Local History News: June 28, 2023

Field Note

Heritage Preservation staff went to Mora, MN to visit with the Kanabec County Historical Society to talk about preservation projects and other needs. In the picture, staff members consult with members from the Kanabec County Historical Society about damage to the historic Coin School building resulting from moisture issues due to water in the basement.

NO LOCAL HISTORY NEWS NEXT WEEk

Local History News will be taking a break next week, July 5, to enjoy the fireworks and fashion festiveness on our nation's birthday.We'll be back on July 12, hopefully with all fingers intact.

Heritage Preservation Grants

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants Manual Revisions
Legacy Manual updated for fiscal years 2024-25

The Grants Office conducts a thorough review and revises the manual accordingly ahead of each new biennium to ensure that the program follows Legislative directives and intent. The Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants Manual version 8.0 will be posted soon. Contact the Grants Office with questions.
Version 8.0 changes:

• Heritage Preservation Department name changed to Heritage Preservation, Planning, and Outreach.
• The 2023 Legislature added new requirements for Legacy grantees to provide greater public access to programs, exhibits, and events.
• ‘What is funded’ - use standard federal GSA rates when appropriate.
• Grantee must ensure that final product(s) are held by and findable in at least one Minnesota-based repository with public hours and public access.
• Glossary term added: Repository.
• Diverse groups identified for DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: D&I questions to be
  answered on large grant requests are included here.
• Which required documents needed are updated for INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
• Process to request a second or supplemental microfilm reader detailed under DIGITAL CONVERSION & REPRODUCTION.
• Collections storage/rehousing projects moved to COLLECTIONS CARE AND
  MANAGEMENT.
• For all MUSEUM ENVIRONMENTS AND CONSERVATION proposals to install
  equipment: a diagram of current conditions and all proposed alterations is required.
• National Register nomination form is now a required document for HISTORIC
  PROPERTIES.
  
  

Grants Office Webinar: Answering the Diversity & Inclusion Questions for the Large Round application.
Tuesday, July 11 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: July 21 is the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage large grant mandatory deadline. The diversity and inclusion questions on the application can present a challenge to applicants. This webinar will discuss the D&I topic and ways to answer these questions usefully. We want to help you apply to this competitive round and we’ll take any other questions about the application if you have them. 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#

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 Scott County Historical Society. Have a blog? Let us know!

As I Remember: Jordan Breweries
Frederick Heiland took a homestead in the Jordan area in the late 1850s. He came from Leipzig in the German province of Saxony, where he had been a brewmaster. After establishing himself on a farm for some years, he moved to Jordan shortly after the Civil War to join a Mr. Berk, who ran a small brewery on the south end of Jordan on Highway 21.

Berk had begun to build caves back into the hills behind his building. There, the temperature was constant and conditions were ideal for aging the beer. Frederick Heiland took complete control of the business around 1873, and in a short time, enlarged the caves to their present 300-foot lengths. He installed ventilation for them to the tops of the hills. Frederick died in 1881, and his widow and children hired a German immigrant, a Mr. Piemeisel, to manage the business. In 1890, Piemeisel retired, and Frederick’s oldest son, John, took over. William Koschel, another German immigrant and expert brewmaster, as well as a good friend of Jacob Schmidt of Schmidt’s Company, helped run the operation.  Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Pope County Photographers: Voss Sisters - Pope County Historical Society
• A shapeless state - Minnesota Brown
• Sanborn Terrace and Victory View  - Robbinsdale Historical Society
• The Bell Room is back with a new look - U of MN Libraries
• New MDL Primary Source Set on Carte de Visites - MN Digital Library News

From the Tube

This week's post is from MinnCulture. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

"You do not have to do this alone": A History of Women's Advocates
While answering the phones at St. Paul’s Legal Aid office in the early 1970s, a group of VISTA workers stumbled across an enormous problem. Call after call, women who suffered violence at home had no safe place to go with their kids. Despite the danger, VISTA workers brought families into their own homes. They formed the nonprofit Women’s Advocates and raised enough money to buy a house on Grand Avenue in St. Paul—one of the first shelters in the country for women fleeing domestic violence. Listen to podcast »

More MN Tube posts

• Cassandra Yoo: Immigrant Stories - Immigration History Research Center, U of MN
• Walnut Grove: Amasa and Julia Tower - Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum
• MN in the Global War on Terrorism: Post-9/11 Profiles - Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum
• Hidden Scenes: Small Business Archaeology and Another Remarkable Month - Nienow Cultural Consultants
• Designer's Talk: The First 10 Years of Guthrie Costume Design - Hennepin History Museum
• Archaeologies of Collecting Institutions - Council for Minnesota Archaeology
• Dalton Creamery and Opera House - Otter Tail County Historical Society
• Reconsidering Fire in the BWCAW - Gunflint Trail Historical Society Chik-Wauk Museum
• Presbyterian Pride - Presbyterian Historical Society 

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Facilities Maintenance Technician - Mill City Museum
• Digitization Technician, Collections - Minnesota History Center
• Site Guide I - Oliver Kelley Farm

LOCAL

• Assistant Director of Security - Scheduling & Security Systems - Minneapolis Institute of Art,  Minneapolis, MN
• Senior Manager, Annual Giving and Advancement Resources - Minneapolis Institute of Art,  Minneapolis, MN
• IT Systems Engineer - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
• Deputy Director of Libraries - City of Saint Paul, St. Paul, MN

