Local History News: July 19, 2023

Field Note

On July 13 the MNHS Grants Office held a Grants Open House in Grand Rapids, MN, hosted by the Judy Garland Museum. Under the watchful gaze of an extensive collection of mounted taxidermy specimens (not collected by Judy), staff was on hand to meet in person with the public to answer their questions about the grant program and how their projects might better qualify for a grant. 

Heritage Preservation Grants

Large Grant Deadline - This Week!
Pre-applications for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants large grant round (requests over $10,000) will be due Friday, July 21, 2023. This is a required part of the large grant application process. Contact the Grants Office with questions.

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants Manual Revisions: Legacy Manual updated for fiscal years 2024-25
The Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants Manual version 8.0 has been posted.

Grants Office Webinar: How to Use Grants Office Feedback
Thursday July 20 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: The mission of the Grants Office is to fund as many good projects as possible. To help that to happen, we send back written comments for any unfunded small grant and for all the large pre-applications. These comments can help you rewrite an application with a better chance of success. Why do we send the comments that we send? How can you use these comments to rewrite? Presented by Grant Specialist, John Fulton.
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com
Join by phone: ‪(US) +1 386-361-3086‬ PIN: ‪420 891 978‬#

From the Blog

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

Local TV News Coverage
Local cable TV outlet CCX News has covered Graeser Park’s progress for more than five years. Here is the retrospective of those stories. Be sure to scroll to the bottom and meet two women who grew up nearby when the park was being built, and hear their precious memories! Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• New MDL Contributor: Danish American Center - MN Digital Library
• Pope County Photographer: Vernon Hegg - Pope County Historical Society
• Lucky Lindy's Savage Landing - Scott County Historical Society
• Mapping Prejudice completes its first community fellowship - U of MN Libraries
• Seeing Joy: Part 2 - Museum Notes
• Exhibit Process Models: Considerations and Tips - 106 Group

From the Tube

This week's post is from Betsy-Tacy Society. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

Hometime: Betsy's House, Episode 1: Demolition
During the week of October 10, 2005, the Betsy-Tacy Society was honored to host Dean Johnson and his team from the PBS television program "Hometime" as they filmed two episodes featuring restoration work on Betsy's House. The Hometime show, which aims to assist people in projects from landscaping to major additions, worked and filmed at Betsy’s House for three days. Our carpenter, Dennis Weis, and other volunteers worked closely with Johnson and his crew to make arrangements weeks before the work began. Watch Video »

More MN Tube posts

• Gunflint Trail Remembrances 2022 - Gunflint Trail Historical Society Chik-Wauk Museum
• March of the Governors #27: Luther Youngdahl - Ramsey County Historical Society
• Last Call: Investigations of a Ghost Town Saloon - Council for Minnesota Archaeology
• Weekend in New Prague, MN (Post-9/11 Traveling Exhibit) - Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum
• Joe Ellis Traces History Through Street Art - MinneCulture
• Zachary Thomases: Immigrant Stories - Immigration History Research Center
• Everts Lumber in Battle Lake - Otter Tail County Historical Society

Job Opportunities

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

LOCAL

• Front Desk Attendant - Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota, Mankato, MN
• Manager of Marketing and Memberships - Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota, Mankato, MN
• Playworker - Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota, Mankato, MN
• Manager of School and Gallery Programs - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Scheduler - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Communication Manager - Minnesota Opera, Minneapolis, MN
• Learning and Instruction Specialist (CT) - Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
• Learning and Instruction Specialist - Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
• Maintenance Associate - Paisley Park, Chanhassen, MN 

REGIONAL

• Missouri Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center Lead Store Clerk - State Historical Society of North Dakota, Williston, ND
• Public Programs Manager - Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
• Head of Preservation - Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA
• Executive Director - Historic General Dodge House, Council Bluffs, IA
• Design Specialist - Iowa Economic Development Authority, Des Moines, IA

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Education Program Specialist II - Champaign County Forest Preserve District, Mahomet, IL
• Champaign County Historical Archives Manager - Urbana Free Library, Urbana, IL
• Architectural Historian (Project Manager/Principal Investigator) - ASC Group, Inc., Indianapolis, IN
• Director - Kelton House Museum, Junior League of Columbus, Columbus, OH
• Assistant, Associate, or Curator of Black History - History Colorado, Denver Metro, CO
• Vetteretto Curator of North American Archaeology - Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
• Digitization Assistant - Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War Museum, Ottawa, ON

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Image used with permission. From the collections of the History Center of Olmsted County.

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

Tour: Guided Walking Tour and Cell Phone Tour of Downtown Ely
Through August 8 @ Tuesdays, 4 pm & Saturdays, 9 am - Ely: A local guide will walk you through the fascinating history of Ely's more colorful mayors and entrepreneurial businessmen and women of the early days. Meet in front of the City Hall or use your cell phone and take a self-guided tour of Downtown Ely. Learn more »

Event: Blue Earth County Fair
July 20 to July 23 - Visit the Blue Earth County Historical Society at the Blue Earth County Fair in the Heritage Building. There will be displays on Farmfest and Ag life in Blue Earth County, photo opportunities with our farm family cutouts and more. For more information call 507-345-5566.

