Field Note

Local History Services staff visited staff at the Scott County Historical Society in Shakopee to discuss the care and preservation of sensitive film formats. Film made from materials like cellulose nitrate and cellulose acetate are at high risk of deterioration in typical museum environments. Cold storage in a fridge or freezer can prolong its life. Digitization onto more stable modern film formats will ensure the long-term accessibility of the content on the film reels. 

Sign up for History Matters Day at the Capitol

Join us for History Matters Day at the Capitol on Thursday, February 27, 2025. This legislative session is vital for obtaining funding for history projects. Take the opportunity to meet with your legislators and share why history matters to you. History Matters Day at the Capitol provides a platform to highlight the efforts of the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) and other history organizations. It encourages advocates to discuss with their legislators the importance of state funding to preserve our historical legacy. Sign up now »

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Heritage Preservation Project: Archaeomagnetic Dating of Minnesota Ceramic Artifacts
University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota created a partnership taking an initial step in creating a regional archaeomagnetic dating curve. This funded an initial year of scientific research testing a globally-used scientific method to aid in the dating of archaeological materials that has not yet been used on Minnesota archaeological artifacts. This dating technique will help establish improved archaeological chronologies in Minnesota.

The grant significantly improved the working relationship between colleagues at the University of Minnesota and at the Science Museum of Minnesota helping lay the foundations for future collaborative science that will improve the understanding of the human history of Minnesota.
Recipients: University of Minnesota and the Science Museum of Minnesota 
Funded Amount: $72,915

Heritage Partnership Program Grant 
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 Friday, January 24, 2025, and the final application deadline is Friday, March 7, 2025. The pre-application process is a requirement of this grant program. For more information contact John. Learn more »

Grants Office Webinar: Museum Security and the Grants Program
January 16 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: Museum security comprises the range of activities designed to protect collections, staff, and visitors in cultural institutions. Join us for this webinar to learn how grants can fund Access Control, Intrusion Detection, and Video Surveillance Systems for museums in non-historic buildings. Presented by Digital Technology Outreach Specialist Joe Hoover.
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com
Join by phone: ‪(US) +1 386-361-3086‬  PIN: ‪420 891 978‬#

Grants Office YouTube Playlist »

From the Blog

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

Lightning Conversion: From Armory to Museum
Have you ever visited the Winona County History Center? Part of the current building was originally an armory with fortress-like architecture, and it still protects our history today. The story of its metamorphosis from military reserve to present-day museum icon started like lightning – literally. In the early hours of May 25 , 1964, a guest at the Williams Hotel alerted the Winona Fire Department to a fire breaking out in the 1915 National Guard Armory next door. It took over two hours, but the fire department managed to contain the blaze. Fire Chief John Steadman told news organizations that “Five minutes more and the entire Armory would have been gone” along with the Williams Hotel.
Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Minnesota State Horticultural Society adds publications to MDL collection - Minnesota Digital Library News
• The Memorable Dr. Harold Wilmot - Meeker County Historical Society
• From DIY to Deconstruction: Rethos Takes Sustainability to the Next Level - Rethos
• Journal Junior Jottings - Robbinsdale Historical Society
• An interview to welcome Melissa Ernst, Dentistry Librarian - U of MN Libraries
• The Turnblad Carpet Comes Home - American Swedish Institute
• Captain John Quinlan - Washington County Historical Society
• Remembering the great blizzard of 1975 - Nobles County Historical Society

From the Tube

This week's post is from the Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans in Minnesota. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

More MN Tube posts

• George Elmslie: In the Shadow of Louis Sullivan - Richard Kronick - Linden Hills History Study Group 
• Minnesota Peace Initiative - The World Votes: Global Democracy at a Crossroads - Norway House
• Bookends Online Edition: Matt Goldman - Wadena County Historical Society
• Kirschner Cookbook Collection History with Ann Burkhardt - U of MN Libraries

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Site Supervisor - Historic Fort Snelling

LOCAL

• Request for Qualifications, seeking proposals to conduct the research phase for a History of the Cannon Valley Trail - Cannon Valley Trail Joint Powers Board, Cannon Falls, MN
• Curator - St. Louis County Historical Society, Duluth, MN
• Director - Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum, Walnut Grove, MN
• Director of Development - Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Winona, MN
• Museum Technician (General) - Keewenaw National Historical Park, U.S. Department of the Interior, International Falls, MN
• Museum Aid - Voyageurs National Park, National Park Service, International Falls, MN
• Educational Technician - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, National Park Service, St. Paul, MN
• Archeological Technician - Voyageurs National Park, National Park Service, International Falls, MN

