Field Note

On May 25, Rethos and the Cary family hosted a masonry repair class in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood of St. Paul. Here, class instructor John Beaty explains some of the finer points of Platteville limestone foundations that are part of many historic houses in the Twin Cities area.

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: Haha Wakpadaŋ/Bassett Creek Oral History
Oral history interviews were conducted with 14 Native American people about their relationships with the area surrounding Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ / Bassett Creek and Golden Valley, Minnesota. These interviews helped establish the first known oral history archive of suburban American Indians in the US. The interviews were archived at the Hennepin History Museum and will be shared online through MNCollections.org.

The interviews share present-day perspectives from American Indian people connected to the Ȟaȟa Wakpadaŋ / Bassett Creek watershed and diverse tribal backgrounds. Through the words of the 14 narrators, themes about education, housing, socioeconomic status, environmental stewardship, and challenges with living in the West Metro suburbs emerge. This content may inform future interpretive products, such as exhibits, publications, education programs, and documentaries. Future generations will benefit from these interviews that center Native American experiences and amplify Native voices.
Recipient: Valley Community Presbyterian Church
Funded Amount: $9,900
Project details

Small Grant Deadline
The next small grant deadline (requests of $10,000 or less) for the MHCHG program is Friday, July 12, 2024.

Grants Office Webinar: Exhibits and the Grant Program
June 20 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: Exhibits are a tried and true way to share and interpret history. The grant program can fund exhibits from the planning stages to the fabrication and installation. Join us for this webinar to learn more about what successful exhibit project applications include and advice on ways to break a project down into phases. Presented by State History Services Manager Todd Mahon.
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 Woodbury Heritage Society. Have a blog? Let us know!

Breaking Bread
One of the stories that my father, Warren Stutzman, used to love to tell was about growing up on the family farm in Woodbury during the 1920s and 1930s. He would regularly walk home from the one-room schoolhouse (District 28) with his good friend, Orville Bielenberg.

After a long school day, they would stop at the Bielenberg farm and were greeted with several slices of freshly baked bread slathered with homemade butter. Now, as the mother of two boys, I remember how hungry they can get at that time of day and can only imagine what a treat that was for those young men. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Amhoist Tower and the St. Paul Hotel - Kraus-Anderson
• From the President - June 2024 - Danish American Center
• The University of Minnesota hosts the 2024 Library Publishing Forum - U of MN Libraries
• Brandon History Center Summer Newsletter 2024 - Brandon History Center
• The Art Of The River In Northfield - Minnesota Prairie Roots
• Borrow scanning equipment with MDL's Scan for Keeps program - Minnesota Digital Library News
• Who killed Henry Haslie? - Washington County Historical Society

From the Tube

This week's post is from the Warroad Heritage Center. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

More MN Tube posts

• Hotels of Wright County - Wright County Historical Society
• Behind the Frame: Kim Gordon - Historic Cook County
• Rock & Roll Round Table, Pipestone Style - Pipestone County Museum
• To Whom it may concern: Letters in the archives part 1 - U of MN Libraries
• The Benefits of Diverse Curriculum, Steve Asencio - African American Registry
• Granite City Train Show - Pine County Historical Society
• Love of Nature - Phyllis Wheatley Community Center
• Bud Larsen Hardanger Fiddle in the Hopperstad Stave Church - Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County
• Huguenots: From Geneva to Hancock - French-American Heritage Foundation

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Graphic Designer - MN History Center

LOCAL

• Executive Director - Betsy-Tacy Society, Mankato, MN
• Assistant Manager - Orphanage Museum, Steele County Historical Society, Owatonna, MN
• Membership and Donor Database Manager - Waseca County Historical Society, Waseca, MN
• Director of Experience - American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis, MN
• Gallery Programs Coordinator - Bell Museum, St Paul, MN
• Executive Director - Metropolitan Library Service Agency, (MELSA) - St Paul, MN
• Public Safety Associate - Science Museum of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 
• Special Collections Associate for Preventive Preservation - St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
• Executive Director - Austin Area Arts, Austin, MN

