Field Note

Last week, MNHS Local History Staff visited the National Register-listed Browns Valley Carnegie Public Library. Constructed in 1915-16 in the Neoclassical Style, Legacy Grants funding has recently been used to repair the decorative brickwork, concrete foundation, lintels, and roof. The Browns Valley Historical Society looks forward to one day reopening the building to show their collections and exhibits highlighting area history.

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: Minneapolis African American Historic and Cultural Context Study
Using grant funds, the city hired a historical consultant to create a comprehensive study that tells the story of African American life in Minneapolis from the 1800s to today. This study is organized around seven key themes and was developed with the help of the African American Heritage Work Group, a group of 15 community members deeply connected to local history. Alongside the study, a survey of 25 significant properties chosen by this group was conducted to identify important locations tied to the community’s heritage. This study and survey not only bring to light many overlooked stories and places but also lay the foundation for future preservation efforts.

This project has already boosted public awareness about African American history and historic preservation in Minneapolis. Community conversations with property owners and advisory members sparked interest in preserving these important sites. The city plans to turn the study into a formal document that will make it easier to nominate places for official historic status, with several nominations already underway. The final study will be available online and through community partners, featuring easy-to-understand summaries to invite more people to learn about this vital part of Minneapolis’s past. The project promises to deepen appreciation for the community’s contributions for years to come.
Recipient: City of Minneapolis (Community Planning & Economic Development)
Funded Amount: $67,500
Project Details

MNHS Announces April Round of Legacy Small Grants
Recipients received 49 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants, ($10,000 and less) totaling $433,703 in 25 counties. Learn more »

Small Grant Deadline
Applications for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants quarterly small grant round (now funding requests of $20,000 and less) will be due Friday, October 10, 2025. 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: Something something something
August 21 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: In this webinar, you will learn what you need to do to register for a grants portal login, how to apply, what the grant programs offer, what the programs can fund, and which resources are available for applicants. If you have never applied for a grant before or would like to hear about the process again, this webinar is for you. Presented by Grants Specialist Gillian Maguire
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 Acme County Historical Society. Have a blog? Let us know!

Mr. Robbins
A. B. ROBBINS, After whom our village is named, is a native of Maine, where he was born in 1847, but he was only eight years of age when his parents moved West to Anoka, Minn.; therefore, Minnesota may justly claim him as one of her sons. On arriving at manhood–or hardly that, as he was but seventeen years old at the time–he entered the army and saw three years of hard fighting during our “late unpleasantness,” but, more fortunate than many, he lived through it all, and came back to his old home, where, however, he remained but a short time before locating at Wilmar, Minn., [sic] and engaging in the railroad, lumber, and banking business. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Unveiling and Unlearning: Honoring Shaynowishkung, Ten Years Later - Beltrami County Historical Society
• Schools, roads, and staples of Iron Junction’s past - Jim Froemming-Hometown Focus
  Part three of the Iron Junction series
• Stillwater vs. Red Wing: Heated rowing matches - Washington County Historical Society

From the Tube

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

More MN Tube posts

• Art Johnston Part 2: Controversy in Commercial Fishing - Warroad Heritage Center
• Cedar Bank Robbery - Anoka County Historical Society
• Shirley Tian Digital Story - Immigration History Research Center
• It Happened Right Here: To Repair the World - Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• School & Youth Programs Facilitator - MN History Center
• Facilities Maintenance Technician - Mill City Museum

LOCAL

• Executive Director - Sherburne County Historical Society, Becker, MN
• Executive Director - Edina Historical Society, Edina, MN
• Events and Marketing Coordinator - Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota, Mankato, MN
• Membership and Sales Coordinator - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
• Data Curation Librarian - Open Research and Publishing, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
• Curator for the Tweed Museum of Art - University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN
• Spam Museum Manager - Hormel Foods, Austin, MN