REGIONAL

• Assistant Registrar - North Dakota Historical Society, Bismarck, ND
• Paleontology Manager & Curator - Pioneer Trails Regional Museum, Bowman, ND
• Attraction Director - Circus World Museum,  Wisconsin Historical Society, Baraboo, WI
• Front Desk/Project Assistant - National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, Milwaukee, WI 
• Assistant Registrar for Exhibitions & Loans - Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI 
• Development Director - National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, WI
• Education Assistant - Chippewa Valley Museum, Eau Claire, WI
• Director of Development - Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc, WI
• Registrar - Dubuque Museum of Art, Dubuque, IA
• Supervisory Park Ranger (I) - National Park Service, Harpers Ferry, IA
• Park Guide - National Park Service, Harpers Ferry, IA 
• Assistant Registrar or Associate Registrar - Figge Art Museum, Davenport, IA
• Museum Technician (History) - Mount Rushmore, National Park Service, Keystone, SD

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• 2025 Southern Foodways Alliance Oral History Projects Call - Experienced oral historians are invited to submit proposals for oral history projects surrounding themes of agriculture, farmers markets, and gardening traditions in the region - Southern Foodways Alliance
• Archives Technician - National Archives and Records Administration, Valmeyer, IL
• Major Gifts Associate - The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL
• Office Coordinator - Opt. 2 - I&M Canal/Gebhard Woods State Park, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Morris, IL
• Early Childhood Intermittent Program Specialist - Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN
• Collections Manager (Museum Registrar) - Museum of Archeology & Anthropology, IUMAA, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
• Syms Archivist - American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, OH
• Development Officer - Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH
• Archival Internship - Israelite House of David, Benton Harbor, MI
• Elizabeth A.R. Brown Archivist - Brown University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
• History of Medicine, Special Collections Coordinator - University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• Director of Content and Interpretation - National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, PA
• Visitors’ Experience Specialist - Griot Museum of Black History and Culture, St. Louis, MO
• GIS Specialist - Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE
• Head of Education - University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE
• Curatorial Assistant - The Joslyn, Omaha, NE
• Executive Director - Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Toronto, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Summer 2025 Cohort Internship Program - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Satellite Teen Intern - Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Digital Collections Intern - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH
• Archives Intern - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Image used with permission. From the collections of the Milaca Area Historical Society.

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

Afternoon Paint and Sip
January 16 @ 2 to 4 pm - Minneapolis: Norway House - Paint a winter landscape at Norway House. Bring a friend, buy some coffee or wine, then settle into our gallery while the artists of Your Bearded Artist walk you through the process, step-by-step. Cost: $38. Learn more »

Financial Empowerment for Everyone
January 16 @ 12 pm - Bemidji: Beltrami County History Center - This program features financial expert Rachel St. John, who will provide practical tips and answer your questions, giving you the tools to achieve financial independence and long-term wealth. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Elk River History Buffs: Minnesota Shipwrecks
January 16 @ 9:30 to 11 am - Elk River: presented by Sherburne History Center - Each month, a different topic is presented by Sherburne History Center's executive director, Mike Brubaker, to educate and entertain the senior community. Attendees can look forward to informative talks on Minnesota Shipwrecks, Presidential First Ladies, Minnesota in the Civil War, and much more. Location: Elk River Senior Activity Center. Learn more »

BECHS History Book Club Sessions: The Children’s Blizzard
January 18, February 15 & March 15 @ 1 pm - Mankato: Blue Earth County Historical Society - BECHS History Book Club is a quarterly book club that goes beyond a classic group book read and discussion. Over three months, while participants read the book, additional monthly sessions will include a discussion of the book’s setting and social history, a special presentation on a related historical topic, and conclude with a group book discussion. Cost: $50 for the 3-part series. Learn more »

Dried Orange Ornaments- Family Friendly!
January 18 @ 11 am to 1:45 pm - St. Paul: Gibbs Farm - Design your own simple ornaments using the orange slices and wooden beads. Two session to choose from. Learn more »

History Book Chat
January 22 @ 12 to 1 pm - Winona: Winona County History Center - The first book of the new year will be The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. The group will discuss themes of this New York Times best seller. Set in 1789 Maine, Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. Cost: Free. Learn more »

New Directions in Finnish North American Research
January 23 @ 10 to 11:30 am - Online: Immigration History Research Center, U of MN - This webinar showcases four innovative PhD dissertation projects on Finnish North American history and heritage. The speakers will present new approaches from the perspectives of history, folklore studies, linguistics, and literature. Cost: Free. Learn more » 

Annual Meeting - History Center of Freeborn County 
January 23 @ 4:30 pm -  Albert Lea: History Center of Freeborn County - Members are invited to join them for our annual meeting and get the inside scoop on the History Center of Freeborn County. Attendees will learn of the triumphs and struggles faced in 2024; hear what is on the horizon for 2025; meet the staff and board members of HCFC; and, have an opportunity to ask questions. For more information call 507-373-8003.

