Field Note

Grants Office and Local History Services Staff met with a potential grant applicant to advise on the preservation of historic stained glass windows on their church building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 
Want to learn more about grants for stained glass windows? Watch this recorded webinar »

Above: Brainerd Water Tower, Brainerd, MN Legacy Grants: Historic Structure Report and Roof Design; Preservation Plans and Specifications; Roof replacement, renovation of stair/windows; Lighting/flagpole enhancements. Recipient: City of Brainerd

History Matters Day at the Capitol is Thursday, February 29

Register Now for History Matters Day at the Capitol 

There’s still time to speak up for history! Join MNHS to show your support for history initiatives tomorrow at 9 am. This hybrid event will take place at the Minnesota State Capitol in Room G19 and will be live streamed on Zoom.

During History Matters Day at the Capitol, you can connect with your representatives to say thank you and urge them to provide strong support for asset preservation, facilities improvement, and historic preservation grants. Register now to attend either in person at the Minnesota State Capitol or virtually via Zoom!

Heritage Preservation Grants

MARCH Grants Open House
March 7 - 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 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 »

Small Grant Deadline
The next small grant deadline (requests of $10,000 or less) for the MHCHG program is Friday, April 12, 2024.

From the Blog

This week's blog post is from Sleepy Eye Area Historical Society. Have a blog? Let us know!

West Newton – Town and Township
I think this piece though not Brown County, is important enough to at least add here because so many of us are familiar with these roads and trails, but don’t realize what took place on these locations or why is this marker here or did something significant happen here that I missed out on?  There are so many questions a person can come up with for any location, let’s learn about the town of West Newton…was there really a town called West Newton? Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Charles Gilfillan - Hill Farm Historical Society
• Fanlight #12 - Beltrami County Historical Society
• Bob Looks Back: 1880 Fire at the St. Peter State Hospital - Nicollet County Historical Society
• MDL's second annual Contributor's Choice exhibit - Minnesota Digital Library News
• America’s first banned book? -  U of MN Libraries

From the Tube

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

More MN Tube posts

• Sharing Ojibwe culture and language with Dr. Anton Treuer
  - Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
• BookEnds Online Edition: Julie Jo Severson - Wadena County Historical Society
• The Last Man's Club of Company B (Historic Film) - Washington County Historical Society
• The Stagecoach House: Ney Nature Center - Minnesota Bricks
• The Heart of the Heartland: Norwegian American Community in the Twin Cities - East Side Freedom Library
• Pipestone County Historical Society's 2024 Annual Meeting - Pipestone County Museum
• THE NELLIES: Olivia Sazama - Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum
• The Immigration Act of 1924: Rethinking Its Origins & Impacts 100 Years Later - U of MN Immigration History Research Center

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Program Specialist, Teacher Education & Curriculum - MN History Center
• Site Guide I, Historic Forestville - Historic Forestville

LOCAL

• Interpreter - Gibbs Farm Historic Site, Ramsey County Historical Society, Falcon Heights, MN
• Education Coordinator - History Center of Olmsted County, Rochester, MN

REGIONAL

• Administrative Assistant - German American Heritage Center and Museum, Davenport, IA
• Metadata Librarian - Iowa State University, Ames, IA
• Chief Engagement Officer - Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, WI
• Compliance Reviewer - WI State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI 
• Museum Attendant - Ephraim Historical Foundation, Ephraim, WI
• Museum Maintenance Supervisor - Discovery World, Milwaukee, WI 

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Archivist - NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Education Specialist - Grand Army of the Republic Military Museum, Aurora, IL
• Museum Office Administrator - Evansville Wartime Museum, Evansville, IN
• Museum Registrar - IU Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Indiana University
  Bloomington, IN
• Executive Director - Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
• Administrative Assistant to the Executive Office - Charles H. Wright Museum of African, American History, Detroit, MI
• Communications Coordinator - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Trailside Museum Coordinator - University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Crawford, NE
• Quaternary Palaeontology Regulatory Assistant - Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Museum Intern - Pipestone County Historical Society, Pipestone, MN
• Education Intern - Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis, MN
• Board members - Golden Valley Historical Society, Golden Valley, MN
• Board members - Le Sueur County Historical Society, Le Center, MN

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

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

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

Exhibit: Kids Stuff
Opening March 1 - Mankato: Blue Earth County History Center - Explore the best-loved and most fondly remembered toys of the 19th and 20th centuries in our new History Center exhibit. Stroll down memory lane with toys like erector sets, paper dolls, rocking horses, and play kitchens. Revisit the toys of your childhood in this cool new exhibit. Free admission on opening weekend. Learn more »

