Field Note

During a much warmer time in October, MNHS staff visited the Anderson Center in Red Wing to learn about the progress of a building preservation project funded by a grant from the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program. 

Heritage Preservation Grants

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 »

FEBRUARY Grants Open House
February 6 - 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 »

Grants Office YouTube Playlist »

From the Blog

This week's blog post is from the American Swedish Institute. Have a blog? Let us know!

Collections Spotlight: Hilma Berglund
Hilma Berglund (1886-1972) was a first-generation Swedish American from Stillwater, Minnesota. As a child, Hilma suffered from debilitating migraine headaches, and her parents were advised to take her out of school. During this time, she devoted herself to exploring the arts, particularly painting, embroidery, and pottery. 

Her first encounter with weaving occurred in Stockholm at the Johanna Brunsson Vävskola during a trip to Europe in 1914. She returned to Sweden in 1922 to deepen her skills at another prominent handcraft school in Stockholm. Upon returning home, she received both her Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Minnesota before working at the University as an art education faculty member for 24 years. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Mike Holtz Made History - Robbinsdale Historical Society
• A Close to a Busy 2024 on Minnesota Main Streets - Rethos
• The Pizzigano Portolan: A Cartographic Mystery at the James Ford Bell Library - U of MN Libraries
• James R. Brennan, dean of woodsmen - Washington County Historical Society

From the Tube

This week's post is from the History Center of Freeborn County. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

More MN Tube posts

• Origins of the Minneapolis Sound - Linden Hills History Study Group
• Camelia and Sandra Alb - Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans in Minnesota
• Kirschner Cookbook Collection History - U of MN Libraries
• Stories of Winona's Past - Winona Library

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

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

LOCAL

• Executive Director - Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead, MN
• Executive Director - Legacy of the Lakes Museum, Alexandria, MN
• Collections Manager - Minnesota Discovery Center, Chisholm, MN
• Seasonal Historical Interpreter - Lowry Nature Center, Three Rivers Park District, Victoria, MN
• Gallery Guard (Casual), Giants Exhibition - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Visitor Experience Representative (Casual), Giants Exhibition - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Anthropology Department Administrator - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
• Apprentice Production Trainer (# 366368) - Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
• Group Visit and Program Support Staff - The Works, Bloomington, MN

REGIONAL

• Curator - North American Bison Discovery Center, Jamestown, ND
• Weekend Visitor Service Representative - State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND
• Visual Information Specialist - Theodore Roosevelt National Park, National Park Service, Medora, ND
• Museum Educator and Resource Services Administrative Assistant - John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI
• Collections Move Technician, Natural Science (Botany) - Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Collections Move Technician, Natural Science (Zoology) - Milwaukee Public Museum · Milwaukee, WI
• Business Manager - Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA
• Program Manager - Harrison County Historical Village & Welcome Center, Missouri Valley, IA
• Director of Development - German American Heritage Center and Museum, Davenport, IA
• Processing Archivist - Luther College, Decorah, IA
• Director of Revenue - Surf Ballroom National Historic Landmark, North Iowa Cultural Center & Museum, Clear Lake, IA

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Director of the Wood Library - Museum of Anesthesiology, Schaumburg, IL
• Community Engagement Coordinator - Wilmette Historical Museum, Wilmette, IL
• Archival Program Administrator–Records Management - Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL
• Director - Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Bloomington, IN
• Engagement Specialist - Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN
• Art Handler - Raclin Murphy Museum, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
• Head Preparator/Exhibition Designer - Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, OH
• Visitor Services Associate (Custodial Guide 1) - State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
• Operations & Event Coordinator - Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
• Operations Manager - Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
• Senior Manager for Sales - Historical Society of Michigan, Lansing, MI
• Museum Assistant - Besser Museum, Alpena, MI
• Director of Visitor Experience - Ford House, Grosse Point, MI
• Oral Historian and Curator of Life Sciences - Science History Institute, Philadelphia, PA
• David Lobbig Sustainability Coordinator - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Museum Assistant - Museum of Atikokan, Atikokan, ON
• Culture and Heritage Program Coordinator - Muskoka Heritage Place, Huntsville, ON
• Social Media and Memberships Coordinator - The Hangar Flight Museum, Calgary, AB
• Director - Old Log Church Museum, Whitehorse, YK
• Senior Social Media Community Manager - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, United States (Remote)

