Local History News: June 14, 2023

Field Note

Rita Walaszek Arndt (pictured) and Amber Annis from MNHS's Native American Initiatives department conducted the Native Nations and Local History Organizations workshop in Detroit Lakes on May 31. Participants learned valuable content about Native people in Minnesota. After the workshop, staff from the Becker County Museum offered a tour of their new space which is still under construction.

Thank your Legislators today

Thank state leaders for supporting Minnesota history
The conclusion of the 2023 Minnesota Legislative session brought positive results for Minnesota history. The Minnesota Legislature appropriated, and Governor Tim Walz approved, several budget measures and policy provisions that will benefit history in Minnesota for years to come.  

Please take a minute to thank your legislators for their support for history in the recently completed legislative session » 

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: Noerenberg Estate Barn - Foundation Restoration 
The grant funded the restoration of failing foundation elements of the Noerenberg Estate Barn, located within Noerenberg Memorial Park and Gardens, Orono, MN, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Significant portions of the original foundation wall materials were retained and repaired, providing the Noerenberg Estate Barn with a firm foundation, eliminating potential structural issues and further deterioration of the damaged foundation walls. As outlined in the park's initial Interpretive Plan, the barn and its related structures (such as the water tower, which is included on the NRHP Listing) will serve as a tangible reminder of Frederick Noerenberg's work as a "gentleman farmer" on the shores of Lake Minnetonka - a key era in the region's history that is becoming more difficult to interpret as high property values continue to lead to the subdivision of historic estates. The Noerenberg Gardens is likely the only remaining Gilded Age Estate on Lake Minnetonka whose complete historic land base is intact.
Grant Recipient: Three Rivers Park District
Funded Amount: $116,010
Project Details

Large Grant Deadline
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.

Small Grant Deadline
The next small grant deadline (requests of $10,000 or less) for the MHCHG program is Friday, July 14, 2023.

From the Blog

This week's blog post is from Minnesota Media Arts. Have a blog? Let us know!

Melisande Charles Media Collection Care Project 
MN Media Arts is proud to announce that an MNHS Legacy Grant has been awarded for the Melisande Charles Media Collection Care Project. Melisande Charles was an accomplished video artist, arts administrator and a pioneering woman in the Minnesota Arts Community. Before passing in September 2017 at age 86, we conducted several interviews with Melisande discussing her work and cultural history legacy. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Preservation Work Underway - Pope County Historical Society
• Seeing Joy: Part 1 - Museum Notes
• Spring on the Farm - Robbinsdale Historical Society

From the Tube

This week's post is from Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

New Museum Site & Facility (Opening 2025-26)
Renderings of the new Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum to open in Fall 2025/Spring 2026 at Camp Ripley just north of Little Falls, MN. Watch Video »

More MN Tube posts

• Take a Road Trip Across America’s Queer History With Zaylore Stout - Minneculture
• March of the Governors #26: Edward Thye - Ramsey County Historical Society
• LBGT Love, Pear McClintock - African American Registry
• The Dakota Unfinished Dugout Canoe Wreck - Council for Minnesota Archaeology
• BookEnds Online Edition: Sharon Chmielarz - Wadena County Historical Society
• Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral Tour Highlights for Doors Open Minneapolis - Rethos
• Suomalainen SISU in the Finnish Schools: Exploring Finnish education from the Arctic Circle to Helsinki - Cokato Finnish American Historical Society
• Who Sat in a Fillebrown House Chair? - White Bear Lake Area Historical Society

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Administrative Assistant - MN History Center
• Setup Assistant - MN History Center
• Senior Labor Relations Specialist - MN History Center

LOCAL

• Chief Advancement Officer - National Eagle Center, Wabasha, MN
• Director of Marketing - Paramount Center for the Arts, St. Cloud, MN
• Advisor Recruitment Coordinator - Minnesota State Arts Board, St. Paul, MN
• Senior Manager, Annual Giving and Advancement Resources - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Gift Officer - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