REGIONAL

• Mobile Museum Driver - State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA
• Temporary Library Associate - State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA
• Open Publishing Production Editor - Iowa State University, Ames, IA
• Visitor Service Assistant - Brucemore, Cedar Rapids, IA
• Administrative Coordinator - African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, IA

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Assistant Editor for the Papers of Abraham Lincoln - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield, IL
• Farm Museum Program Supervisor - Bensenville Park District - Bensenville, IL
• Museum Interactive Media Project Manager - Obama Foundation, Chicago, IL
• Collection & Exhibition Manager - DePaul Art Museum, Chicago, IL
• Vincennes Historic Site Manager - Vincennes Historic Site, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Vincennes, IN
• Senior Graphic Designer - Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN
• Groundskeeper - Lanier Mansion, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Madison, IN
• Historical Site Interpreter - Whitewater Canal State Historic Site, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Metamora, IN
• Project Director - Fort Laurens, Ohio History Connection, Bolivar, OH
• Michigan State Capital Educator - State of Michigan, Lansing, MI
• Historical Architect - Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, Lansing, MI
• Talent Administrator - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Executive Director - Dodge County Historical Society, Fremont, NE
• Archivist - Ree & Jun Kaneko Foundation Artist Endowed Foundation for Jun Kaneko Artworks & Archive, Omaha NE
• Senior Manager of Registration - Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON
• Assistant Curator, Collections Management - Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Kress Fellow, Conservation - Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis, IN
• Collections Intern - Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis, IN

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

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

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

Event: Day of Remembrance
June 13 @ 12 pm - Duluth: Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial - Join fellow community members, leaders, and elders at memorial events to pay tribute to Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie three black men who were lynched in Duluth. Events are open to the public and will allow the community to reflect on the city's history and honor the lives of the three men. Speakers & Performers begin at Noon. Location: The Corner Of East 1st Street & North 2nd Avenue East. Gravesite Memorial at Park Hill Cemetery on June 14 @ 5:30 pm. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Event: Juneteenth at Silverwood Park
June 13 @ 4 to 8 pm - St. Anthony: Three Rivers Park District - Join in for a vibrant Juneteenth celebration, where they honor families, community, and ancestry through the creative expressions of art, music, and fashion. Location: Silverwood Park. Learn more »

Workshop: How to Write Your Own Obituary 
June 13 @ 6 pm - Morton: Renville County Historical Society - Not sure where to start? Not sure what to include? Join speaker Molly Schweinfurter to talk about it all. Learn more »

Minnesota State Flag Informational Program
June 14 @ 10 am - Luverne - Rock County History Center - Come to a coffee-time presentation to learn about the new Minnesota state flag. Hear about the design process, the Emblems Redesign Commission, and other relevant information. Featuring Andrew Prekker whose flag sub-mission, with some design changes, was chosen as the new flag for the state of Minnesota and Dr. Anita Talsma Gaul who served as vice-chair of the Emblems Redesign Commission for the state of Minnesota. Learn more »

Event: Music in the Gardens - Women on the Moon
June 14 @ 6 pm - Alexandria: Legacy of The Lakes Museum - Women on the Moon is a tribute concert event that showcases the music of the female artists of the 60s & 70s, presented by Lori Dokken. Cost: $15 - $20. Learn more »

The (Not So) Invisible Nation: The KKK in Southwest Minnesota in the 1920s
June 15 @ 1 pm - Madison: Lac Qui Parle Historical Society - In a period of rapid change, many Americans felt a sense of nostalgia and fear in the 1920s - nostalgia for an idealized, simpler past and fear that America was in a state of moral decline. This prompted the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, particularly in the upper Midwest. Klan activity in Southwest Minnesota began in 1922, peaked in 1924, and virtually disappeared by 1927. Dozens of cross-burnings occurred, but there were also klan rallies, parades, picnics, meetings, and speakers. What attracted rural Minnesotans to this organization? How and why did it become popular in this area? And what accounts for its sudden demise? The brief but intense presence of the KKK in Southwest Minnesota is a hidden chapter in the region's history and one that merits closer scrutiny. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Blue Earth County’s Main Streets: Lake Crystal
June 15 @ 1 pm - Mankato: Blue Earth County History Center - Main Streets are the central hub of small-town life, serving as the focal point for commerce, social gatherings, and community engagement. From Lake Crystal Historical Society, Blane and Ryker will showcase Lake Crystal’s Main Street during this month’s program. This program is happening in correlation with their latest exhibit Blue Earth County’s Main Streets. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Owatonna State School- Roundtable Discussion
June 20 @ 6 to 7:30 pm - Owatonna: Steele County Historical Society - In the mid-1940s, changes in social philosophy led to the discontinuation of residential institutionalization of orphan children and the move to foster care. The Minnesota State Public School campus was repurposed as a school for the “educable mentally disabled.” For 25 years, the Owatonna State School helped educate children with learning disabilities. Former students, employees, and members of the public are encouraged to come and share their memories. Location: Owatonna Arts Center. Cost: Free members/$5 nonmembers. Learn more »

