12 min read

Local History News: January 24, 2024

Jaired Johnson Jan 24, 2024 1:47:00 PM

Local History News - Minnesota Historical Society, Heritage Preservation

Field Note

Guide giving tour of Hocokata Ti exhibit. Man standing next to teepee exhibit

Partners with the We Are Water MN project received a tour of the museum at Hoċokata Ṫi, The Shakopee Mdwakanton Sioux Community’s (SMSC) cultural center and gathering space. We Are Water MN is a traveling exhibit and community engagement generator that travels the state. SMSC will host the exhibit later this year.

Heritage Preservation Grants

MNHS Announces Legacy Large Grant Recipients
Recipients received 45 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants in the Fiscal Year 2024 Large (over $10,000) Grants cycle, totaling $6,691,191 in 23 counties. Learn more »

MNHS Announces October 2023 Round of Legacy Small Grants
Recipients received 36 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants, ($10,000 and less) totaling $315,731 in 20 counties. Learn more »

FEBRUARY Grants Open House
February 1 - 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 »

State Capital Projects Grants-in-Aid
This grant program supports historic preservation construction projects for publicly owned buildings in Minnesota. Eligible properties must be either listed in the National Register of Historic Places or determined to be eligible for listing by the Minnesota State Historic Preservation Office. The mandatory pre-application is due Friday, January 26, 2024, and the final application deadline is Friday, March 8, 2024. The pre-application process is a requirement of this grant program. Learn more »

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 26, 2024, and the final application deadline is Friday, March 8, 2024. The pre-application process is a requirement of this grant program. For more information contact John. Learn more »

From the Blog

This week's blog post is from Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County. Have a blog? Let us know!

Exterior of the Hjemkomst Center,_Moorhead,_Minnesota

HCSCC 2023 Overview
Throughout 2023, HCSCC met all of its budgeted fundraising goals and paid all its bills on time. Programming fulfilled our mission to collect, preserve, interpret and share the history and culture of Clay County and our two strategic priorities to 1) “Expand the circle” to include Native Americans, immigrants, other recent arrivals, and under-represented groups and 2) Continue to develop experiences that invite people to share their own stories and those of others. Continue Reading »

From the Tube

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

History of the Bull Farm
Stevens County History Museum Director Cam Erickson recounts the story behind one of county's most famous Bonanza Farms of the late 1800s. Her presentation on February 9th, 2023 looks at the conditions that gave rise to this system of farming and what led to their decline. Watch Video »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

Interpreter I - Jeffers Petroglyphs
Financial Analyst - MN History Center

LOCAL

Bell Museum Event Assistant - Bell Museum, St. Paul, MN
Assistant Registrar - Weisman Art Museum/University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
STEM Educator - The Works Museum, Minneapolis, MN
Program Lead - MIGIZI, Minneapolis, MN
Academic Support Specialist - MIGIZI, Minneapolis, MN

REGIONAL

Education and Community Program Director - Jewish Museum Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Museum Education and Outreach Coordinator - Union Pacific Museum Association, Council Bluffs, IA

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Oral History Manager - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, State of Illinois, Springfield, IL
Public Engagement Coordinator - Richard H. Driehaus Museum, Chicago, IL
Exhibitions and Design Manager - Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Researcher - Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN
Senior Registrar (Museum Registrar) - Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Curator of Cultural Heritage (Museum Curator) - Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Adult Services Librarian, Local History & Genealogy - Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus, OH
Programs Coordinator - Michigan Museums Association, Cheboygan, MI (Remote)
Visitor Services Coordinator - Henry Ford Estate, Dearborn, MI
Executive Director - Boyne Heritage Center, Boyne City, MI
Exhibition Producer/Preparator - Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, East Lansing, MI
Executive Director - Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
Director of Advancement - Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI
Executive Director - Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Exhibits Registrar - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
Director, Interpretation & Adult Programs - The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO
Exhibits Registrar - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
Signature Event Specialist - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
Full Curator - National WWI Museum and Memorial, Kansas City, MO
Archivist - Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, MO
Oral History Program Manager – Gates Archive, Kirkland, WA
Senior Registrar (Senior Manager, Registration) - Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
Exhibition Project Managers - Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

Board of Directors - Nicollet County Historical Society, St. Peter, MN
Intern - Forest Park Museum, Perry, IA
Summer Internship - Muscatine Art Center, Muscatine, IA

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Main Street, Orleans, Minnesota. Three grain elevators are in the background
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Kittson County Historical Society.