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Public History Internship - Historic Indian Agency House at Fort Winnebago, Portage, WI
• Intern - Museum Director (Summer) - Fort Sisseton Historic State Park, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Lake City, SD
• Internship - Hieronymus Mueller Museum, Decatur, IL
• Summer Diversity Internship - Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Bloomington, IN

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

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

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

Book Launch: Kayaking the Great Circle Trilogy
January 25 @ 1 pm (CT) Fridley & Online: Anoka County History Center - On September 8, 1974, Randy Bauer embarked on a two-year kayak journey from Lake Itasca, navigating the Mississippi River, Intercoastal Waterways, and the Great Lakes. A resident of Anoka County since 1959 and an Eagle Scout, he served as a science teacher until his passing in 2007. Join in Randy's adventure as his brother relaunches his book, Kayaking the Great Circle Trilogy. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Vibrant Traditions: Scandinavian Weaving in the Midwest
January 31 through April 6 - Minneapolis: Norway House - Experience the vibrant legacy of Scandinavian weaving at Norway House's exhibit in collaboration with the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group. This showcase highlights nearly 30 years of creativity and collaboration, celebrating both traditional and contemporary weavings that keep the craft alive. Learn more »

2025 Exploring History and Culture in Central Minnesota: American Indian People, History & Culture
February 1, 8, & 15 @ 10:30 am - The series is a partnership project of the Stearns, Benton, and Sherburne County historical societies. Cost: Free. Learn more »

• February 1 -  Becker: Sherburne County Park Director, Gina Hugo, will discuss Cultural Competence Through Park Land Development-Two Inlets at Bdé Heḣáka-Omashkooz Zaaga’igaans Regional Park
• February 8 - St. Cloud: Stearns History Museum with Professor Ted Gordon and undergraduate research assistant Macy Ellis from CSB/SJU
• February 15 - Sauk Rapids: Benton County Historical Society with the American Indian Center at SCSU.

Dragobete
Every Sunday in February @ 1 to 3 pm - Among other celebrations, February is the month of Lupercalia, the holiday of purification in the Roman tradition, where St Valentine has its origins from. Come and learn about Dragobete, the Romanian version of Valentine’s Day. Learn more »

Create Vintage Valentines
February 2 @ 12 to 3 pm or February 10 @ 11 @ 1 pm - Winona: Winona County History Center - Register for one or more of the upcoming Vintage Valentine Classes. This class is an open-house style, so you are welcome to come anytime during the listed class times, but allow time to make your valentine. Cost: $3 members/$5 non-members. Learn more »

Ring! Ring! Ring! History of the Minneapolis Streetcar System
February 5 @ 6:30 to 8 pm - Minneapolis: Hennepin History Museum - Ride along for an exciting and illustrated history of streetcars in Minneapolis, including where remnants of the streetcar system can still be found today.  At its peak, the system had 524 miles of track and could take you from Lake Minnetonka areas all the way to White Bear Lake, Stillwater and Bayport. The system was in operation from 1872 to 1954. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Forbidden Love: Race, Citizenship and The American Family
February 5 @ 6 to 7:30 pm - Minneapolis: U of MN Immigration History Research Center - Dr. Rose Cuison Villazor's research on Forbidden Love examines how military, immigration, and federal officials impeded the marriages of Japanese women and American men during the U.S. occupation of Japan (1945 to 1952). The study highlights the federal government's role in obstructing interracial marriages and reinforcing a racial caste system in the United States through a complex web of laws and policies. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Film Screening: “An Ode to Stillwater: The John Runk Films”
February 6 @ 7 to 8 pm - Stillwater: Washington County History Center - John Runk, a photographer born in 1878 in Menominee, Wisconsin, recorded the history of Stillwater and the surrounding area through his own photographs and collected images, creating a valuable archival collection. His work will be showcased in a film screening featuring a 30-minute documentary about his life, followed by DVD extras with footage he captured, including events like the 1951 State Fair and the Last Day of the Streetcars. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Children's Book Author Event: How the Birds Got Their Songs
February 7 & 8 @ 2 to 3 pm - Two Harbors: Lake County Historical Society - Families, young readers, and book lovers are invided to join a traditional story, told in both English and Ojibwe, of "How the Birds Got Their Songs," a children's book brought to life by Travis Zimmerman (February 7) & Sam Zimmerman (February 8). Cost: Free. members/$5 nonmembers. Email for more information.