Tour: Downtown Fergus Falls Mystery Tour
June 21 @ 7 pm - Fergus Falls: Otter Tail County Historical Society - Explore the hidden dark side of Fergus Falls with intriguing stories and mysteries. Stories of illegal liquor, Gerda the Nude, and more on the Mystery Tour through town. Location: Meet in front of the historic River Inn. Cost: $10. Learn more »

Presentation: Life of a Vietnam Helicopter Pilot
June 15 @ 10:30 to 11:30 am - Buffalo: Wright County Historical Society - Come and listen and see photos of a helicopter pilot’s life during the Vietnam War. Former pilot Lynn Freeman will talk about his experiences during his time there in the cockpit. Learn more »

Event: 2nd Annual Juneteenth Celebration 
June 19 @ 5:30 to 7 pm - Albert Lea: Riverland Community College and Albert Lea Recreation - Multiple Local Speakers & Performers: The event will feature local artistic and poetic talent, offering a night filled with celebration, learning, and fun. Location: 201 Broadway Ave S. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Tour: Lake Crystal Cemetery: A Virtual Cemetery Walking Tour
June 20 through September 1 - Mankato/Online: Blue Earth County Historical Society - Visit the Lake Crystal Cemetery like you’ve never done before with this unique tour. This self-guided A/V tour features historic pictures and great stories about the cemetery and some of its residents. You have the choice to view it online from your own home and/or walk the cemetery for an in-person experience using your smartphone. Cost: $15/household. Learn more »

Event: Mid-Summer
June 22 @ 6:30 pm - Cokato: Cokato Finnish American Historical Society - Come and join in as they celebrate Mid-Summer. A program will begin in the Temperance Hall remembering 1938 the celebration of the Tercentenary of the Finnish & Swedish coming to America. A potluck dessert table will be held at the school starting at 7:30. The traditional Kokko will be set ablaze at this time. Learn more »

Event: La Fête de la Saint Jean-Baptiste! 
June 23 @ 1 to 5 pm Mendota: French-American Heritage Foundation of Minnesota & Dakota County Historical Society - A family-friendly event to celebrate La Fête de la Saint Jean-Baptiste, also known as La Fête Nationale du Québec. There will be live music, dancing, and food. Location: Sibley Historic Site. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Workshop: Making Fact Fancy
June 25 @ 9 am to 12 pm - Mankato: Betsy-Tacy Society & Carnegie Art Center - At this writing workshop for ages 10-15, learn how author Maud Hart Lovelace turned her Mankato life into beloved children's and young adult fiction and how you can do the same. Short readings, time to write, and exploration of historic sites, including the Betsy-Tacy Houses. Instructor J. Anderson is the author of the "Smaller" column in the St. Peter Herald. She's been teaching writing for 30 years. Cost: Free. Learn more »

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

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Pavek Museum of Broadcasting, St. Louis Park MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Connect Meetup 
June 14 @ 10:30 am (CT) - Online: Association of Midwest Museums - Connect Meetup is a chance to learn about how Toledo Museum of Art measures belonging, and discuss this with your peers. Cost: Free. Sign up for these candid discussions & attend when you can » 

