During a recent visit to the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum (MNANG) located at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Joint Air Reserve Station, State History Services Manager Todd Mahon was given a tour by the museum's executive director, Mike Drews. MNANG is looking for a new space and is preparing the collection for temporary storage and considering traveling exhibits in the interim.
Grants Office Webinar: The Fundamentals of Collections Inventories
January 19 - Online: 2 to 3 pm (CT): Collections inventories are the fundamental method to understand what you have in your collection and to ensure you can easily find items. Inventories are necessary to have "intellectual control" over your museum collection so you may properly care for and use it. Come to this webinar to learn the general procedures for a good inventory and how the MNHS grant program can help to fund the work. Presented by Todd Mahon, State History Services Manager. Learn more »
The next small grant deadline (requests of $10,000 or less) for the MHCHG program is Friday, January 13, 2023.
Heritage Partnership Program Grant Deadline
Heritage Partnership Program grants build the capacity of two or more eligible organizations to work together on their shared goals for Minnesota’s history. The mandatory pre-application is due on Friday, January 20, 2023. The pre-application process is a requirement of this grant program. For more information, contact John or watch our video.
This week's blog post is from Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County. Have a blog? Let us know!
Remembering Mel and Lucy Johnson
I read in the paper that my friend Mel Johnson passed away on December 18 at age 102. Mel was one of the original volunteers of the Hjemkomst Center when the museum opened its doors in 1986. I spent many Monday mornings sitting next to him at the museum’s admissions desk. He rang people in and ushered them into the theater to watch the movie about the Viking Ship while I waited to give them a tour of the Hopperstad Stave Church. Not a lot of tourists come to Fargo during the winter months, so we had plenty of time to chat. He once told me that he took a tumble off his bicycle, so he was probably going to stop riding. I was shocked and impressed. “Mel! You’re in your mid-90s! You’re still riding a bicycle?!?” Continue Reading »
This week's post is from Giants of the Earth Heritage Center. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!
Christmas Eve! Oyster Stew with Nancy Gulbranson
Join Chef Nancy in the jul kitchen once again for an adventure in Norwegian Ridge Christmas cooking! Thanks to Karen Fried for video production. Watch Video »
Minnesota Historical Society's Job Announcement, Internship, Fellowship, and Volunteer Opportunity pages.
Additional Job Postings in the Field »
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Beltrami County Historical Society.
Be sure to check with each organization for COVID-19 updates and safety measures for in-person events.
Going Deeper with "Just Deeds": Righting Old Wrongs and Fostering Justice Today
January 12 - Golden Valley: 7 pm. Golden Valley Historical Society - Maria Cisneros, Golden Valley City Attorney, is co-founder of the Just Deeds Project, which helps homeowners and cities by providing free legal and title services, along with access to online tools to remove discriminatory racially restrictive covenant language from property titles. Cisneros will address the wider cultural context in which these covenants emerged in Golden Valley as well as share other ways that racial exclusion was practiced in this area. Part of a three-part series entitled "Voices in the Valley: Amplifying Under-represented Histories of Golden Valley." Cost: Free. Learn more »
Event/Exhibit Opening: DELIcious History: the Appetizer Opening Reception
January 12 - Minneapolis: 6:30 to 9 pm. Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest - Reminisce about your favorite pastrami while sitting in an original booth from The Lincoln Del, as part of a new exhibit. All ages can have fun and learn while exploring Jewish food, delis, and the community they brought together. This opening features a presentation by Wendi Zelkin Rosenstein author of "The Lincoln Del Cookbook" and granddaughter of The Lincoln Del owners. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Presentation: Virtual Genealogy - German Geography & Meyer's Gazetteer