Minnesota Rag: The Great Minnesota Book Club
January 23 @ 6:30 to 7:30 pm - Maplewood: Maplewood Area Historical Society - They will be featuring Minnesota Rag by Fred W. Friendly. A young man's journey through the vibrant and tumultuous world of jazz music in the 1920s. Cost: Free. Learn more » 

The History of Barbershop Music & the Sweet Adelines
January 23 @ 7pm - Rochester: History Center of Olmsted County - Come learn about the history of barbershop music in general and Sweet Adelines specifically from one of the founding members of the local chapter and her quartet. Interwoven with the history of this uniquely American artform, going back to the 1800s, will be songs, both old and new, performed by The Lady Slippers. Cost: Free members/$5 nonmembers. Learn more » 

Early Aviation: the Boeing Company
January 25 @ 10 to 11 am - Buffalo: Wright County Historical Society - The talk will focus on the early years of The Boeing Airplane Company of Seattle, Washington, from its beginning in 1916 to the United States entering World War II and will address how Boeing the man and his company survived the uncertainties of the 1920s and then the Depression years of the 1930s. Cost: Free. Learn more » 

T.B. and Harriet Walker and their Contributions to Minneapolis
January 27 @ 7 to 9 pm - Minneapolis: Linden Hills History Study Group - Presentation on the contributions of Thomas Barlow Walker and Harriet Granger Hulet, including the evolution of Walker Place and their impact on Minneapolis through various philanthropic endeavors. Cost: Free. Learn more » 

Preservation and Loss: A History of the Augsburg University Campus
January 30 @ 6:30 to 8 pm (CT) - Online: Hennepin History Museum & Preserve Minneapolis - Augsburg University Campus has been in Minneapolis since 1872 and has evolved over the past 150 years.  From Old Main (National Register of Historic Places) to the Christensen Center, James G. Lindell Library, Sverdrup Hall and more, it’s a fascinating look at preservation and loss and what the future holds for this beautiful campus. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Fire, Water, and the 1890 Census: Recording Beyond the Ashes and Mold
February 5 @ 7 to 8:15 pm - Mendota Heights: Minnesota Genealogical Society - Most genealogists are aware the 1890 federal census was destroyed in a fire in 1921. Learn the story behind this historical and genealogical tragedy and how to work around the loss of that precious record. Cost: $30 members/$40 nonmembers. Learn more »

Explore Minnesota - State of MN's Tourism website
Listings: History & Heritage Events | Historic Exhibits | Lectures & Workshops
Register for an Account »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Richfield History Center (left) and Bartholomew House, operated by the Richfield Historical Society, Richfield, MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Succession and Transition Planning: How to Begin
January 22 @ 10 to  11 am -  Online: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - Join this session to improve your approach to leader and staff transitions, succession, and back-up planning.  Cost: $50 members/$70 nonmembers. Learn more »

Duluth Office Ribbon Cutting Celebration
January 23 @ 4 to 6 pm - Duluth: Rethos - You are cordially invited to the new Rethos Duluth office for light refreshments, a ribbon cutting and a short presentation by Rethos Executive Director Dr. Heidi Swank. Rethos Minnesota Main Streets Manager Shannon Laing will also provide some exciting updates. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Fundamentals of Nonprofit Board Governance
January 23 @ 9 am to 12 pm (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits -  Learn typical board responsibilities and explore the nuances of board authority and relationships. Participants will receive Propel’s Nonprofit Board Governance workbook, which includes the Fiduciary Duties of Directors of Charitable Organizations. Cost: $85. Learn more »

Activating Environmental Care and Strength at Museums and Historic Sites - Virtual Summit
January 28 & 29 @ 11 am to 4 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Environmental and climate sustainability are becoming increasingly important and urgent. This virtual summit will address how museums and historic sites are impacted by the environment and contribute to greater environmental sustainability. The summit will explore these topics from a variety of viewpoints. Cost: $60 members/$75 nonmembers. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• Advocacy is not a choice - National Council on Public History
• Accessing the Digital Readiness Toolkit - Recollection Wisconsin

UPCOMING CONFERENCES IN MINNESOTA

April 10-12, 2025, Minneapolis, MN Scholarships available.

April 22 - 24, 2025 White Bear Lake, MN

May 6-7, 2025 St. Paul, MN Scholarships available.