Presentation: Balancing on a Hair with Evonne Bilotta-Burke and JoJamba Matthews
March 5 @ 7 to 8 pm - Stillwater: Washington County Heritage Center - A program and discussion led by Evonne Bilotta-Burke and JoJamba Matthews about the importance of hairstyles and how Black hair has been impacted by societal expectations over the years. Part of the discussion will include the CROWN Act, a piece of legislation that Minnesota passed February 1, 2023. The act ensured protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Workshop: Repairing and Restoring Old Windows - Winona
March 9 @ 10 am to 1 pm - Winona: Rethos - Instructor Molly Lynn will cover the removal of the window sash, removing old glazing and glass, replacing sash cord, and then putting it all back together. Learn more »

Author Talk: Norsemen Deep in the Heart of Texas
March 16 @ 1 to 2 pm - Minneapolis: Norway House and the Norwegian-American Historical Association - In-person author presentation by Gunnar Nerheim on the history of 19th century Norwegian immigrants to Texas, which included Cleng Peerson, the famous pioneer leader of the "sloopers" of the 1825 Restauration voyage. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: Minnesota's Carnegie Libraries After 100 Years
March 23 @ 10:30 am to 12 pm - Shoreview: Shoreview Library - In the early 1900s, Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of over 1600 libraries in this country, 66 of which were in Minnesota. The first half of the talk will describe the Carnegie library program and its impact on Minnesota; the second half will assess the extent to which the libraries have survived after more than a century. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Series: James Madison Fourth President
March 27; April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 1 @ 12:30 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of the University of MN  and the Ramsey County Libraries - Join educator, curator, historian, and writer, J.B. Andersen in this six part series as he examines the presidency of James Madison, our Fourth President. He will look at Madison's early life and education, his role in the American Revolution, his part as the "Father of the Constitution," his political career, his marriage to Dolley Madison, his religious views, his accomplishments and more. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: George Stoppel Farmstead, operated by the History Center of Olmsted County, Rochester MN.
Photograph by Jonathunder, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

Minnesota Main Streets State Conference - Registration Open
April 4 & 5 – Owatonna: Rethos - Minnesota Main Streets Conference is an opportunity for designated Minnesota Main Street districts as well as any community interested in revitalizing their historic downtown and business districts to obtain tools, knowledge, and resources to help their communities flourish. Main Street is an asset-based economic development program that uses historic preservation as a tool, this conference tailors sessions for communities with historic downtowns and neighborhood districts, regardless of status in Minnesota Main Street programs. Learn more »

AASLH Leadership in History Awards Office Hours 
February 29 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History Awards - Applications for the 2024 awards season are due March 1, join them for office hours to ask questions AASLH Leadership in History Awards and get help with your nomination. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Working with Facilities to Create a Fuller Picture of Your Collection Environment
February 29 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Connecting to Collections Care - Does the building that houses your collections have temperature and humidity sensors that are read and maintained by facilities or HVAC professionals? Do you have a separate environmental monitoring system and have you ever had to seek agreement on sensors with vastly different readings? This presentation will go into some reasons why it is important to set up a parallel monitoring system even if you have BAS (building automated system) sensors, and how you can work with facilities to create a better understanding of your building. Cost: Free. Learn more »

A Fresh Look at Nathan Myrick and the Founders of Our Communities
March 7 @ 10 am (CT) - Online: Wisconsin Historical Society - Nathan Myrick is largely credited as the founder of La Crosse, Wisconsin. But when you examine his story, you find that he lived in La Crosse for just six years, and when he left in 1848, it was to follow the Ho-Chunk as they were forcibly removed from the new state of Wisconsin. In this presentation, we will address what it means to commemorate people like Myrick, question the founding narratives that we hold so close to our community's identity, and give strategies on how to shift the way we discuss our founding and local history. Cost: Free. Learn more »

How to be a Great Board Chair
March 7 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits - This webinar prepares the board chair for governance and leadership responsibilities.  They'll cover how to design effective board meetings, attend to board development, partner with the CEO/ED, and lead as an ambassador for the organization. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Prior Lake – Understand Native Minnesota Educator Academy
March 14 @ 8:30 am to 4 pm - Prior Lake: Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, through its Understand Native Minnesota campaign, is hosting the second of two free Educator Academy events which offer professional development workshops to introduce K-12 educators to a variety of ways to teach Native American topics in classroom settings. They are intended for educators in Minnesota and will feature Native American authors, artists, and education experts. Continuing Education credits for teachers and administrators will be offered. Location: Mystic Lake Center. Cost: Free. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• Transgender and Nonbinary-Affirming Library Practices: From Patron Records to Restrooms (and Beyond) - University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 13 Effective Tips To Generate Free And Positive Press For Your Nonprofit - Forbes