January 12 - Online: 7 pm. Dakota County Historical Society - Professional genealogist Dr. Fritz Juengling, Ph.D., AG, will present on German geography and the Meyer's Gazetteer, which is now online and is indexed and fully searchable. This presentation will explore the history of the project, how to search for places, special search features, how to use the maps, find surrounding parishes and civil registry office, strategies for searching, and other features. Cost: $5 members/$10 nonmembers. Learn more »
Freeborn County Historical Museum celebrates 75 years
January 13 - Albert Lea: 11 am to 2 pm. Freeborn County Historical Museum - Established in January of 1948, on February 20, 1960, Freeborn County officially opened their first museum in the basement of the courthouse building. In 2018, the Freeborn County Historical Society began doing business as the Freeborn County Historical Museum, Library and Village (FCHM). Come to the celebration; museum staff and volunteers will be serving cake and punch in honor of the milestone. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Drop-in Program: Mystery House Tours
January 14 - Bloomington: 1 to 4 pm. Pond-Dakota Mission Park - Examine the Pond House as a history detective! What is the mysterious pot by the fireplace, why did Mrs. Pond have a wooden egg, and where is the secret compartment in the hutch? Answer these and other curious questions to win a detective gadget. Cost: No cost. Learn more »
Celebrate the 110th birthday of Bemidji's Great Northern Depot
January 14 - Bemidji: 10 am. Beltrami County Historical Society - The Great Northern Depot in Bemidji is 110 years old. Come celebrate at its birthday party with the unveiling of a National Register of Historic Places plaque, tours of the museum and Northern Ironhorse Railroad Society train model room, giveaways and activity sheets for youth, and refreshments. Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince will be the guest speaker at the plaque unveiling. For more information call 218-444-3376.
A Whole New World of Catholic Records
January 17 - St. Cloud: 7 pm. St. Cloud Area Genealogists/Stearns History Museum - Catholic sacramental records can be genealogical gems. They identify important moments, places and cultural information about your ancestors. Margaret R. Fortier, Certified Genealogist, will discuss the expanded availability of Catholic records online and how to find them both online and offline. She will cover parish records both for the United States and internationally as well as records for Catholic institutions and newspapers. Cost: Free members/$7 nonmembers. Learn more »
Grand Opening of Renovations at Lawshe Memorial Museum
January 21 - South St. Paul: 1 to 5 pm. Dakota County Historical Society/Lawshe Memorial Museum - Come to the grand opening of the Lawshe Museum to view its recent renovations. In November 2021, the museum closed for the start of the ADA upgrades and improvements that were approved by Dakota County Commissioners in March 2021. The $1.2M in upgrades and improvements focused on making the museum more accessible to the public. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Fur Trade Frenzy
January 21 - St. Cloud: 10 am. Stearns History Museum - At this month's Whippersnapper Hour, students will get a little taste of what it was like to be involved in the American Fur Trade during the 19th century here in Minnesota. Students will get to touch some real furs, barter for goods and make their own Bandolier bag to take home! Children ages 7-13. Cost: Free members/$5 nonmembers. Learn more »
Drop-in Program: Weaving in Winter
January 21 - Bloomington: 1 to 4 pm. Pond-Dakota Mission Park - Try your hand at weaving a mug rug or bookmark to take home. Frontier families spun wool into yarn, then knit or wove it to make clothing, blankets, and rugs. All materials provided. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Highlighted Museum: Lower Sioux Agency Interpretive Center. Operated by the Lower Sioux Indian Reservation, Redwood County, MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.
Residential Architecture of the 1950s & 60s
January 12 - St. Paul: 6:30 to 8 pm. Rethos - This class examines the social and historical influences that defined the unique residential styles and trends most associated with the mid-mod era. The class will look not only at common forms like the Cape Cod and the ranch house but also some high-style examples designed by prominent architects. The fascinating story behind the 1950s and 60s homes, neighborhoods, and suburbs will be explored in this three-hour class, which will leave you with a new appreciation for Minnesota's mid-century properties. Cost: $35. Learn more »
Lead, Asbestos, and Radon, Oh My!