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

Exhibit Opening: Main Street: Blue Earth County
January 20 @ 10 am - Blue Earth County Historical Society - Main Streets are the central hub of small-town life, serving as the focal point for commerce, social gatherings, and community engagement. Visitors can take a nostalgic journey through a series of displays, historical artifacts, and multimedia presentations offering a unique look at our local communities. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Exhibit: “Dear Redhead”: The Art & Artistry of Wes Sod
January 24 through Labor Day - Little Falls: Morrison County Historical Society - This exhibit tells the story of one of Morrison County’s most under-appreciated talents. Born in St. Paul, Wes moved with his family to the area in 1930 at the age of four. Over the next almost six decades, he used his gifts to create an impressive body of work, ranging from pencil sketches to watercolors, and hand-made holiday greeting cards to commissioned portraits. While many area residents may not immediately recognize his name, his legacy lives on in the countless pieces that adorn private homes, businesses, and public buildings. Learn more »

Presentation: Minnesota Independent Scholars' Forum Presents: Peanuts, Popcorn, and Preemies: Wonderland Park and the Infantorium
January 27 @ 10:30 am to 12 pm - Shoreview: Ramsey County Libraries - It was 1905 and Americans were in love with electricity. More than 400 trolley car parks sprang up around the country. But only a handful had an Infantorium, a hospital (of sorts) that treated premature babies. For the price of admission, guests could watch performers like Daredevil Dash and Nervo the Human Comet. There were trained ant-eaters and bears on bicycles. There were rides, peanuts, and cotton candy—all at 31st Avenue and Lake Street in South Minneapolis. Location: Shoreview Library. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Beginning Genealogy Classes
January 28 @ 1 to 4 pm Minnesota Genealogical Society - This is the first class of 2024 at the Minnesota Genealogy Center. A beginning genealogy class will be offered every month. Dive into research, Q&As, and explore the library. Open to all - no membership required, no registration. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Winter Storytelling
February 17 - Meal @ 5:30 pm | Storytelling @ 6:30 pm - Hopkins: Hopkins Indian Education - Traditional storytelling happens in the Winter. Bring your family to enjoy amazing & hilarious storyteller Devery Fairbanks. Location: Wetlands Cafe. Learn more »

Symposium: St. Paul – Symposium on Voting Rights: Our Past, Our Present, Our Future
February 1 @ 8:30 am to 12:30 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Humanities Center - MHC's CEO, Kevin Lindsey, will moderate the panel entitled "Democracy Under Threat: Rise of Extremism." Location: Anderson Student Center, U of St. Thomas. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Tour of Historic St. Louis County Schools
February 2 @ 3 to 5 pm - Virginia Area Historical Society - Join in as Janet Eichholz takes participants on a virtual tour of historic schools in St. Louis County. Location: Our Savior's Lutheran Church. Learn more »

Event: The Great Northern Festival – Learning from Place: Bdote
February 4 @ 1 to 3 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Humanities Center - This immersive experience invites participants to visit, inhabit, and expand their understanding of Twin Cities sites with deep significance to Dakota people. Participants learn from Dakota community members to reconsider their relationship to land, water, sky, and all life—including other humans—through stories and perspectives that are often left out of our state’s history. Location: Fort Snelling State Park. Cost: $30. Learn more »

Wet Salvage Mini-Workshop
February 22 @ 1 to 4 pm - Ely: Ely Public Library and the Dorothy Molter Museum - Are you prepared for water damage at your facility or home? This hands-on mini-workshop will provide the basics of emergency planning, preparing for and safely addressing a water event such as burst pipes, flooding, or storm damage. It is ideal for those working with cultural/historic preservation but also helpful for those with personal or private collections or libraries, specifically photographs and print materials. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Activities: Mini-Mondays Offer Special Activities to Preschoolers
Winona County History Center - Families, preschool classes, homeschoolers, and daycares are welcome to register for these fun monthly activities geared toward mini-museum visitors. Call for more information: 507-454-2723

January 29 • Sleds and Sleighs
February 26 • Lincoln Logs
March 25 • Art and Artifacts
April 29 • Milking Time Long Ago
May 20 • River Adventures
September 30 • All About Apples
October 28 • Fire Brigade
November 25 • Over the Hill and Through the Woods
December 30 • Toys Through Time

Continuing Education

Museum gallery of the North Beltrami Heritage Center
Highlighted Museum: North Beltrami Heritage Center, located in the old WPA Auditorium, Kelliher, MN.

Registrar_Materials Midwest Registrars Committee Seeking Members
The Midwest Registrars Committee (MRC) is a membership organization made up of museum professionals who reside in the Midwest region, including the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
The Midwest Registrars Committee has three main purposes:

To provide a platform for the exchange of information and methods among professionals, students, and volunteers involved with registration and collections care in museums or related work fields to foster professional growth.
To establish an atmosphere of mutual aid and cooperation among Registrars, Collections Specialists, Technicians, and other collections care professionals in the Midwest region.
To enhance the development of professional practices in the field through networking, publications, support of regional workshops, and other means.

