN.

Interpretive Planning for Historic Sites
August 15 @ 10 am (CT) - Online: Texas Historical Commission - You’ll learn the key elements of an interpretive plan, how to express your site’s mission, what background information to include, how to best engage your site’s stakeholders, and what programming and operations issues to consider. You'll also receive resources and practical tips for approaching research, community engagement, and writing. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Workplace Organizer Training 101
August 12 and 19 @ 9 am to 4 pm - Minneapolis: East Side Freedom Library - Social Justice Education Movement is offering its two-day Workplace Organizer Training. The trainers are K12 education workers themselves with years of experience organizing in schools, though workers outside of education are also most welcome to attend. The training will primarily use examples from education worker organizing, but the methods and principles apply to worker organizing in general. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Preservation Architecture
August 15 @ 1:30 to 2:30 pm (CT): National Trust for Historic Preservation - Join National Trust Graham Gund Architect Mark Stoner for an open Q&A session about preservation architecture. Have a sticky preservation project and don’t know how to start? Unsure about issues around architectural integrity? Have a question about a project at a National Trust Historic Site? Submit your questions at registration for this open Q&A session. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Dashboards: Making Your Data Work for You
August 16 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - online: Propel Nonprofits - Learn how to make your data – from community impact to financial information – more digestible and useful for making decisions. In this webinar, we’ll discuss the purpose and use of dashboard reports, learn the components of useful dashboard reports, and share some examples. Cost: Free. Learn more » 

Online Course: Writing a Long-Range Preservation Plan
August 23 through September 13 @ 2 to 3:30 pm - Online: Connecting to Collections Care - A Long-Range Preservation Plan (LRPP) is a core document that both identifies priorities for conservation and preservation projects and outlines a course of action for their completion. Geared toward small and mid-sized cultural institutions, in this course participants will learn the essential components of a LRPP, become familiar with key preventive conservation concepts, and gain skills in both risk assessment and the prioritization of preservation needs. Cost: $99 before August 10 / $149. Learn more »

Online Course: Introduction to Museum Endowments 
August 28 through September 24: American Association for State and Local History - This new four-week course is designed to introduce students to the structure, benefits, and challenges of endowment fund management, from basic terms and definitions to topics such as impact investing and best practices. Cost: $175 members/$275 nonmembers. Learn more »

In-person seminar: NAGPRA Essentials
September 19 & 20 - Madison, WI: National Preservation Institute - Review the compliance process for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) for Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, federal agencies, and museums. Explore how consultation can inform inventories, summaries, and cultural affiliation, and the resulting notices, repatriations, and dispositions. Cost: $700/$300 (student). Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• August is "National Make-A-Will month" 18 Reasons Why Bequests are the Place to Launch Your Planned Giving - Tony Martignetti
• Museums and Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century - Museum Human

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Seeding Cultural Treasures
August 24 - (deadline): Propel Nonprofits - This initiative provides unrestricted general operating grants and technical assistance support and learning opportunities through 2025 for emerging BIPOC-led-and-serving arts and culture organizations. Unrestricted grants and engagement in the program are essential to building trusting relationships. Learn more »

Small Museum Collection Care Grant
October 15 - (deadline): Costume Society of America - Assist the costume and textiles collection of a small museum (including historical societies, historic houses or sites, and other similar institutions) with a very limited budget and staff. Funding may be used to support the care, conservation, and/or exhibition of costumes and textiles that have historical, regional, or other significance and are intended for preservation. Funded Amount: $1,500. Learn more »

Museums for America
November 15 - (deadline): Institute of Museum and Library Services - This program supports museums of all sizes and disciplines to undertake projects that strengthen their ability to serve the public. Project activities may include exhibitions, educational or interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. Learn more »

Brooks and Joan Fortune Foundation Grants
Ongoing – This Foundation primarily provides funds to support education, art, and outreach programs and projects. Learn more »

Mini-Conference Funding
National Council on Public History - NCPH is accepting applications for Mini-Cons. NCPH Mini-Conferences are designed to help our members maintain the energy, conviviality, and productivity of the annual meeting year-round. Locally organized by an NCPH member or member institution, with support from the NCPH office, mini-cons (hosting one or attending one) are a great way to meet fellow public historians in your region and see what the local public history community is up to.
Learn more »

2024 NCPH Awards Cycle Open for Nominations
National Council on Public History - Over $7,000 in award money is available to recognize excellence in the multitude of ways public historians apply their skills to the world around us. The awards program promotes professionalism and best practices among public historians and raises awareness about their activities.
Learn more »

Dan David Prize
The Dan David Prize is the world’s largest history prize, annually awarding 9 prizes of $300,000 each to early and midcareer scholars and practitioners in the historical disciplines, to acknowledge their outstanding achievements and support future work.
Nominees can come from any field related to the study of the human past, both within academia and outside it. Learn more »

News

Minnesota State Archives July 2023 Acquisitions
A collecting strength of the Minnesota State Archives is local government records, and records added to the collection this month are a welcome addition useful for family and local history research.