Author Talk: "Wild Things" Author Event and Music Performance
July 20 @ 6:30 to  8:15 pm - Minneapolis: Mill City Museum - In the 1970s, Lynette Reini fell in love with a fascinating, talented boy named Steve Grandell. They married in 1983; five years later, Steve came out to her as transgender. Through the following decades, as her spouse developed a public persona as Venus de Mars and fronted the band All the Pretty Horses, they struggled to stay together. They coped with an often hostile anti-trans environment; fractures grew between them as Venus pushed the band toward success. In Wild Things, Lynette Reini-Grandell shares a deeply personal story of love and growth. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Event: Learning from Place: St. Paul’s Little Africa
July 18 @ 11 am to 2 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Humanities Center - Minnesota is home to over 150,000 Africans, including the largest Somali population outside of Africa. Yet, many people are not aware of the rich cultural traditions and assets African immigrants and refugees bring to the vibrancy of our state. Build your cultural understanding and awareness of Minnesota’s East African cultures as you immerse yourself within St. Paul’s Little Africa cultural corridor. This interactive, in-person experience will include an Ethiopian coffee ceremony at Sabrina’s Cafe & Deli, a tour of several African-owned businesses, and lunch at the Eritrean-owned Snelling Cafe. Cost: $30. Learn more »

Exhibit: Honoring Harry Lerner 
July 20 @ 5:30 to 7:30 pm - Minneapolis: Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest - Learn about Harry Lerner – 90 years old, born and raised in North Minneapolis, childhood patron of Sumner Library, a graduate of North High School, and founder of Lerner Publishing Group, one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers. See the new exhibit at Sumner Library and join us for a reception in his honor. Location: Sumner Library. Cost: Free. Learn more » 

Presentation: Boat Builders of White Bear
July 24 @ 6 to 7 pm - White Bear Lake: White Bear Lake Area Historical Society -  Join local historian and author Jay Rendall to hear stories from his highly anticipated book chronicling the Boat Builders of White Bear. Location: White Bear Lake Library. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Workshop: Repurposing Buildings: Turning Vacant Spaces into Community Places
August 1 @ 5:30 to 7 pm - St. Cloud: Rethos - Learn how some of East St. Cloud’s repurposing of old buildings is helping our community thrive! Attend this engaging community event and find out about the importance of East St. Cloud’s unique built environment. Hear about the sustainability of reusing existing buildings, the importance of building reuse, and the benefits of deconstruction if reuse is not an option. Location: Salem Lutheran Church. The works shown will include local examples with some of the area’s deep and vibrant history provided courtesy of Mary Ostby, Executive Director of the Benton County Historical Society and a building reuse expert herself. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Streetcar Steamboat Minnehaha, operated by the Museum of Lake Minnetonka, Excelsior, MN.
Photograph by August Schwerdfeger, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Communities of Practice: Interpreting Histories of Enslavement and Freedom
July 25 @ 11 am to 12 pm (CT) - Online:  New England Museum Association - Join the Community of Practice to have conversations about "Getting the Board on Board" and looking at strategies to get the board and other staff on board with reinterpretation. Hear from other museum professionals on how they have approached this topic. Learn more »

Tools and tips to avoid plagiarism (and what about Chat GPT!?!)
July 26 @ 12:15 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: U of MN Libraries - This online workshop will help you understand what plagiarism is and some of the most common mistakes made. They will also talk about Chat GPT and other AI tools, what they do, and how to think through using them (or not using them). You will learn strategies and tools to cite sources, avoid plagiarism, and learn about other resources to get additional support. Non-students welcome. Cost: Free. Learn more »

2023 Nonprofit Fundraising Conference
July 28 @ 8 am to 4:30 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - At this day-long, in-person conference, you'll examine how fundraising doesn't just provide money to accomplish your mission, but is itself a key element of your mission. This conference will challenge even experienced fundraisers to reframe your perspectives through emerging trends and ideas. All individuals, from grant writers to development directors, board members to executive directors, you'll leave this event with valuable learning you can immediately try in your work. Cost: $69 - $269. Learn more »

Moving and Renovation: Collections Concerns
August 3 @ 1 to 3 pm - Online: Northeast Document Conservation Center - Renovation and construction projects in your facility can present significant risks to your collections. In this webinar, you will learn the most common risks for collections, risks for personnel, strategies for risk mitigation, and issues with temporary storage. Cost: $95. Learn more »

Preservation Law
August 8 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: National Trust for Historic Places - Join staff from the National Trust Law Department as they answer questions about issues in preservation law. From Section 106 to easements, they are here to help. Submit your questions at registration for this open Q&A session. Cost: Free. Learn more »