Historic Building Interpretation for Elementary School Students 
June 18 @ 10 am (CT) - Online: Texas Historical Commission - Using Gibbs Farm in St. Paul, Minnesota as a case study, this webinar delves into the strategies behind crafting and executing compelling field trip programming. Museum Services is thrilled to welcome Samantha Nelson and Janie Bender from Gibbs Farm, an eight-acre historic site that interprets 19th-century life in Minnesota, with an emphasis on the Gibbs family and Dakota Native Americans. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Revolutionizing Cultural Heritage: XR and Generative AI for Inclusive Engagement
June 20 @ 10 am (CT) - Online: Balboa Park - Dr. James Hutson explores how Extended Reality (XR) and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) have emerged as transformative tools in preserving and disseminating cultural heritage, showcasing their successful implementation in diverse settings. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Workshop: Duluth Residents - Window Repair Homeowner Workshop
June 22 @ 3 to 6 pm - Northfield: Rethos - Historic preservation experts from Northern Bedrock Preservation Corps will explain common wood window issues and demonstrate basic repairs. This class will focus specifically on glazing, paint prep, and painting. Practice sashes will be available to use. This workshop is designed for homeowners and property owners who plan to restore and repair their old windows and who care about building sustainability and preservation. Location: Northern Bedrock. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Choosing and Using Safe Materials for Collection Housing
July 9 @ 12 pm - Online: Connecting to Collections Care - Learn how materials are assessed for suitability to make informed purchasing decisions. This webinar covers testing methods for storage, display, and transport of collection objects, including how to interpret test data and the significance of passing an Oddy test. Discover resources for storage organization, mount design, and material selection. Cost: Free. Learn more »

What Nonprofits Need to Know About Fiscal Sponsorships – Live Q&A
July 25 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: Blue Avocado Webinar - Led by panelists Colleen Lazanich, CEO of CalNonprofits Insurance Services, and Brian Johnson, Head of North American Actuarial Advisory of Guy Carpenter, this webinar will provide an overview of fiscal sponsorships, including: types of fiscal sponsorships; considerations for sponsors and their projects; and how insurance is impacted. Cost: Free. Learn more »

ARCHIVES*RECORDS 2024
August 14 to 17 - Chicago IL/Online: Society of American Archivists - Join SAA in Chicago and online and dive into unparalleled learning opportunities. Connect with peers, acquire essential skills, and expand your perspectives at this year's hybrid Annual Meeting. Learn more »

Digital Collections Summit 
October 22 & 23 - Online: MuseumNext - Discover the most recent digital platforms, smart strategies, and cutting-edge technology that will provide your institution with the insights needed for success. Delve into topics such as digitization, collection management, online curation, digital storytelling, DAMS, and artificial intelligence, as we ponder the intriguing question: What does the future hold? Cost: $37 - $159. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• Studying the Midwest Just Became Cool - Midstory
• How to Transform a Volunteer Program in Six Steps - AAM
• Mission Over Tradition - AALSH

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 »

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 »

National Council on Public History
National Council on Public History has over $7,000 in awards available to recognize excellence in the diverse ways public historians apply their skills to the world around us. The award program promotes professionalism and best practices among public historians and raises awareness about their activities. Learn more »

Wayland D. Hand Prize
July 1 - (Deadline): The History and Folklore Section of the American Folklore Society invite submissions for their Wayland D. Hand Prize which goes to an author of an outstanding book in English that combines historical and folkloristic content and perspectives. The annual Prize comprises two categories: (1) single or co-authored book and (2) edited volume(s). A work submitted for consideration would have been published between June 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. Learn more »

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research
September 25 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - This grant program makes awards to institutions and organizations conducting empirical field research to answer significant questions in the humanities. Learn more »

Museums for America
November 15 - (Deadline): Institute of Museum and Library Services - This program supports museums of all sizes and disciplines to undertake projects that strengthen their ability to serve the public. Project activities may include exhibitions, educational or interpretive programs, digital learning resources, professional development, community debate and dialogue, audience-focused studies, and/or collections management, curation, care, and conservation. Learn more »

Additional Funding Opportunities »

