Field Note

MNHS staff visited the National Register-listed Linden Hill in Little Falls on May 27 to look at the work on the wooden barn, carriage house, and greenhouse complex south of the Charles A. Weyerhaeuser House. Siding and trim were repaired and replaced in kind where needed before being painted the dark green color long associated with this complex and Weyerhaeuser’s house. These buildings will continue to serve the needs of the Friends of Linden Hill.

Heritage Preservation Grants

Project Spotlight: A History of the 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron: Publication
This grant helped fund the editing and publishing of a manuscript that was written over a period of seven years. The processes also included graphic design and formatting, and finally, an index prepared by a qualified indexer.

The completed book, called "The Best Care in the Air: The Complete History of the 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (Minnesota Air National Guard)," shares the full story of a unique Minnesota military unit. This project preserves a piece of military and state history that might otherwise be forgotten.

The book was made available in hardcover, paperback, and three digital formats. It tells the full story of the 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and its place in the history of the Air National Guard.

Copies of the book were placed at the Minnesota Historical Society Library and offered to the Hennepin County Library. More copies were also donated to the military archives of the 109th Squadron, the 133rd Airlift Wing, the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum, the Camp Ripley Museum, and the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

This publishing project is more than just a book—it is a lasting record of service and history. Each copy helps keep the memory of the 109th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron alive for all generations to come.
Recipient: Minnesota Air National Guard Historical Foundation
Funded Amount: $8,217
Project Details

Large Grant Deadline
Pre-applications for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants large grant round (requests over $20,000) will be due Friday, July 18, 2025. This is a required part of the large grant application process. Contact the Grants Office with questions.

AUGUST Grants Open House
August 7 - 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 Webinar: Getting Ready for the Large Round, Manual Changes and Application Challenges
JULY 17 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: An updated grants manual for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program was just released this month (July). If you’re considering applying for grants, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the recent updates to the MHCH grants manual, the modifications to the application process, and potential challenges applicants may face. This webinar will cover all of that. Presented by Carolyn Veeser-Egbide, Grants Manager & John Fulton, Grants Specialist.
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 Hennepin History Museum. Have a blog? Let us know!

A Love for Making
Back when I was in library school, I was introduced to makerspaces, and I got hooked. I fell in love with this idea of playing in the library and creating something out of scraps. I leaned into learning from my mistakes and found my own intersection of art and technology. I loved creating in the library as much as I loved getting lost in a book. The idea of making tools available to people and showing them how to use those tools stuck with me. I think that’s what access to resources means. A resource can be a 3D printer or a digital document, or a ledger from the 1850s.

If you aren’t familiar with makerspaces, they are spaces where people can explore concepts with hi-tech or low-tech tools or equipment. Users are afforded the instruction, time, and grace to construct things outside of their usual trade, like woodworking, laser or 3D printing, sewing, or robotics. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Update on the Historic Preservation Fund - Rethos
• Oldest photo of Old Brandon and Fort Chippewa - Brandon History Center
• More about THE CHARMS’ early days - see earlier posts for further reference - St. Vincent Memories
• Catching Waves: St. Paul’s Forgotten Radio Pioneer Maurice G. Goldberg - Ramsey County Historical Society
• MDL celebrates 20 years of preserving history, including Leonard Nimoy's 1974 visit to St. Cloud - Minnesota Digital Library News
• ASI Announces 2025 Summer Community Fund Recipients - American Swedish Institute
• Capitol steamers midnight excursion - Washington County Historical Society

From the Tube

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

More MN Tube posts

• Tales from the Grave 2025: Guy C. Blackburn - Rock County Historical Society
• Somali Museum Dance Troupe, Harimaadee & Seylici (Star of Unity Concert) -
  The Somali Museum
• Maddi Nistler, All about loons with the National Loon Center - Gunflint Trail Historical Society Chik-Wauk Museum
• Lake Park Orphan’s Barn Demolished – The End of an Era - Minnesota Bricks
• It Happened Right Here: Duluth & The Iron Range - Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest
• Carmen Canchola Digital Story - Immigration History Research Center
• Hidden History: James Shepherd - Anoka County Historical Society
• Kenny Cole Part 3: Growing up in the Forest - Warroad Heritage Center