Want to get involved? To learn more about the Midwest Registrars Committee visit their website or contact their state representative for Minnesota, Mai Vang Huizel, Executive Director of the Hmong Museum.

Conversations About Community Engagement, Audience Diversification, and Relationship Building
January 26 @ 11 am to 12:30 pm (CT) - Online: Museum Association of New York - This webinar will explore strategies for gathering input and feedback from current and potential stakeholders as well as explore how partnerships can be developed to attract new audiences. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Managing Cash Flow
February 1 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits - This webinar will help you anticipate and prepare for the ebb and flow of cash coming in and going out of your organization and identify ways to avoid and manage cash flow challenges. Cost: Free. Learn more »

How to Deaccession
February 1 @ 2 pm (CT) - Online: Relicura - Learn about deaccession principles, constructing a policy, and how to gently handle the feelings that can come with the act of disposal. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Guiding Principles: The Foundation of a Meaningful Community Engagement Practice
February 6 @ 3 pm (CT) - Online: Museum Study - Terms such as ‘community engagement,’ ‘collaboration’ and ‘co-creation’ are becoming increasingly common in cultural institutions and yet, how they are used is often ill-defined and inconsistent. In this webinar, they will explore the central role of guiding principles, not just as words, but as actions that embody core values and provide a roadmap for implementing an ethical, empowering, and meaningful community engagement practice. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Facilitative Leadership
February 8 @ 1 to 4 pm (CT) - Online: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - Facilitation has become an essential skill for leaders seeking to change lives, systems, and societal practices. Facilitative leaders play a vital role in fostering collaboration, nurturing the capabilities and commitment of employees, colleagues, and stakeholders. Facilitative leaders “lead” by clearly communicating their vision and organizational boundaries while supporting their team’s efforts. Delve into the qualities, values, and benefits of facilitative leadership. Explore its relevance in our ever-evolving workplaces, considering whether and how this leadership style supports leaders during times of continuous change and complexity. Participants will discuss content in small and large groups and apply it in real-time to their own situations. Cost: $95 members/$135 nonmembers. Learn more »

Planning for Sustainable Success: Building a Development Plan for Museums
February 20 @ 1 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: American Alliance of Museums - A strategic annual development plan is the document every nonprofit organization should have to identify how much money it needs to raise, and how it will successfully secure those resources. During this webinar, experts will take you through the process of how to make a strategic annual development plan for your museum. Cost: Free. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

501(c)(3) Status and Tax Filing: To learn about the Federal general requirements for tax-exempt organizations, visit the Charities page and the Stay Exempt site from the IRS.

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Minnesota State Arts Board logo Minnesota State Arts Board Fiscal Year 2025 Grant Opportunities
The Minnesota State Arts Board is pleased to announce the grant programs it will offer in its fiscal year 2025 grant cycle. In addition to the Operating Support program that was launched earlier, five project grant programs will be offered: Accessible Arts (May 3, 2024-Deadline), Arts Education (March 22, 2024-Deadline), Arts Experiences (June 21, 2024-Deadline), Cultural Expression (July 12, 2024-Deadline), and Creative Individuals (January 19, 2024-Deadline). Learn more »

FY 2025 Grant Program Overview Sessions
The Arts Board will offer two high-level overview sessions of the grant programs offered for organizations or individuals in FY 2025. These virtual sessions are intended to help potential applicants determine which program may be the best fit. Both sessions will be recorded and available for viewing on the Arts Board website. Learn more »

FY 2025 Grant Programs Overview for Organizations: Wednesday, January 31
FY 2025 Grant Programs Overview for Individuals: Thursday, February 1

Anishinabe Fund
March 1 - (Deadline): Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation - This grant fosters cultural awareness of Anishinabe/Ojibwe artistic, spiritual, and domestic traditions and objects, both historical and contemporary. It encourages the migration of ideas from the Anishinabe/Ojibwe culture and respect for the Anishinabe/Ojibwe culture. Traditions may include: spiritual values, domestic customs (food, clothing, and shelter techniques), ceremonial customs, community connections, and family life. The fund encourages co-sponsorship and co-funding of projects. Learn more »

Cook County Community Fund
March 1 - (Deadline): Grants from unrestricted funds to meet the needs of the Cook County community in the following areas: arts, community development, education, the environment, human services, and youth. Learn more »

Eveleth Community Foundation
March 1 - (Deadline): Grants for initiatives that meet the changing needs of the Eveleth community in the following areas: arts, community and economic development, education, the environment, and human services. Learn more »