News

“We Are Water MN” - Host Community Application
July 21 - (Deadline): The Minnesota Humanities Center is taking applications for hosting "We Are Water MN" a traveling exhibit, administered by the Minnesota Humanities Center, that shares messages about water in Minnesota, and designs public programming that builds relationships with and responsibilities to water. “We Are Water MN” provides a budget of up to $10,000 to offset the cost of hosting and creating public programming. These offsets are provided in the form of reimbursements for expenditures explicitly approved by MHC; they are not grants. Learn more »

• Milaca tribune (Milaca, Minn.) 1919-1928
• Protector (La Crescent, Minn.) 1887
• Co-operator (La Crescent, Minn.) 1888 added
• La Crescent plain dealer (La Crescent, Minn.) 1860-1862
• Fort Snelling bulletin (Ft. Snelling, Minn.) 1928-1946
• Folkets röst (St. Paul, Minn.) 1858
• Mahnomen pioneer (Mahnomen, Minn.) 1914-1930
• Willmar tribune (Willmar, Minn.) 1926-1927 added
• Nordstern (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1925-1926 added
• Farmers independent (Bagley, Minn.) 1937-1940 added
• Graphic sentinel (Lake City, Minn.) 1900-1910 added
• Lake City graphic-Republican (Lake City, Minn.) 1910-1936

New issues for the years 1989-2022 were also added to several existing current newspaper titles, available to view only in the MNHS Library.

After a failed referendum in 2022, Kanabec History Center bounced back
Kanabec County Times — Saturday, the Kanabec History Center will hold its annual Museum Day, an opportunity for the public to view updated exhibits and stroll around the grounds. It will also serve as a chance for area residents to purchase a new history of the Coin School, compiled by center volunteer Jan Franz, and to learn about the school’s future upgrades.  Continue reading »

History Center of Olmsted County looking to restore George Stoppel Farmstead
KIMT 3 News — There's a $3 million campaign to restore the George Stoppel Farmstead. The History Center of Olmsted County (HCOC) has gotten $833,000 from the Jeffris Family Foundation and $500,000 through a state funded Legacy Grant and $58,000 in donations. HCOC Executive Director Wayne Gannaway says if historical buildings get destroyed, history will get lost in the shuffle. "If these buildings disappeared think of the volume of stories that would disappear," said Gannaway. "Our immigrant roots about agriculture and farming families." Continue reading »

Minnesota bike museum is looking for a new home
CBS News — A unique piece of history is at risk of being locked away in storage. Hundreds of bicycles from as far back as the 1800's need a new home. Juston Anderson, the co-founder of the Minnesota Cycling Museum, has a special gift for sharing the history of each bike off the top of his head. Continue reading »

Museum dedicates research center
Marshall Independent — The Lyon County Museum hosted a dedication of the newly installed Joseph Amato Research Center Thursday. Continue reading »

Mural of memories taking shape in Tracy
Marshall Independent — Artist working on ‘scrapbook-style’ project inside Tracy Library. A project at the Tracy Public Library has really gotten community members talking over the past three months, artist SammyJo Miller said. It’s not just the scaffolding and ladders set up against one wall in the library — it’s the collage of images from Tracy history that is taking shape there. Continue reading »

One-room schoolhouse in Champlin added to list of historic landmarks
StarTribune — One of Hennepin County's last one-room schoolhouses still standing on its original site has made it onto the National Register of Historic Places. Members of the Champlin Historical Society spent two years going through the arduous process to get the Dunning School on the list of the nation's most treasured landmarks. On Saturday, they celebrated the accomplishment with an ice cream social and unveiled a bronze plaque that now stands next to the one-story, wood-framed building that served students in old School District 99 from 1876 to 1947. Continue reading »

Bunnel House Part 1
KQAL 89.5 - On this episode of Culture Clique, we'll be taking a deep dive into the historic Bunnel House, located just off of highway 61. For the first of a two-part series, we sat down with Winona Historical Society museum educator, Jennifer Weaver, to learn more of the original owners of the Bunnel House and their lives around Winona. All that and more today, on Culture Clique. Listen »

Featured Book Caged, Author: Kao Kalia Yang, Illustrator: Khou Vue. Minnesota Historical Society Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History The 1890s bicycling craze in the Red River Valley Volume 54, Issue 6, 1995	Featured Article MNopedia 1976 Presidential Election in Minnesota 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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