REGIONAL

• State Museum Gallery Guide - Historical Society of North Dakota, Jamestown, ND
• On-Call Cultural Resources Field Tech - COGENT Infotech, Bismarck, ND
• Administrative Coordinator - African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, IA
• Architectural Historian - Museum Archeology Program, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
• Tax Credit Project Reviewer - Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
• Technical Illustration Specialist - Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Digital Archivist - Naper Settlement, Naperville, IL
• Director of Education and Outreach - National First Ladies Library, Canton, OH
• Collections & Research Manager - Trumbull County Historical Society, Warren, OH
• Manager of Community Programs - Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle, Doylestown, PA
• Executive Director - New England Museum Association, Boston, MA
• Oral Historian - National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
• Executive Director - Museum of Nebraska Art, Kearney, NE
• Museum Technician - Midwest Archeological Center, National Park Service, Lincoln, NE
• Payroll Benefits Administrator - Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• IT Support Technician - Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, MB
• Museum Technician - City of Waterloo Museum, Waterloo, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Marketing and Communications Intern - Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, Chicago, IL
• General Intern  - Winnipeg Police Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• Digital Collections Intern - Bill Reid Centre, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Image used with permission. From the collections of the Milaca Area Historical Society.

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

Exhibit: Charles Beck - Love for History
Now on display - Fergus Falls: Otter Tail County Historical Society
This exhibit brings together works by Charles Beck that are in the private collections of OTCHS members and in the OTCHS collection. The historical society has also updated their 2013 presentation “Tribute to Charles Beck.” The digital slideshow will be available to view throughout the run of the exhibit. For more information call 218-736-6038.

Presentation: Meet Beltrami through his Writings
June 15 @ 12 pm - Bemidji: Beltrami County Historical Society - Learn about the county’s namesake--the Italian explorer Giacomo Costantino Beltrami--through his writings, as Dr. John Welle presents on the man behind his writings, and why his works are relevant today, especially when they were met with criticism and even hostility during his lifetime. For more information call 218-444-3376.

80s Prom Fundraiser! 
June 17 - @ 7 to 10 pm - Maplewood: Maplewood Area Historical Society - If you like 80's music, snacks, and raising funds this event is for you. Drag Queen Miz Diagnosis will be the MC for the evening, and The HumanJukeBoxDJMO will be the 80s music DJ for the night. Costumes optional OPTIONAL, you do not need to be dressed in the 80s to attend. Cost: $60 dingle $100 pair. Learn more »

Event: Heritage Days Activities
June 17 @ 1 to 3 pm - Faribault: Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour - Belgian Horse Carriage Rides and Tour the Historic Cathedral with Lemonade & Cookies. The Cathedral is once again offering free horse-drawn carriage rides around Central Park. Afterwards, help yourself to a tour of the historic cathedral and some lemonade and cookies. Horse and carriage rides by Bob & Karen Matthies. Learn more »

Event: 16th Annual Hay Lake Beer Tasting
June 17 @ 4 to 7 pm - Scandia: Hay Lake School Museum - This year the breweries attending are Bent Brewstillery, Lift Bridge Brewery, Castle Danger, Joseph Wolf Brewery, East Lake Brewery, Surly Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewery, and Rustic Roots winery. Extra excitement will be the vintage baseball game at Lions Park next to the Hay Lake School from 12:30 until 4 pm. Cost: $20. The event is hosted by the Washington County Historical Society. Learn more »

Documentary: The Farmer-Labor Movement: - A Minnesota Story
This documentary will be broadcast by all six of the state’s PBS stations. It will air at 7 pm on June 18; June 25 at 1 am, 7 am; and 1 pm on the Minnesota Channel, including TPT 2.2 in the metro area. The documentary follows the ways farmers and workers overcame urban/rural and ethnic divisions to challenge the inequities and the commercial and political powers of their day. The movement established union bargaining rights, saved farms from foreclosure and founded state parks. The Farmer-Labor movement founded the most successful third-party in U.S. political history. Learn more »

Tour: Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Pelican Rapids
June 23 @ 7 pm - Fergus Falls: Otter Tail County Historical Society - The walking tour weaves together hidden architectural treasures along with the stories of people and events that define Pelican Rapids. The evolution of Pelican Rapids from a town populated by old stock Americans and Scandinavian immigrants to an ethnically diverse community is the story of America itself. Cost: $8. For more information call 218-736-6038.