REGIONAL

• Director of Visitor Services - Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, Crazy Horse, SD 
• Tour Guide - Deadwood History, Deadwood, SD
• Program Manager - Project Art, Iowa City, IA
• Collections Move Technician, Cultural Science (History) - Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Museum Guide - University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
• Learning Facilitator - Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Assistant Curator - Midway Village Museum, Rockford, IL
• Museum Associate - Bureau County History Center,  Princeton, IL
• Museum Director - Arlington Heights Historical Museum, Arlington Heights, IL
• Grants Specialist - The Field Museum, Chicago, IL
• Assistant Curator of Invertebrate Zoology - The Field Museum, Chicago, IL
• Traveling Exhibitions Manager, Sales - The Field Museum, Chicago, IL
• Historical Site Interpreter - Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site, Indiana State Museum, Rome City, IN
• Digital Collections Librarian - Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
• Exhibition Specialist - Holden Forests & Gardens, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Cleveland, OH
• Director of Development - American Sign Museum, Cincinnati, OH
• Associate Director, Retail & Visitor Services - Maltz Museum, Beachwood, OH
• Exhibits Technician 1 - Lakeshore Museum Center, Muskegon, MI
• Archival Digitization Specialist - Finlandia Foundation National, Hancock, MI
• Archivist for University Collections - Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
• Museum and Historic Site Administrator 1 - Cornwall Iron Furnace, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Cornwall, PA
• Cultural Resource Specialist - Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Columbia, MO
• Project Manager - Heritage Consulting Group, Kansas City, MO
• Capitol Gift Shop Lead - Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE
• Gallery Assistant - Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, Lindsborg, KS
• Development Coordinator - Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• Director of Research, Collections, and Exhibitions (RCE) & Chief Curator - Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• Executive Director - Toronto Music Experience, Toronto, ON
• Collections Assistant - Toronto Railway Museum, Toronto, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• SMSC Native American Fellowship - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Museum Program Fellow - American Conservation Experience, Calumet Township, MI

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Sugar beet harvesting in 1957.
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Kandiyohi County Historical Society.

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

Stories that Matter: Women of Cook County
July 31 @ 5:30 to 6:30 pm – Grand Marais: Historic Cook County – Celebrate the impactful stories and achievements of women in Cook County at this special event hosted in the heart of Grand Marais. Hear inspiring accounts, connect with community members, and explore the gallery's rich artistic heritage. Location: Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Life at the Pomme de Terre Fort
August 2 @ 1:30 to 2:30 pm – Elbow Lake: Grant County Historical Society Veterans Hall in the Museum – Join Merilyn Mau for a presentation on her extensive research about Life at the Pomme de Terre Fort, a frontier outpost established in 1863 during the turbulent years following the US-Dakota War. Learn about the fort’s history, the soldiers stationed there, and its role as an important communication and relay station along the stage route between St. Cloud and Fort Abercrombie. Learn more »

2025 Slavic Experience Festival
August 2 & 3 – Saint Louis Park: Slavic Experience – Celebrate the richness and diversity of Eastern European traditions with the Twin Cities community at this vibrant festival filled with food, music, and family activities. The event is dedicated to creating an inclusive space for people of Slavic heritage to commemorate and share their cultures through performances, cuisine, and more. Location: Recreation Outdoor Center (The ROC). Learn more »

Museum Makers Class: Beginning Stitching and Embroidery
August 3 & 4 @ 12 to 3 pm – Winona: Winona County History Center – Discover the art of stitching and embroidery in this new Museum Makers Class, perfect for beginners! Led by Mary Nelson of Mary’s Custom Quilting, you’ll learn seven common stitches and create a floral design to take home, while gaining skills you can apply to clothing, towels, and more. Choose either August 3 or 4, with class sizes limited to 10 participants. Best for ages 12 and up. Cost: $30 members/$40 general Learn more »

Black & White Movie Night: Buster Keaton in “Sherlock Jr.”
August 5 @ 7 to 8 pm – Stillwater: Washington County Heritage Center – Enjoy this screening of Buster Keaton’s classic 1924 silent comedy Sherlock Jr., featuring Keaton as a movie projectionist who dreams himself into the film he is showing. Known for its groundbreaking special effects and clever physical comedy, Sherlock Jr. is considered one of the most innovative silent films ever made. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Njal's Saga Tapestry: Exhibit Opening
August 6 through 13 – Moorhead: Hjemkomst Center – Experience a rare display of the Njals Saga Tapestry from Iceland, showcased in the Viking Ship Gallery. This exhibition features a section of the iconic tapestry depicting scenes from the most renowned Viking-era Icelandic saga, an enduring source of cultural pride for Iceland and its descendants. Learn more »

An Evening of Native American History
August 7 @ 7 to 8 pm – Crosslake: Crosslake Log Village – Join Native American historian Dr. Lisa VanGetsen for a special presentation focusing on drumming and its cultural and symbiotic significance. The evening will conclude with a live drumming demonstration, offering insight into this important tradition. Learn more »

Make an Overtone Flute with Kari Tauring
August 7 @ 4 to 6 pm – Minneapolis: Norway House – Hear the sounds and stories about the overtone flute while making one of your own from PVC pipe! Kari Tauring will demonstrate the differences between pulled core and bored core flutes, show videos from teachers in Denmark and Norway, and share the folklore surrounding these ancient instruments. Learn to play a simple folktune on your flute. All materials are provided. Cost: $40 members/$45 general. Learn more »