Dolly and Me Tea
February 8 @ 1 to 3 pm - Bemidji: Isanti County Historical Society History Center - Grab your dolls, wear your fancy dress and join in on the fun. Create a keepsake bracelet that you and your dolly will treasure. Indulge in scrumptious snacks with your dolly and friends. Cost: $15. Learn more »

A Genealogy Dream Team: Combining Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker
February 8 @ 10 to 11:30 am - Mendota Heights: Minnesota Genealogical Society - Unlock the combined power of Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker in this workshop, helping you streamline your family history research without endless toggling. Transform scattered data into a meticulously documented family tree while effortlessly syncing your research across platforms. Cost: $30 members/$40 non-members. Learn more »

Historic Valentine Making
February 8 @ 10 to 11:15 am - Rochester: History Center of Olmsted County - Celebrate Valentine's Day by learning about and making your own historic valentine. This program, geared towards children, will begin with a short story about Valentine's Day and end with a valentine they can keep or give to a friend. Cost: $15. Learn more »

Family Fun Day: Black History Month
February 8 @ 12 to 3 pm - Red Wing: Goodhue County History Center - Join the Goodhue County Historical Society and Red Wing High School’s Black Student Union (BSU) for Free Family Fun Day celebrating Black History Month! Enjoy student-created poster displays, story time, a bookmark craft, free popcorn, and more. Cost: Free. Learn more »

History in a Pint: Early Development Two Harbors
February 12 @ 6:30 to 8 pm - Two Harbors: Lake County Historical Society - Todd Lindahl, railroad historian and historical archaeologist, will be presenting on the early development of Two Harbors from the establishment of Burlington Township to development along Agate Bay including the rise of the railroading industry near the turn of the 19th century in present-day Two Harbors. Location: Tipsy Mosquito. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Summer 2025 Day Camp Enrollment is Open 
The Maplewood Area Historical Society presents another season of one-of-a-kind hands-on and experiential day-camps for youth ages 6 – 16 at the 1891 Bruentrup Heritage Farm in Maplewood, MN as well as the quaint 1888 Eder Schoolhouse in Oakdale, MN. Nestled among 25 acres of restored rolling prairie, the Bruentrup Heritage Farm offers a unique setting for youth to explore many facets of our local history with professional historians, artists, culinary-experts, and architects. Learn more »

• Farm-To-Table Camp
• History Detectives Camp
• Recess Camp
• Variety Week Camp
• Culinary Camp

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

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Robbinsdale Historical Museum, operated by the Robbinsdale Historical Society, Robbinsdale, MN.
Photograph by Elkman, distributed under a GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.

Pitfalls to Avoid in Exhibit Planning 
January 23 @ 1pm (CT) - Online: Gaylord Archival - Peter Hyde, Exhibit Designer & Consultant, and Bethany Fleming, Exhibit Developer, will talk about mistakes to avoid in developing your timeline & budget, how to achieve stakeholder buy-in, and useful tools for exhibit planning. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Cultural Heritage/Ethics and Intellectual Property 
January 24 @ 11 am (CT) - Online: Open Copyright Education Advisory Network (OCEAN) - An online interactive workshop with multiple speakers, interactive and live exercises and materials to help you tackle how to manage the preservation and access of collections that pose both ethical issues and copyright and related interests, such as traditional knowledge. This is an opportunity to discuss and compare approaches as we continue to work with legacy collections in both the short and long term. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Inviting Our Littlest Learners: How to Create Space and Activities for Early Childhood Education in Your Museum Spaces
January 30 @ 11 am - Online: Texas Historical Commission - Join Beth Brandon, Multi-Generational Programs Manager at the Indiana Historical Society, for an insightful session on how the IHS engages with a new, young audience - children ages 2-5. Discover how the IHS invites young learners into their spaces and programming by offering hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, and enriching experiences designed specifically for this age group. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Makerspaces for Museums and Historic Sites 
February 6 @ 2 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Makerspaces offer an engaging, hands-on way for the public to interact with history. In this session, you'll explore the transformative potential of makerspaces within museums and historic sites, discovering how interactive environments can enhance visitor engagement, spark creativity, and deepen connections to history and culture. Cost: $25 members/$45 nonmembers. Learn more »

Museum Assessment Program
February 15 - (Applications due): American Alliance of Museums & Institute of Museum and Library Services - This program offers a one-year process of self-assessment, institutional activities, and consultative peer review with a site visit and recommendations. There is no fee to participate in MAP. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive
  NIBSDA was conceptualized to serve as a national digital platform and digital repository for boarding school archival collections throughout the United States.