The State Hospital During WWII
June 23 @ 6:30 to 7:30 pm - Fergus Falls: Otter Tail County Historical Society - Learn about the Fergus Falls State Hospital during WWII. From military service to rationing to war bond sales, the experiences of the people at the Kirkbride facility provide us with a microcosm of small-town America. Location: Fergus Falls Public Library. Learn more »

Benedictine Festival
June 24 @ 12 to 3 pm - St. Paul: Sisters of St. Benedict - This year marks the 75th year for the Sisters of St. Benedict location within St. Paul, and the 3rd annual Benedictine Festival is part of the related festivities. A historical display of some of the Sisters’ collections will also be up for viewing. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Beltrami Bicentennial
June 24 & 25 @ 7 am to 4 pm - Bemidji: Join in for two days of speakers, historians, programs, and artisans as they celebrate the 200th anniversary of Giacomo Beltrami's visit to Minnesota, his quest to find the source of the Mississippi, and the help and guidance he received from the Dakota, Métis, and Ojibwe to survive and thrive during his time here. The festivities will conclude with the Historical Society's Annual Meeting. Learn more »

Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste
June 24 @ 3 to 8 pm - Mendota: Sibley Historic Site - Traditionally celebrated on June 24, the Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste would include large bonfires, food, alcohol, trade, dancing, and singing by the French-Canadian and French fur traders. Come celebrate it at the Sibley Historic Site as old elements of the past and present traditions create a unique, new celebration honoring French-Canadians, Canadians, and French culture. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Como-Harriet Streetcar Line, operated by the Minnesota Streetcar Museum, Minneapolis, MN.
Photograph by Ben Franske, distributed under a GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.

Discussion of the Unfinished Revolution: Place, Environment, and Social Justice in the 250th
June 21 @ 2 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Members of AASLH's Climate & Sustainability Affinity Group share ideas about how the history of climate and the environment (and deepening understanding of environment and social justice connections) can inform research and development of public programming related to the U.S. Semiquincentennial. Cost: Free members/$15 nonmembers. Learn more »

NAGPRA Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning
June 21 & 28 @ 2 to 3:30 pm (CT) - Online: New England Museum Association - During this two-part workshop, participants will begin to identify Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) implementation needs and develop a plan to further compliance. Cost: $20 members/$30 nonmembers. Learn more »

Collaboration Between Museums and Indigenous Partners
June 22 @ 10 am (CT) - Online: Texas Historical Commission - Learn how one natural science museum worked collaboratively with an Indigenous Advisory Group composed of artists, teachers, and educators to open a new exhibition. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Taking Up Space: The Roots and Implications of Sizeism
June 27 @ 10 am to 12 pm (CT). Online: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - In this workshop, they explore sizeism and ableism through the intersectional lens of sexism, racism, and classism. Discussion of the implications of anti-fat bias in the workplace and learn to create inclusive spaces for bodies of all sizes. Cost: $45 members/$65 nonmembers. Learn more »

State Historic Tax Credits: Opportunities for Affordable Housing and Sustainability
June 29 @ 2 pm (CT) - Online: National Trust for Historic Preservation - Hear experts in the field of historic preservation, affordable housing, and sustainability share their perspectives and get the first look at a new report by the National Trust for Historic Preservation—State Historic Tax Credits: Opportunities for Affordable Housing and Sustainability. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Creating Virtual Learning Opportunities in Museums
July 3 - Online Course: Museum Study - This course will cover creating both synchronous and asynchronous programs, connecting with teachers, and some technical skills to ensure that you can support teachers and students virtually as they learn from you and your museum. By the end of the course, participants will have built several different virtual education programs that will be ready to use. Cost: $400. Learn more »

Reserves – What, Why, When, and How (Much?)
July 12 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Learn why reserves are valuable and for what purpose, the perennial question of how much, and some practical tools for managing and communications. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Getting Ready for Preservation Grant Season
July 13 @ 11:30 am to 12:30 pm (CT) - Online: Northeast Document Conservation Center - Many applications for U.S. preservation grant opportunities are due in the winter. Get a head start on the application process and join NEDCC for an overview of preservation grants, including eligible projects, important deadlines, and administrative steps, like creating a Grants.gov account. The presenter will also provide application tips that are useful for all programs, no matter the grant you plan to apply to. Cost: Free. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• This Juneteenth, Preserve Black History in Your Own Backyard - National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Interpreting Transgender Stories in Museums and Cultural Heritage Institutions - American Alliance of Museums

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Connecting Communities Digital Initiative
August 7 – (deadline): Library of Congress - Opportunities for Libraries, Archives, Museums, Higher Education, and Artists/Scholars in Residence. These grants encourage digital programs that add and amplify the stories of people whose voices have traditionally been minimized and innovatively incorporate Library collections. Individuals and educational and cultural institutions who seek to imaginatively remix and reuse the Library of Congress’ digital collections and create projects centering one or more of the following groups, Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander and/or other communities of color are invited to apply to award opportunities through this initiative. Learn more »