The War at Home: Minnesota during the Great War, 1914-1920
August 8 @ 6 to 8 pm – Duluth: St. Louis County Historical Society – Join historian and author Greg Gaut at the historic Union Depot for a presentation on his new book, The War at Home, exploring Minnesota’s dramatic home front experience during World War I. Discover how the North Star State confronted polarization, nativism, anti-immigrant nationalism, and challenges to democracy, with a focus on Duluth and the Iron Range. Light refreshments and social time begin at 6 pm, followed by the talk at 6:30 pm and book signing. Cost: Free (please bring a non-perishable food donation for food shelf). Learn more »

Days of YesterYear at the Ralph Stoppel Farmstead
August 9 & 10 @ 9 am to 4 pm – Rochester: Mechanical History Round Table at the Ralph Stoppel Farmstead, History Center of Olmsted County – Step back in time with live demonstrations including steam tractors, threshing oats, and hands-on family activities like rope making and tinsmithing. Enjoy daily Parade of Power at 1 pm, Red Barn Learning Farm animals, first responder demos, and special Saturday programs such as an 1860s Base Ball Match and a Garden Tractor Pull at 2 pm. Cost: $8 in advance/$10 at the gate. Learn more »

We Help Us: Sharing Stories of LGBTQIA Mutual Aid
August 9 @ 3 to 5 pm – Online: Quatrefoil Library – Join this virtual event featuring stories and discussions about LGBTQIA mutual aid, exploring how community support networks empower and sustain LGBTQIA individuals. Learn about the history and ongoing efforts of mutual aid within LGBTQIA communities. Cost: Free. Learn more »

History Cruise: Wayzata and the North Shore
August 11 @ 6 to 8 pm – Wayzata: Lake Minnetonka Historical Society – Join this narrated history cruise aboard Wayzata Bay Charters' “Her Excellency,” departing from Wayzata Depot Docks. Historian Joanie Holst will guide passengers through the history of Lake Minnetonka's North Shore from the 1850s to today, covering sites such as Wayzata's landmark depot, Spirit Knob, the lake’s ship graveyard, and the grand estates of Brackett’s Point and Ferndale. Cost: $35 members/$45 general. Learn more »

Cooking Demonstration at LeDuc
August 16 @ 4:30 to 6:45 pm – Hastings: LeDuc Historic Estate – Join this hands-on cooking class featuring recipes from the Leduc Family’s Cookbook. Guests will prepare several dishes, including pork leg, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with pork gravy, and Leduc Family donuts, cooking on an outdoor open fire (dress for weather). Enjoy a tour of the estate followed by the meal you helped prepare. Note: most dishes contain eggs, dairy, gluten, and meat; alternative items are available for dietary restrictions if requested in advance. Cost: $25 members/$30 general. Learn more »

St. Croix River Historic Cruise
August 19 @ 5:30 to 8 pm – Stillwater: Washington County Historical Society – Set sail on the St. Croix River aboard Stillwater River Boats for a narrated historic cruise led by Angie Hong, Stillwater Gazette Correspondent and environmental educator. Discover centuries of river history—from Indigenous communities and Voyageurs to the lumber era and modern times—while enjoying stories of glacier movements, changing river courses, and pivotal bridge disputes. Cost: $60. 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: Tower Train Museum, operated by the Tower-Soudan Historical Society, Tower, MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Bridging Gaps: Skillfully Managing Uncertainty and Intergenerational Influence at Work
July 31 @ 10 am to 12 pm (CT) – Online: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits – Join this virtual workshop to learn a new approach to recognizing generational differences, explore individual relationships to age at work, and develop skills to navigate power dynamics effectively. The session aims to deepen understanding of workplace patterns, increase productive communication, and enhance collaboration across generations. Cost: $50 for MCN members, $70 for nonmembers. Learn more »

Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
August 4 @ 5 pm (CT) – Online: Backlog - Archivists & Historians – Learn about DACS, a key standard for creating consistent and user-focused archival descriptions. This webinar covers the types of information standardized by DACS, its interaction with other archival concepts like Encoded Archival Description (EAD) and Dublin Core, and its role in producing effective finding aids. Ideal for archivists and historians interested in archival description practices. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Building an Effective CEO + Board Chair Partnership
August 13 @ 9 am to 12 pm (CT) – Online: Propel Nonprofits – This workshop explores how a healthy, collaborative relationship between the nonprofit CEO (or Executive Director) and the board chair supports organizational effectiveness and mission success. Topics include defining distinct roles, fostering trust and open communication, shared leadership tasks, and best practices for mutual support and problem-solving. Executive directors and board chairs are encouraged to attend together to discuss how they will partner to lead their organization. Cost and registration details available on the Propel Nonprofits website. Learn more »