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors
March 1 - (Deadline): National Trust for Historic Preservation - Grants that assist in the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of historic interiors. Learn more »

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program
March 20 - (Deadline): Institute of Museum and Library Services - This program supports the training and professional development of library and archives professionals; developing faculty and information leaders; and recruiting, educating, and retaining the next generation of library and archives professionals in order to develop a diverse library and archival workforce and meet the information needs of their communities. Learn more »

Al Larvick Conservation Fund
June 1 - (Deadline): This Fund operates a grant program for the conservation of home and amateur audiovisual materials (moving image: analog film and video only) and their digital capture. Grants are open to individuals, institutions and organizations. The program currently makes grants up to $5,000 under the two separate categories:

Al Larvick Regional Grant - This is limited to collections reflecting life in the upper midwest states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. 
Al Larvick National Grant - Limited to works recorded within the United States and primarily outside of North Dakota State.
Learn more »

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program
November 15 - (Deadline): Institute of Museum and Library Services - This grant program is designed to support Indian tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining indigenous heritage, culture, and knowledge. The program supports projects such as exhibitions, educational services and programming, workforce professional development, organizational capacity building, and collections stewardship. Learn more »

News

Cass County completes an archaeological study
Walker Pilot-Indepentent —  The Cass County Land Department contracted with Nienow Cultural Consultants LLC to evaluate the condition of the late 19th century Munroe Turntable logging railroad site, located in Moose Lake Township in southwest Cass County. Continue reading »

Minnesota Discovery Center welcomes new executive director
Mesabi Tribune — Minnesota Discovery Center announced earlier this week that it has filled the position of executive director. Char Conger, of Cook, has been selected to fill the position formerly held by Donna Johnson, and is set to start on February 12. Continue reading »

Chasing the North Wind
WTIP North Shore Community Radio and Media — Cook County Historical Society has released a new book called “Chasing the North Wind: A Memoir of One Woman’s Lifelong Love Affair Flying a Vintage 1941 Piper J- 3 Cub Aircraft and Growing Up in Minnesota’s Famed Arrowhead Region” by Kathryn Krotz-Finn with Richard Struck.  Watch Video »

Disability Viewpoints: Inclusion Mobile Museum, Employment Issues
MySPNN — ...Host Joan Willshire explores the "Inclusion" Mobile Museum, a traveling exhibit that documents the history of society's treatment of the developmentally disabled, from the barbaric institutionalizations of the 1900's through the 20th century and present. Watch Video »

Miners Memorial Project research almost complete by Tower-Soudan Historical Society
Hometown Focus — Volunteers from the Tower-Soudan Historical Society (TSHS) continue to work on documenting a list of men who died in, at, or near the Soudan Mine from 1884 to 1957. Documentation is almost complete on the list of 143 men, with only seven needing further documentation. Continue reading »

What roles did Minnesota's Native American chiefs play? And who were some notable ones?
Red Lake Nation News — It is a well-known image: A stoic Native American man in ceremonial garb with a feathered headdress. A chief. That portrait of strength and courage has been memorialized in films and statues, as well as exploited to sell cigarettes and motorcycles. It is a core American cultural stereotype, recently at the center of the most-watched sporting event in American history when the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII. Continue reading »

LANDMARKS: Minnesota Medal of Honor 
Pioneer PBS — Learn the stories of the Minnesota’s recipients of America’s highest military honor with historian and storyteller Doug Ohman. First issued during the Civil War, 72 residents of Minnesota have been recipients of this most prestigious medal. Ohman traces the lives of several of these Minnesota heroes through photographs, family memories and stories. Watch Video »

Historic opera house could be small Minnesota town's artistic salvation
Star Tribune — Restoring the Batcher Block Opera House wouldn't just be a unique performance space with world-class acoustics. It's seen as a boon to all of Staples. Continue reading »

Featured Book Oskar's Voyage, Author Laura Purdie Salas & Illustrator, Kayla Harren. Minnesota Historical Society Press. Book Launch Time: March 16 @ 10:30 am to 12:30 pm Location: Red Balloon Books, St. Paul, MN	Featured Article Minnesota History A “Negro Colony” for Todd County Volume 61, Issue 7, 2009	Featured Article MNopedia Karl Harold Phillip LeVander (1910–1992) 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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