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Store Lead - Mille Lacs Indian Museum & Trading Post
• Site Manager - Oliver Kelley Farm
• Box Office Assistant - MN History Center

LOCAL

• Visitor Services and Retail Manager - Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead, MN
• Marketing & Communications Specialist - Glensheen Historic Site, Duluth, MN
• Guides and Tours Specialist (School Group Focus) - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Janitor-Night Shift - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Preparator - Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
• Group Sales Assistant - Bell Museum, St. Paul, MN
• School Programs Coordinator - Bell Museum, St. Paul, MN
• Traveling Exhibit Operations Lead - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN

REGIONAL

• Museum Tour Coordinator (K-12) - John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI
• Capital Campaign Coordinator - Fargo Moorhead Science Museum, Fargo, ND 
• Executive Director - Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum, Waukesha, WI

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Curatorial Assistant, IT - Peoria Park District, Peoria, IL
• Archivist - Cantigny, Wheaton, IL
• Archivist - Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures of the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Early Childhood Intermittent Program Specialist - Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN
• Volunteer Specialist - Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, Bay Village, OH
• Museum Interpreters - Maltz Museum, Beachwood, OH
• Associate Director, Stop the Hate Program - Maltz Museum, Beachwood, OH
• Education Specialist - Holden Forests & Gardens, Kirtland, OH
• Processing Archivist - Archives & Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati Libraries, Cincinnati, OH
• Executive Director - Creative Washtenaw, Ann Arbor, MI
• Museum Educator - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Arts & Humanities Librarian - Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO
• Missouri Valley Special Collections - Librarian/Archivist, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO
• Grants and Procurement Officer - Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE 
• Digital Educator - Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE 
• Exhibit Technician - Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB
• Jr. Exhibit Technician - Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• SMSC Native American Fellowship - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Teen Historian Apprentice - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Exterior of the Othello Theater, 415 Jones Street, Eveleth, MN, ca. 1909.
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Eveleth Heritage Society.

FAQ: How Can I Share My Event for the Local History News E-Newsletter?

Exhibit: Indivisible - Celebrating 25 Years of the Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies
Now through October 3 – Minneapolis: Elmer L. Andersen Library, third floor gallery U of MN This exhibit celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies, which preserves a diverse record of LGBTQ history through archival materials from the Midwest, U.S., and abroad. Open during library hours; curated by the Tretter Collection team. Learn more »

Ride with PACIM
July 18 @ 5 to 7 pm – Minneapolis: Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota – Join Fr. Cyprian and fellow riders for a relaxed, social bike ride along the Luce Line State Trail, starting at The Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Regional Park. All biking levels are welcome—just bring your bike, energy, and sense of adventure. Cost: Free. Please RSVP to help better prepare for the ride. Learn more »

Celebrating Tibetans in Their Minnesota Faraway Home
July 19 @ 2 to 5 pm – Minneapolis: Hennepin History Museum – Join this celebration honoring Minnesota’s Tibetan community and the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday. Experience a traditional Tibetan chanting and meditation demonstration, enjoy singing and dancing by the local Tibetan Ü-Tsang Dance Group, and participate in a ceremony over prayer flags displayed at the museum. The event accompanies the ongoing exhibit Faraway Home: Tibetans in Minnesota, which shares the history and culture of Minnesota’s Tibetan refugees through powerful photographs. Cost: Pay-As-You-Can. Learn more »

Artist Exhibition: Nesting Instincts with Katie Teesdale
July 19 @ 11 am to 12 pm – Buffalo: Wright County Historical Society – Visit the opening of "Nesting Instincts," featuring colorful and tactile pottery by Katie Teesdale, the first 3D artist showcased in the WCHS Community Art Space. Katie’s porcelain pieces are meant to be touched and held, offering visitors a unique, hands-on experience with her playful, light-filled art. The artwork is both beautiful and functional, being microwave- and dishwasher-safe. Meet the artist and participate in a Q&A during the reception. Learn more »