DHPSNY: From Paper to Pixels: Planning a Successful Digitization Project
August 14 @ 1 pm (CT) – Online: Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts – Join this webinar to learn key steps for planning a successful digitization project. Topics include defining a clear project scope and goals, setting realistic priorities, advocating for resources, and addressing common conservation challenges like brittle paper, red rot, and rusty fasteners. The session also covers developing a sustainable access plan for users. This program is ideal for those starting a digitization initiative or seeking to improve existing processes. Cost: Free. Learn more »

PastForward 2025 Conference
September 16 to 18 – Milwaukee, WI: National Trust for Historic Preservation – Join the National Trust for Historic Preservation at the PastForward 2025 conference to explore the latest strategies, tools, and success stories in historic preservation. This multi-day event offers inspiring sessions, networking opportunities, and expert speakers dedicated to protecting and revitalizing places that matter. Cost: Varies by registration type. Learn more »

American Historical Association 139th Annual Meeting - Call for Proposals 
January 8 to 11, 2026 – Chicago: American Historical Association – Attend the AHA's largest yearly gathering of historians in the United States, featuring sessions on diverse historical topics, innovative methods, and the uses of history in public and academic venues. Historians and related scholars are encouraged to submit proposals for sessions and poster presentations. The event fosters lively interactions among participants and showcases the full diversity of historical scholarship. Cost: Varies by registration type. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• The American Historical Association welcomes submissions of op-eds, media appearances, or other resources that offer context and insight to the public on the recent actions by the federal government
• The American Historical Association welcomes submissions of articles and other resources tracking federal actions affecting history

UPCOMING STATE and REGIONAL CONFERENCES

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Small Town Grant Program
Deadline - August 28: Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation - The Small Town Grant program seeks to invest in collaborative initiatives which improve the way communities work to address challenges. SMIF seeks proposals from communities with populations under 10,000 which impact the culture, education, economy and/or social aspects of the town. Learn more »

Grants for Scandinavian Folk Arts and Cultural Traditions
Deadline - September 1: American-Scandinavian Foundation offers a program to support Scandinavian folk arts and cultural traditions in the Upper Midwest. Learn more »

Local Arts Funding                
Willmar Area Community Foundation has funding opportunities for organizations serving Willmar and the Kandiyohi County area. Fund for the Arts program supports small and medium-sized community organizations leading arts activities conducted by community organizations. Learn more »

Local Government Grants                
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has two economic development grants:

• Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program
• Innovative Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program

Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) - Workplace Safety Consultation (WSC) Safety Grant Program

The Safety Grant Program awards funds up to $10,000 to qualifying employers for projects designed to reduce the risk of injury and illness to their workers. Learn more »

Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »

News

Vintage Museum Photo: Chippewa Pioneer Village, operated by the Chippewa County Historical Society, Montevideo, MN (1985).
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.

Free exhibit case and shipping crate available before August 8

MNHS has an exhibit case and shipping crate from the recent Girlhood exhibit available for free to anyone interested. The interested party must provide their own pickup from the loading docks at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. They will need to transport on a quicksilver or similar truck and have pallet jacks in their facility. The case cannot be disassembled, and it is very heavy. Contact Lisa Friedlander. 

Specs:

• Overall  Crated Case: 66 x 58 x 57
• Base dimension (approx.) 66 x 58 x 27 T
• Case Dimension (approx.) 48 x 48 x 30 T, one side is a door
• Size and weight crated 68 x 66 x 62, move with a Wide Jack Only, 1300 lbs
• The base is heavy wood and laminate construction. The case is made of Casewerx metal extrusion, features double laminated UV glass, and has one lock. The case cannot be taken apart.

Brainerd couple discovers never-before-seen photos of how local roads were built
Brainerd Dispatch – ...Hillary Swanson, the administrator/executive director for Crow Wing County Historical Society, received the photo albums and was very impressed with the detailed captions for every single photo. Swanson said the historical society receives many old photos all the time, but very few are as exceptionally detailed as what the Knudsens found... Continue reading »

'World's Smallest Gas Station' may rise again in Detroit Lakes
Inforum – The Becker County Historical Society is considering building a brick replica of the station near the Graystone Hotel. Continue reading »

Featured Book Native American Lives Series: Dakota and Ojibwe Biographies for 4th-8th Grades Lerner Publishing Group. Native American Lives Series Book Launch Date: August 4 @ 6:30 to 8 pm  Location: MN Humanities Event Center, St. Paul, MN	Featured Article Minnesota History Commercial fishing on Lake of the Woods Volume 35 Issue 6, 1957	Featured Article MNopedia Leona Evelyn Raymond (1908–1998) Featured MNopedia Article	Minnesota Unraveled A podcast by the Minnesota Historical Society

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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