Community Grants Program
April 1 - (Deadline): The Butler Family Foundation’s Community Grants Program awards two-year grants for general operating support or for specific projects and programs. Organizations applying for grants in the arts or human services must work in the urban cores of Saint Paul or Minneapolis or in the East Metropolitan suburbs. Organizations applying for grants in the environment may work anywhere in Minnesota. Learn more »

News

Liz Koele New Alliance Coordinator at MALHM
Elizabeth (Liz) Koele has joined the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museum staff as the new Alliance Coordinator as of January 18. Many of you will remember Liz Koele previously in Local History Services here at the Minnesota Historical Society, where she traveled to all corners of the state in search of historical markers. Before that, she served as Curator of Objects and Exhibits at the Goodhue County Historical Society. Koele holds a master's degree in public history from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at Liz@mnhistoryalliance.org Welcome Liz!

Head shot of Palmer Hittesdorf New Curator at Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum
Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum is excited to introduce its new Curator, Palmer Hittesdorf. Palmer grew up in southwest Minnesota and is a graduate of Southwest Minnesota State University. He completed internships at the Minnesota Historical Society & Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove (here!). Palmer also had the opportunity to work for the St. Olaf Library Department to complete a grant project for them. Favorite Little House book: On the Banks of Plum Creek. Welcome Palmer!

Hamms Brewery Hamm's Brewery Community Meetings
JB Vang Partners, and the City of Saint Paul. An important conversation to guide the future redevelopment of the Hamm’s Brewery complex. Four workshops will build on previous work by the community and provide recommendations to the developer, JB Vang Partners, and the City of Saint Paul. Time: 6 to 8 pm. Location: HOPE Community Academy. Learn more »

January 24 - Workshop I: Gathering ideas for the Reuse of the Hamm's
Brewery Complex
February 7 - Workshop II: Block Exercise: Explore Commercial Uses for the Hamm's Brewery Complex
February 21 - Workshop III: Panel Discussion - Exploring Commercial Use Options
March 6 - Workshop IV: Create Final Recommendations

"Queer Migration" Spring Series - Request for Submissions
Queer immigrants, refugees and migrants, and newcomers to cities have migrated around the world in search of better living conditions for centuries. Many have had to migrate because of concerted prejudice and political efforts to target their safety and wellbeing
Quatrefoil Library will host a series of spring events from April to May on “Queer Migration.” The series will explore the joys, challenges, displacement, and transformations members of the community in Minnesota have lived through in their migration experiences.
Quatrefoil Library invites community members to participate in shaping the series. Share suggestions for ideas of events, individuals, or groups for the library to partner with. Alternatively, submit a proposal for an event to lead. Learn more & Fill out form »

Minnesota museum restoring rare Fairbanks-Morse switcher
Trains – Minnesota, Northfield & Southern No. 11, a Fairbanks-Morse H-10-44, is believed to be only one of three intact examples in existence. The Lake Superior Railroad Museum has begun cosmetically restoring Locomotive. No. 11 is seen here in Golden Valley, Minn., during the 1960s. Lake Superior Railroad Museum. Continue reading »

‘One Bowl One Spoon’: Giiwedinong museum showcases wampum belt treaty
Park Rapids Enterprise – Park Rapids’ Giiwedinong Treaty Rights & Culture Museum celebrated the inaugural National Day of Racial Healing on Tuesday, Jan. 16, with shared food, a tour of the museum, and a discussion of ways the community can build together across racial boundaries. Continue reading »

Why Melrose is Called Melrose and Its Documented History
WJON Radio – Melrose is a town of 3,598 people in western Stearns County along Interstate 94 and Highway 52. The town was named after Melrose, Scotland because the early settlers were Scottish. To help tell the story of Melrose, I was joined by local historian Roger Paschke, Mayor Joe Finken, and City Administrator Colleen Winter. The first settlers who came to Melrose were Moses Adley and Robert Wheeler in 1857. Wheeler is credited with naming the town Melrose because it is a Scottish name and he was Scottish. Area communities New Munich and Meire Grove were settled before Melrose. Continue reading »


Featured Book Gunflint Falling: Blowdown in the Boundry Waters, by Cary J. Griffith. University of Minnesota Press. Book Launch Tuesday, January 30 @ 7 pm Location: Magers & Quinn Booksellers	Featured Article Minnesota History Many Voices, Many Stories, One Place: Engaging Scholarship, Audience, and Diversity at Historic Fort Snelling Volume 68, Issue 8, 2023-24	Featured Article MNopedia Karl Fritjof Rolvaag (1913–1990) 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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