Sommerfestivalen at The Norway Block
July 24 to 27 – Minneapolis: Norway House and Mindekirken – Celebrate Norwegian culture with live jazz, happy hour specials, folk traditions, a Christmas in July popup market, and Scandinavian lawn games. Highlights include Hygge Happy Hour with live jazz on Thursday, Norwegian Taco Friday and folk music on Friday, a festive market on Saturday, and a church tour and bilingual service at Mindekirken on Sunday. Learn more »

Between Inter-Minority Relations and Foreign Relations: Italians, Japanese, and Chinese in the San Francisco Bay Area during the Global Crisis, 1929–1941
July 25 @ 10 to 11 am –  Minneapolis: Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota Libraries – This event explores how Italian, Japanese, and Chinese communities interacted in the San Francisco Bay Area during the global crisis of 1929–1941. The research focuses on how issues like the Great Depression and the ambitions of Italy and Japan affected both international politics and everyday relations between these groups, especially from the perspective of Italian immigrants. Presented by Shinya Yoshida, PhD candidate and recipient of the 2024-2025 Italian American Immigration Endowed Graduate Research Fellowship. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Learning from Place: Watt Munisotaram (Cambodian Temple)
July 25 @ 1 to 4 pm – Hampton: Minnesota Humanities Center – Experience an immersive cultural event at Watt Munisotaram, the largest Cambodian Buddhist temple in the United States. Learn about Cambodia’s history, the temple’s origins and architecture, and the stories of Cambodian Americans in Minnesota. Enjoy a guided tour, hear from temple monks, and sample traditional Cambodian treats. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Outdoor Painters of Minnesota Plein Air Painting Event
July 27 @ 12 to 4 pm – Mendota: Sibley Historic Site – Join the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota for a Plein Air Painting Workshop led by instructor Jack Dant. Learn about the history of outdoor painting in Minnesota and watch a live oil painting demonstration. All materials are provided, and participants will create and take home their own 8" x 10" portrait. Open to all ages and skill levels. Cost: $50 per person. Learn more »

The Story of the White Bear Lake Armory
July 28 @ 6 to 7 pm – White Bear Lake: White Bear Lake Area Historical Society – Learn about the history of the White Bear Lake Armory, a building that has served the community since 1923. Discover its roles from sending soldiers to World War II, to hosting dances and coronations, and now as the home of the historical society. Location: Ramsey County Library - White Bear Lake. Cost: Free. Learn more »

History on the River: Healthy Waterways with Sheila Harmes and John Howard
July 31 @ 4 to 5:30 pm and 6 to 7:30 pm – Winona: Winona County Historical Society – Set out on the Cal Fremling riverboat to learn about local water systems, take the Water Bar taste test challenge, and discover the history and conservation efforts of the Whitewater River watershed. Explore how community action since 1938 has shaped the health of the area’s waterways. Cruises depart from the Winona Levee and must be booked in advance. Cost: $35  members/$45 general. Learn more »

History in a Pint: The War at Home – Minnesota in World War I
August 8 @ 6 to 7:30 pm – Duluth: St. Louis County Historical Society – Join historian Greg Gaut for an evening exploring Minnesota’s struggles on the home front during World War I. Learn about political tension, labor unrest, women's suffrage, racial justice, and rising nativism as Minnesotans faced deep divisions at home while soldiers fought abroad. Social hour begins at 6 pm, followed by the talk at 6:30 pm in the Rehearsal Room on the third floor of the St. Louis County Depot. Cost: Free. 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: Swensson Farm Museum, operated by the Chippewa County Historical Society, Montevideo, MN.