• Mower County.  Board of County Commissioners.  Minute book dated 1870-1879.  1 bound volume.  Inter-files in existing set, dated 1856-2021, in the archives.
• Ramsey County.  Independent School District No. 625 (St. Paul).  Horace Mann Elementary School PTA records (scrapbooks, photographs) dated 1931-2002 (bulk dated 1931-1960s).  4 boxes.  Donated with the assistance of Allison Broughton.
• Scott County.  Cedar Lake Township.  Record book dated May 1858-1870.  1 bound volume.  Donated by MNHS Honorary Council member, Dennis Dvorak.
• Watonwan County.  City of St. James.  Records (minutes, resolutions, ordinances) dated 1871-2022.  24 boxes.

Hmong Cultural Center is Awarded Federal Museum Grant
The Hmong Cultural Center Museum has been awarded an Inspire! Grant for Small Museums in the amount of $49,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington D.C. This grant will support the Hmong Cultural Center Storefront Museum Service Expansion Project. Learn more »

Take the Reframing History Survey
American Association for State and Local History Reframing History initiative provides research-backed recommendations to help you communicate what history is and how historians work. Please complete the survey by Friday, August 11 to help them evaluate this research project. Your response will help AASLH create future tools and resources for history organizations and practitioners. Take survey »

Call for Awards Nominations
The Minnesota Genealogical Society Awards Committee invites nominations for MGS service and genealogy achievement awards that will be presented at the North Star Awards Banquet on the evening of Friday, October 27th. Achievement Awards open to anyone in the broader Minnesota genealogy community – including MGS, its branches and partners – are eligible for three awards for genealogical achievement. Learn more »

Native American Undergraduate Students Share Museum Fellowship Experiences
Students in MNHS' Native American Museum Fellowship (NAUMF) program will share their personal experiences learning about the museum field when they present their Capstone project presentations this week August 11, from 10 am to 12 pm. Learn more »

Lyon County Historical Society Receives $37k Donation from Late Mark Goodenow
Marshall Radio — The Lyon County Historical Society announced it received a donation from the late Mark Goodenow.  Mark, a longtime Professor at Southwest Minnesota State University, former Lyon County Historical Society board member, and former Lyon County Commissioner, passed away at his winter home in Mesa, AZ on February 2, 2023. Continue reading »

Two Replicas On Display In Heritage Building at Benton Co. Fair
WJON News — When you are out at the Benton County Fair this week poke your head into the Heritage Building for a special display. The Benton County Historical Society has two exact replicas made by a man named Clifford Balder back in the 1990s. Continue reading »

Memorial honoring black Civil War veteran to be placed at MSUM
KVRR — Minnesota State University Moorhead is commemorating one of the first black Civil War veterans in the area with a statue. Felix Battles was a Union soldier born into slavery in Tennessee and moved to Mississippi during his childhood. Continue reading »

Olmsted County History Center celebrates ten years of marriage equality in Minnesota
ABC 6 News - KAAL — Today marks ten years since a historic law change in the state of Minnesota. Back in 2013, then Governor Mark Dayton, signed a bill into law making it legal for same-sex couples to get married. Months later on August 1, the law went into effect, making Minnesota the 12th state to do so. Watch video »

Featured Book Minescapes: Reclaiming Minnesota's Mined Lands by Pete Kero. Minnesota Historical Society Press. Author Event, Book Launch Time: August 24 @ 7 to 8:30 pm Location: Minnesota Discovery Center, Chisholm, MN	Featured Article Minnesota History White Supremacy on Parade: The Fight to Stop The Birth of a Nation in the Twin Cities Volume 68, Issue 5, 2023	Featured Article MNopedia Women Industrial Workers in the Twin Cities, 1860s–1945 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.

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