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

Challenge America
April 24 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Arts - Supports projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved groups/communities. The program welcomes applications from applicants that are primarily small organizations, first-time applicants to the NEA, and/or returning Challenge America applicants. Learn more »

Publishing Historical Records in Collaborative Digital Editions
May 7 & November 5 - (Deadlines): National Archives and Records Administration - Seeks proposals to publish online editions of historical records. All types of historical records are eligible, including documents, photographs, born-digital records, and analog audio. Projects may focus on broad historical movements in U.S. history, such as law (including the social and political history of the law), politics, social reform, business, military, the arts, and other aspects of the national experience. Learn more »

Archival Projects
May 7 & November 5 - (Deadlines): National Archives and Records Administration - Seeks archival projects that will significantly improve online public discovery and use of historical records collections. We welcome projects that engage the public, expand civic education, and promote understanding of the nation’s history, democracy, and culture from the founding era to the present day. Learn more »

Archives Collaboratives
May 7 - (Deadline): National Archives and Records Administration - Seeks Archives Collaboratives of three or more repositories working together to make their collections more readily available for public discovery and use. Learn more »

Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »

News

NEW FEATURE!
Vintage Museum Photo: Freeborn County Museum, Albert Lea, MN. (1987). View additional photos on Instagram »
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.

Archival Digitization Team Update for January
The Archival Digitization Team at MNHS converts analog materials into digital copies to enhance accessibility to collections, covering a range of items from manuscripts to audio and video cassettes. Learn more »

Published Media Content:

• Great Northern Railway Company Advertising & Publicity Department (4 film reels, 111 GB)

• Carver County District Court Records (# folders, # photos)
• Minnesota State Law Library Loan Record Book. (# folders, # pages)
• Reed and Hyde Families Papers (41 folders, 3584 pages)
• Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range Railway Records. (30 folders, 13 volumes, 6584 pages)

St. Bernard's taxidermy collection examined
Patriot - Back in the days of small country Catholic schools, nuns taught and did everything – even taxidermy. That’s right. In the basement of old St. Bernard Catholic Church school of Cologne there is taxidermy collection stored in glass and wood cabinets that parishioners are trying to determine the origins and what to do with it. In late November, Jeremy Murray, curator of collections for the Carver County Historical Society, and a team of conservators from Minnesota Historical Society checked out the collection, ran some tests, and conducted research. Continue Reading »

Neighbors band together to preserve Rochester’s most storied neighborhood
Star Tribune - When Dan Larson and his wife, Kathryn, purchased their Pill Hill home in 2022, they assumed the neighborhood’s status on the National Register of Historic Places came with protections for preserving their house. Continue Reading »

Amateur baseball: West Central Hall of Fame names 3 to Class of 2025
West Central Tribune - Paynesville's Tim Haines, Willmar's Roger Lesteberg and the 1987 Cardinal baseball team are 2025 inductees to the Kandiyohi County Historical Society announced the Class of 2025 inductees to the West Central Minnesota Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Continue Reading »

Schroeder receives first Renville County Historical Society Scholarship
Redwood Falls Gazette - Renville County Historical Society is excited to announce the first recipient of a newly established scholarship program. Continue Reading »

Inauguration prompts Indivisible Bemidji to complete volunteer project
Bemidji Pioneer - ...Thus, Indivisible Bemidji members settled on volunteering at the Beltrami County Historical Society on Monday morning to assist with an archive rehousing project. The History Center was recently awarded a $49,261 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant to help better preserve its thousands of archives and artifacts...
Continue Reading »

Featured Book Remember, You Are Indigenous: Memories of a Native Childhood, by Evelyn Bellanger. University of Minnesota Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History The Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s Volume 61, Issue 8, 2009	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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