Exploring a New National Narrative on the Eve of the U.S. 250th 
July 17 @ 2 to 3:15 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - This live webinar examines new research from the Nationhood Lab at Salve Regina University on defining a unifying national narrative for the U.S., especially in the lead-up to the Semiquincentennial in 2026. Colin Woodard (Nationhood Lab) and John Marks (AASLH) will discuss the history and impact of competing American narratives, findings from “The Story of America” report, and strategies for communicating about the nation’s past, present, and future. Cost: $25 members/$45 general. Learn more »

Sponsors – How to Find Them & Create a Win-Win
July 29 @ 12 pm (CT) - Online: Productive Fundraising - Join fundraising master trainer Chad Barger, ACFRE, ACNP, for a free webinar focused on identifying potential sponsors for your programs and events and building long-term, mutually beneficial sponsorship relationships. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Building a Pesticide Safety Program for Textile Collections & Public Health Risks – Webinar
July 30 @ 12 pm (CT) - Online: Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health - Seminar presented by Lauren Holt & Maria Fusco (The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum), Colleen McCaffrey (Virginia Department of Labor and Industry), and David Goldsmith (Milken Institute School of Public Health, GWU). The session covers strategies for building pesticide safety programs for textile collections and examines museum-related public health risks. Registration required. Cost: Free. Learn more »

The Johnson Amendment: Safeguarding Nonprofit Nonpartisanship in a Polarized Era 
July 30 @ 1 to 2:15 pm (CT): CalNonprofits & Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - This webinar explores the Johnson Amendment, which since 1954 has prohibited 501(c)(3) nonprofits—including charities, religious, and educational organizations—from endorsing or opposing political candidates. Facing new legislative and legal challenges that threaten nonprofit nonpartisanship, the session will cover the amendment’s origins, its importance in preserving public trust, ongoing repeal efforts, and practical guidance for nonprofit leaders. Speakers: Ben Kershaw (Independent Sector), Ellen P. Aprill (UCLA School of Law), Darryll K. Jones (Florida A&M). Cost: Free. Learn more »

Legislative & Executive Threats to Your Nonprofit 
July 31 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: National Council of Nonprofits - Learn how recent and proposed executive orders and legislative actions may impact nonprofit operations, funding, and tax status. Topics include updates on executive orders affecting grants, contracts, DEI, and public policy; tax bill overview; and available advocacy resources. Panelists: Sarah Saadian and Tiffany Gourley Carter. The executive branch has issued orders that direct agencies to review and align NGO funding with administration priorities. While some EOs may increase scrutiny or create new administrative burdens for nonprofits—especially those receiving federal funds—current law does not allow the executive branch to unilaterally revoke tax-exempt status or broadly target nonprofits without congressional action. Register and submit questions about legislative or executive changes affecting your nonprofit. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• Museum Ethics in a New Gilded Age - Center for the Future of Museums Blog

UPCOMING STATE and REGIONAL CONFERENCES

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

LGBTQ+ Heritage Alliance Nationwide Grant Program
July 21 - Letter of Intent Deadline: Grants of $500 to $5,000 available for projects that document, recognize, preserve, or interpret historic LGBTQ+ sites in the U.S. and its territories. Open to individuals, nonprofits, and fiscally sponsored applicants. $75,000 total funding. Project period: Fall 2025–Summer 2027. Learn more »

Research Fellowship and Travel Grants
August 1 - Deadline: Robert & Elizabeth Dole Archives & Special Collections - One $5,000 Research Fellowship supports substantial research projects requiring use of the Dole Archives. Multiple travel grants up to $1,500 each are available to assist researchers visiting the archives. All scholars are encouraged to apply. Historians, political scientists, biographers, journalists, and scholars of American studies or public administration are among those who may be interested. Learn more »

Capital Grants to Strengthen Communities
September 1, 2025 - Fall Deadline/February 1, 2026 - Spring Deadline: The Bolger Foundation provides grants of $10,000 to $250,000 for U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits’ capital projects in conservation, underserved populations, health (including mental health), community, and education. Learn more »

Support for Visual Arts Access and Education Nationwide
September 15, 2025 - Fall Deadline/April 1, 2026 - Spring Deadline: The Robert Lehman Foundation provides grants to museums, arts organizations, educational institutions, and nonprofit cultural groups for exhibitions, art education, scholarly publications, and lectureships that advance visual arts in American and world culture. Learn more »

2026 ASALH Book Prize
September 15 - Deadline: Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) - Now accepting submissions for the 2026 ASALH Book Prize, awarded annually for the best new book in African American history and culture. Eligible books must engage archives and be submitted online; mailing instructions for physical copies will follow. Only nonfiction books are eligible. Learn more »

Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »

News

Vintage Museum Photo: William Dee Log Cabin, now a museum on the campus of the History Center of Olmsted County, Rochester, MN. (1986). View additional photos on Instagram »
This 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.