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

National Trust Preservation Funds
February 3, 2025 - (Deadline): National Trust for Historic Preservation - This grant fund is intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting ongoing preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. Grants up to $5,000 in support of preservation planning and educational projects. Learn more »

African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund National Grant Program
February 14, 2025 - (Deadline): National Trust for Historic Preservation - This fund advances ongoing preservation activities for historic places such as sites, museums, and landscapes that represent African American cultural heritage. Funding supports work in four primary areas: Capital Projects, Organizational Capacity Building, Project Planning, and Programming and Interpretation. Grants range from $50,000 to $150,000. Learn more »

Duluth Preservation Alliance Grant Program 
February 15, 2025 - (Deadline): Duluth Preservation Alliance - This grant program provides essential financial assistance for the preservation and restoration of historic properties in the Duluth area. Non-profit and public organizations can apply for grants of up to $1,000, with a total of $4,000 available annually for maintenance projects on historically significant structures. Learn more »

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors
March 3, 2025 - (Deadline):  National Trust for Historic Preservation - This fund provides assistance in the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of historic interiors. Grants from the fund range from $2,500 to $15,000. Learn more »

Fellowships Open Book Program
March 12, 2025 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - This is a limited competition designed to make outstanding humanities books digitally available to a wide audience. By taking advantage of low-cost e-book technology, the program will allow teachers, students, scholars, and the public to read humanities books that can be downloaded or redistributed for no charge. Learn more »

Creative Writing Fellowships
March 12, 2025 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Arts - Offers $50,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable recipients to set aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. Learn more »

2025 Application period for American World War II Heritage Cities is Now Open 
April 30, 2025 - (Deadline): National Park Service - To honor the historic significance of the United States’ role in World War II, the Secretary of the Interior designates one city from each state and territory as an American World War II Heritage City. Minnesota has yet to have a city recognized by the program. There is a particular opportunity to highlight Asian American, Latine, and Native histories which are currently not well-represented. For questions or more information, email them at, aww2hc@nps.gov. Learn more »

Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »

News

Vintage Museum Photo: Clay County Museum, Moorhead, MN. (ca. 1970).  
This new section features slides taken of Minnesota history museums from the 1970s through the 1990s by David Nystuen, the MNHS Field Services Coordinator, and other Field Services representatives during that time period.

MNHS Display Cases Available for Non-Profit Organizations

The Forest History Center has three display cases that are each approximately 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 18 inches deep. These cases are available for use by non-profit organizations interested in showcasing their exhibits or collections or for use in their gift store.  For those interested in having these display cases or seeking further information about them, please reach out to Pete Malsed, the Site Manager at the Forest History Center.

What's New in the Archives - December 2024
New and updated finding aids last month include the Paul David Wellstone Campaign Records. Issue files, news clippings, audio and video cassettes, some snapshot photographs, and other campaign records of three election campaigns waged by Wellstone, a progressive Democrat who represented Minnesota in the United States Senate from 1991 to 2002, as well as extensive files on his Republican opponents and on Democrat Ann Wynia, who ran unsuccessfully for Minnesota's other Senate seat in 1994. This includes digital content.

Other collections with additions or added digital content include the American Institute of Graphic Arts: Minnesota Chapter Records; the Hazel Belvo Papers; the Broadside Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society; the Carver County, District Court, Civil and Criminal Case Files and Index; the Cottonwood County Superintendent of Schools Pupil Records and the Cottonwood County Recorder Birth, Death, and Marriage Records; the Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range Railway Records; the Great Northern Railway Company: Advertising and Publicity Department Records; the Legislature, House of Representatives, House Bills; the Law Library Loan Record Book; the Pine County, Royalton, Birth and Death Records; the Reed and Hyde Families Papers; the Steele County, Owatonna, Birth and Death Records; the Otto A. Silha Papers; the Study Club Records; the Washington County, and Grey Cloud Island Township Records.

New this Month
Newly added accessions last month include the Charlee Van Cleve Hoyt Papers; the Wing Young Huie Photograph Collection; the Legislative Audit Commission Correspondence; and the Saint Paul Typographical Union No. 30 (Saint Paul, Minn.) Records. Learn more »

So Minnesota: Old Chrysler Garage
KSTP News  — There’s one place in Minnesota where you can take a trip down memory lane on four tires. The Old Chrysler Garage in Isanti is the only all-Chrysler museum of cars and memorabilia in the country. “There’s just something about old cars that tug at everybody’s hearts,” owner Greg Biskey said. “I hear a lot of people surprised that they have something like this in the little town of Isanti.” Watch Video »

Featured Book Museums in Motion: An Introduction to the Histories, Functions, and Aspirations of Museums, Fourth Edition, by Juilee Decker. Minnesota Historical Society Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History Canada fever: the odyssey of Minnesota's Bardo Norwegians Volume 57, Issue 7, 2001	Featured Article MNopedia Civic Caucus   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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