January 18 - St. Paul: 6:30 to 8 pm. Rethos - In this class, licensed architect Alissa Pier will demystify three substances often found in older homes: lead, asbestos, and radon. Alissa will provide context to the specific uses of each substance, explain their dangers, and walk through mitigation methods. Cost: Sliding Scale. Learn more »
Creating Accessible Museum Events & Other Access Considerations
January 23 - Online: 9 to 10 am (CT). Ohio Museums Association - This webinar will offer easy, affordable and practical ideas you can put into place right away, as well as overall accessibility considerations for your museum spaces and policies. Cost: $35. Learn more »
Sustainable and Passive Ways to Improve your Collection Environment
January 26 – Online: 12 to 1 pm (CT). Connecting to Collections Care - This webinar will describe some of the energy-saving strategies that cultural heritage organizations currently implement to help reduce energy use. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Examining Your Organization's Origin Story with the Institutional Genealogy Framework
January 26 & 27 – Online: American Association for State and Local History - Learn how heritage organizations can apply the institutional genealogy framework as a generative, action-oriented, and inquiry-driven method for re-examining their past. Cost: $175 members/$200 nonmembers. Learn more »
Additional Educational Opportunities »
National Trust Preservation Funds
February 1 - (Deadline): Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting ongoing 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 »
Libraries Transform Communities Engagement Grant
February 1 - (Deadline): American Library Association - This is an annual grant to support innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts in libraries. The grant will provide $2,000 for a school, public, academic, tribal, or special library to expand its community engagement efforts. Libraries are invited to apply by designing and outlining activities for a library-led community engagement project. Proposed projects should focus on creating innovative and meaningful community engagement efforts. Learn more »
Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program
February 7 - (Deadline): National Park Service - supports the rehabilitation of historic properties and fosters economic development of rural communities through subgrants. This program funds physical preservation projects for historic sites, including architectural and engineering services through subgrants to communities determined rural by the US Bureau of the Census. Learn more »
Landmarks of American History and Culture
February 1 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - This grant program supports residential, virtual, and combined format projects that situate the study of topics and themes in K-12 humanities within sites, areas, or regions of historic and cultural significance. Learn more »
Applications are now open for the 2023 Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program
February 28 - (Deadline): Foundation for Advancement in Conservation/Institute of Museum and Library Services - The Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program provides small and mid-sized museums with partial funding toward a general conservation assessment. The assessment is a study of all of the institution's collections, buildings, and building systems, as well as its policies and procedures relating to collections care. Participants who complete the program receive an assessment report with prioritized recommendations to improve collections care. CAP is often a first step for small institutions that wish to improve the condition of their collections. Learn more »
Archives Collaboratives
May 3 - (Deadline): National Archives - This program welcomes collaborations among three or more organizations that target institutional advancement for small and underserved communities. Archives Collaboratives may: be located in the same community, state, or geographic region; be "virtual" or online collaboratives; share affinities among the scope and subject matter of their collections; have similar organizational missions; serve similar types of user communities. Apply for a Planning Grant (up to $25,000) or an Implementation Grant (up to $100,000). Learn more »
Wells Fargo Grants
Deadlines Vary: Wells Fargo Foundation - Wells Fargo welcomes applications year-round from qualified nonprofits and educational institutions. Review the site to determine if any of the regions and priorities are a good fit. Then, check out the various program deadlines under 'How To Apply.' Deadlines and grant amounts vary greatly among programs. Learn more »
A content update to the Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub added 5,866 new issues and 96,159 new pages. Newly publicly available titles & date spans:
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Featured BookNot the Camilla We Knew: One Woman’s Path from Small-town America to the Symbionese Liberation Army by Rachael Hanel. University of Minnesota Press. Book Launch Event |
Featured Article
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Minnesota History Organizations Directory• County, Chapters, and Local |
Minnesota Main Streets |
Preservation Specialists Directory |
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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