State Archives Collection – June 2025 Acquisitions
The following records were added to the State Archives collection in June 2025. These materials document significant government functions and will be valuable for a wide range of research topics. They also complement existing holdings within the Archives. Go to site »

1. Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities
   This acquisition includes a range of materials documenting the Council’s activities and initiatives:
   • Agendas and meeting minutes (October 2014 – February 2025)
   • Chronological correspondence file (2014–2024)
   • Olmstead Subcabinet meeting packets (2021–2023)
   • Newspaper clippings (1968, 1981–2025)
   • Published records and reports (2002–2024)
   • Ramsey County – City of Saint Paul: Mayor’s Office
2. Photograph Album: Sister City Visit to Lawaaikamp, South Africa (July – December 1989)
   This album contains black-and-white and color photographs documenting the City of Saint Paul’s support for its sister city, Lawaaikamp, and its stance against apartheid-era forced removals in South Africa. Events depicted include:
   • The send-off ceremony for St. Paul City Council member Don Wilson and Rev. Oliver White
   • Meetings with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the George Civic Association, Black Sash members, SCAR (Southern Committee Against Removals), public officials, and residents
   • Visits to Johannesburg, Kleinskool, Lawaaikamp, Potsdam, Sandkraal, Soweto, and Thornehill
   • The delegation’s return ceremony, celebration events at the Martin Luther King Center, and a press conference featuring local students
     These materials enhance the existing sister city files in both the State Archives and the Manuscripts Collection.
3. Zoological Board
   • Files of Board Chair Patricia Davies (1976–1987, 1999)
   • Annual Report (2005)
   • Published records and reports (1985–1986, 2002)
     
     

Minnesota Discovery Center faces moving date
Mesabi Tribune - A lease for the grounds on which the Iron Range history center and museum stands will not be renewed by that date, according to Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR) officials. What it means is that all Minnesota Discovery Center (MDC) buildings and associated structures will need to be either demolished or moved from the site within the next 20 years, according to a Memorandum of Understanding between the IRRR, City of Chisholm and MDC. Continue reading »

As ‘Arrowsmith’ turns 100, Sinclair Lewis’ medical tale couldn’t be more timely
MPR - Fans of Minnesota author Sinclair Lewis will gather next week in Sauk Centre, his home town, to mark the 100th anniversary of his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “Arrowsmith.” Many believe the story of an idealistic doctor struggling with ethical questions about medicine and the ideals of scientific research and rigor remains as relevant today as it was when it was published in 1925. Continue reading »

New Mower County trail offers glimpse into Minnesota’s past
ABC 6 News - Along a gravel road to the north of its namesake, the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry (or Wanhi Yukan as its known in the Dakota language) is surrounded by farmland – an oasis of prairie and overgrown oak savannah. The site is a part of Minnesota’s indigenous history, and one that archaeologists have spent years looking for. Watch Video »

Heritage House Victorian Museum says historic designation would honor Central Park's cultural legacy
KIMT 3 News - The Rochester City Council voted on Monday, July 7, to consider the city's Central Park for historic landmark status. According to the Rochester Heritage House, which resides on the north end of the park, the decision would help to preserve years of Rochester's history for future generations. Continue reading »

Runestone replica in Alexandria is moving
Alexandria Echo Press - The 17-ton granite replica, which stands 12' 6" in height, will be moved to the museum's outdoor grounds. Continue reading »

Featured Book Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, edited by Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. Birchbark Books.	Featured Article Minnesota History St. Hubert’s Lodge, Frontenac Volume 61, Issue 6, 2009	Featured Article MNopedia Gunflint Trail Featured MNopedia Article	Minnesota Unraveled Shared Roots: Hmong Foodways Episode 115

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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