American Latino Museum Internship and Fellowship Initiative
August 7 - (deadline): Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) - This initiative is designed to provide opportunities for internships and fellowships at American Latino museums for students enrolled in Institutions of Higher Education, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The initiative will nurture students carrying out studies relating to American Latino life, art, history, and culture. Learn more »

Media Projects
August 9 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - The Media Projects program supports the development, production, and distribution of radio programs, podcasts, documentary films, and documentary film series  that engage general audiences with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. Media Projects offer two levels of funding: Development and Production. Learn more »

Public Humanities Projects
August 9 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - The Public Humanities Projects program supports projects that bring the ideas of the humanities to life for general audiences through public programming. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history. Learn more »

Archaeological Site Preservation Grants
November 1 – (deadline): Archaeological Institute of America - Funding is available to support projects that not only directly preserve archaeological sites, but those that also include public outreach and education components that create a positive impact on the local community, students, and the discipline of archaeology as a whole. Learn more »

NAHA Archives & NAHA Publications Fellowships
October 1 - (Deadline): Norwegian-American Historical Association - These fellowships provide support for research of the Norwegian-American experience. Learn more »

• NAHA Archives Fellowship - One award of up to $2,000 will be available for a specific research project by a graduate student or advanced career scholar.
• NAHA Publications Fellowship - One award of $2,500 is available for a specific research project to scholars at any stage of their career. 

News

"We Are Water MN" is Looking for Host Sites Next Year
Consider applying to become a 2023-24 We Are Water MN host site.

We Are Water MN is a traveling exhibit and suite of engagement tools designed to bridge divides across diverse understandings of our most precious resource: water. We Are Water MN is designed to broaden and deepen understanding of the many ways that water—its use, quality, and personal and cultural meanings—affect human life. With support from the Minnesota Humanities Center, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and six additional statewide partners—the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, Minnesota Historical Society, Board of Water and Soil Conservation, and University of Minnesota Extension—host sites develop a comprehensive engagement plan for the 2-month-long exhibit hosting period and beyond, focused on empowering community participants to co-create their We Are Water experience. The result is enhanced organizational capacity to help your community work across differences in shaping a shared future.

Applications open May 31, 2023, and close July 21, 2023. If you are interested in hosting We Are Water MN, contact Trygve Throntveit for more information. Learn more »

Minnesota State Archives May 2023 Acquisitions
A range of functions performed by state and local government agencies, and valuable for an array of research topics, are represented in records added this month to the State Archives.  

• Administration Department. Commissioner’s Office. Advisory opinions dated 1993-2008, 2014-2018. 3 boxes.
• Carver County. Chanhassen (village). Birth and death register dated 1900-1938. 1 bound volume.
• Legislature. Electronic Real Estate Recording Commission. 1 folder.
• Ombudsman for Corrections. Files of Theartrice Williams dated 1972-1989. 6 folders.
• Ramsey County. Parks and Recreation Commission. Meeting minutes and agenda items dated 1990-2003. 1 box. Tax Court.
• Tax Court. Closed (completed) decision files dated 2017-2019, and closed (completed) property taxes files dated 2011-2021 (bulk dated 2015-2021). 30 boxes.

Capital Investment Updates
Rethos - The MN Legislature has reached a deal on a capital investment package that will included both an "all-cash" bill as well as a traditional bonding bill. The total capital investment is expected to add up to $2.6 billion in spending for infrastructure and other building/construction/rehab projects for publicly owned and non-profit assets. We'll share a rundown of what this means for preservation at a future date. Continue reading »

Committee seeks new home for Owatonna High School Museum
Owatonna People's Press - As Owatonna High School prepares for the future, a small but passionate group is trying to preserve its history. The caretakers of the OHS Museum are currently seeking a new home for the collection as the district prepares for the school building’s 2024 demolition. For decades, the museum has preserved and displayed artifacts from local history at OHS, some dating back to the 19th century. Continue reading »

A glimpse into the past: Rochester's old state hospital
KIMT 3 - The City of Rochester is preparing to hire a consultant to conduct a context study of Rochester's old state hospital from funds awarded by a historical grant. Molly Patterson-Lundgren, who is with the city's community development department, said three locations are of key interest. Continue reading »

Featured Book The Butcher, The Embezzler, and The Fall Guy by Gretchen Eberhart Cherington. Minnesota Historical Society Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History Minnesota is Open to Everything - Queer Hmong and the Politics of Community Formation in the Diaspora Volume 66, Issue 6, 2019	Featured Article MNopedia Three Thousand Years of Building 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.

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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