How to Manage Volunteers in Collections
August 9 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Collecting to Collections Care - This webinar will provide an overview of collections volunteers – how to create a volunteer program or align an existing program with best practices. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Registration Opens for 2023 AASLH Annual Conference 
September 6-9 - American Association for State and Local History opens registration for their annual conference, “I, Too, Am America,” in Boise, Idaho, US,  (early bird registration available through July 28, 2023). Learn more »

SMA 2024 Conference
February 19-21, 2024 - Small Museum Association will host its 2024 conference, “Telling Tough Stories,” in Richmond, Virginia, (early bird registration available through August 31, 2023). Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• What to Do When Your Nonprofit Budget Gets Blindsided - The ENGAGE Blog

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Rural Minnesota Grants
Blandin Foundation - Grants geared towards rurally-based organizations with activities directed toward rural communities. Grant Amount: Up to $50,000 and over $50,000. Visit the website for deadlines. Learn more »

Quatrefoil Library David Norris Memorial Scholarship
July 31 - (Deadline): Quatrefoil Library College Scholarship is a one-time, $1,000 scholarship open to all high school seniors or college students who are/will be attending college within the State of Minnesota. Quatrefoil is one of the country’s oldest and largest LGBTQ lending libraries and also serves as a community center. Learn more »

Teaching with Primary Sources Regional Grant Program
The Teaching with Primary Sources Regional program promotes the widespread, sustained and effective use of primary sources from the Library of Congress in K-12 classrooms by increasing access to the TPS program. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Learn more »

News

Hmong Museum Announces New Museum Space
Since its founding in 2015, the Hmong Museum has functioned as a museum without walls. In July they announced that the Hmong Museum signed a lease for their first physical location at Hmong Village Shopping Center. Hmong Village, located in East Saint Paul, is a place of commerce and community space for many Hmong Minnesotans. They are working toward a Fall 2023 opening. Learn more »

St. Louis County Historical Society leadership changing as director retires
Duluth News-Tribune — The St. Louis County Historical Society is seeking a new executive director. Longtime leader JoAnne Coombe retired after 34 years serving the organization, said Ron Hein, director of the society's board of governors. Continue reading »

Public Assistance in Beltrami County, Minnesota: Now and Then
MPR — Forty-seven people in Bemidji, MN, were still out of their homes Thursday after the city evacuated an apartment building last week. The city said the Red Pine Estates, a subsidized housing facility, was structurally unsound. This is the fourth subsidized housing to close in Bemidji in the last nine months. Around 100 families have lost their homes. Most residents of the Red Pine Estates were older or disabled adults. Public assistance used to look different in Bemidji. In the early 1900s, the Beltrami County Poor Farm gave care and shelter to folks in need.

MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer looked back into that time period with Cecelia McKeig for the regular segment, Minnesota Now and Then. McKeig is a regional historian and lecturer with the Beltrami County Historical Society and the Cass County Historical Society. Continue reading »

Allen talks about changes at Northfield Historical Society
KYMN — Last week, the Northfield Historical Society Executive Director, Sean Allen, appeared before the Northfield City Council to make a budget request for 2023.  Continue reading »

So Minnesota: St. John’s Lutheran Church in Isanti County
KSTP — One country church in Isanti County has survived many years and a few close calls with the wrecking ball. St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bradford Township was saved twice by the community. Built by German immigrants in 1882, the church has no running water or indoor bathroom, and just a simple wood stove. “This church is a wonderful example of a one-room country church,” said Sam Klocksien with the Isanti County Historical Society. Continue reading »

The Story of Ronneby in Benton County
WJON — Every small town has a story and this is the story of Ronneby. Ronneby is an unincorporated community in Maywood Township in Benton County two miles east of Foley on Highway 23. According to the 2010 census, Ronneby had 67 residents but the last sign that was up in 2008 in Ronneby indicated they had 37 residents. Continue reading »

Marti details how Schell’s survived Prohibition
New Ulm Journal — Former August Schell Brewery President Ted Marti described in detail what led to Prohibition and how the brewery survived it at the Brown County Historical Society Museum Annex Thursday. Continue reading »

F-M developer works to transform historic Fergus Falls flour mill into boutique hotel
Inforum - The Red River Milling Company is rising again in downtown Fergus Falls. This time though, it will be as a boutique hotel. Over the past 40 years, plenty of people have taken a look at the empty, unused industrial husk along the Otter Tail River, and figured that it was toast. Then Kevin Bartram checked in. Continue reading »

The history and unique architecture of the Batcher Block Opera House
Pioneer PBS - Colleen Frost has a dream to fully restore the historic Batcher Block Opera House in Staples. Postcards interviews Frost, Staples Economic Development Director Melissa Radermacher, and Board President Tim Rice for this story showcasing the history of the building and its unique architectural features. Watch Video »

Featured Book Minescapes: Reclaiming Minnesota's Mined Lands, by Pete Kero. Minnesota Historical Society Press. Author Event Date: July 19 @ 7 to 8:30 pm Location: Ely Winton Historical Society	Featured Article Minnesota History Imaginary animals of northern Minnesota. Volume 21, Issue 4, 1940	Featured Article MNopedia White Earth Land Recovery Project 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.

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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