REGIONAL

• University Archivist - Iowa State University, Ames, IA
• Collections Archivist - Iowa Women’s Archives, University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City, IA
• Public Information Officer - State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND
• Camp Hancock Weekend Interpreter - State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND
• Tax Credit Reviewer - Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office, Madison, WI
• Chief Executive Officer - Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Interdisciplinary (Cultural Resources Manager) - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, National Park Service, Bayfield, WI 

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Publications and Marketing Contractor - National Council on Public History, Remote
• Office Coordinator and Registrar - National Public Housing Museum, Chicago, IL
• Curator of Cultural History - Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN
• Archivist, Electronic Records - Ohio History Center, Columbus, OH
• Education Curator and Volunteer Manager - Tri-Cities Historical Museum, Grand Haven, MI
• Archivist - Rolla Research Center, State Historical Society of Missouri, Rolla, MO
• Assistant Curator - The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, Kansas City, MO
• Museum Curator (Costume & Textile History) - National Museum of American History, Washington, DC
• Curator - Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, VA
• Digital Transformation Project Coordinator - Yukon Historical & Museums Association, Whitehorse, YK

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Image used with permission. From the collections of the Sandstone Historical Society.

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

Music & Memories: A Look Back at the Mankato Music Scene
July through December - Blue Earth County Historical Society - This exhibit celebrates the rich musical heritage of Mankato, paying homage to the influential artists, lost venues, and cherished memories that shaped the local community. The exhibit boasts an array of artifacts, including albums, photographs, posters, and other ephemera, meticulously curated to encapsulate the essence of Mankato’s musical past. Learn more »

Craft Demonstrators
Now through August 26 - Chisholm: Minnesota Discovery Center - On Fridays and Saturdays through August 26 step back in time and catch a glimpse of what life was like on the early Iron Range. Spinning, weaving, and sewing demonstrators will be onsite showcasing their crafts for all to see. Learn more »

History Cruise: Classic Boat Parade
July 10 @ 6 pm to 8 pm - Excelsior: Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society - During the Classic Boat Parade, vintage boats will be featured as they cruise beside “The Lady of the Lake,” giving passengers an up-close look at these historic vessels. The parade will be coordinated by Dave Bortner and members of the Land-O-Lakes Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society. Cost: $22.50 members/$37.50 nonmembers. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Mitson Museum and Library, operated by the Canton Historical Society, Canton, MN.

Workshop: Introduction to the Care of Outdoor Metal Collections with CCI
June 29 @ 12 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: BC Museums Association - This three-part webinar series provides a general overview of metal objects, such as public art and architecture, that are usually found outdoors. Included is information about the properties of metals and how to identify them, as well as a discussion of common causes of degradation, corrosion products, and outdoor environments that cause corrosion. Cost: $20. Learn more »

Tribal Collaboration, Sovereignty, and Methodology: An Ndee (Apache) Perspective
June 29 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: Texas Historical Commission - Learn what terms like “sovereignty” mean to Tribal Nations, and how Tribes are asserting their own forms of sovereignty, leading to better understandings of Indigenous pasts, present, and futures. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Collections Management: Cataloging Your Collection
July 3 to 31 - Online course: Northern States Conservation Center - Cataloging may not be the most exciting museum task, but it is among the most important. Procedures for handling, measuring, and describing all types of objects and materials are discussed in detail. Participants receive sample forms and learn the best practices for numbering artifacts, performing an inventory, and assessing the condition of objects. Participants practice describing everyday objects and cataloging items from their own collections or households. Cost: $499. Learn more »

Integrated Pest Management for Museums, Libraries and Archives
July 3 to August 11 - Online course: Northern States Conservation Center - The only thing worse than mice or cockroaches in your kitchen is finding them in your museum collection. Participants in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Museums, Libraries, and Archives learn low-toxicity methods of controlling infestations. IPM is the standard method for treating incoming items and monitoring holdings. The course covers pest identification, insects, rodents, birds, bats, other mammals, and mold infestations, as well as other problems raised by participants. Cost: $499. Learn more »

Critical Conversation - Starting with the Indigenous | Emphasis on Place
July 10 @ 6 to 8:30 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Humanities Center - Join Indigenous leaders Christina Woods, Executive Director of the Duluth Art Institute, and Kate Beane, Executive Director of the Minnesota Museum of American Art, who will engage participants in deep dialogue about Indigenous issues related to place and land. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Care of Tin-Mercury Amalgam Mirrors
July 19 @ 12 pm - Online: Connecting to Collections Care - This webinar will highlight current practices for the safe handling and preventive conservation of  tin-mercury amalgam mirrors, and how to manage the risks posed by these objects while allowing for their exhibition. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Online Museum Interpretation: It’s Not Going Away…Ever!
July 24 @ 9 to 10 am (CT) - Online: Ohio Museums Association - Get tips and tricks for creating fun and exciting content on a shoestring, engaging museum staff as content creators, making it all accessible, and most importantly–being okay with things being “okay” (and not perfect). Cost: Free. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• The Value of Traveling Exhibits Infographic - American Alliance of Museums

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Arts Experiences
July 21 - (deadline): Minnesota State Arts Board - This pilot program supports individuals and organizations in providing meaningful arts experiences for Minnesotans within their communities. Funds may be used for a variety of arts programming such as creating and/or presenting concerts, plays, tours, exhibitions, arts festivals, public art, or other kinds of activities. Learn more »

Creative Individuals Round #2 
July 28 - (deadline): Minnesota State Arts Board - This pilot program provides support to help individual artists and culture bearers develop or sustain their creative practices and meaningfully engage with Minnesotans. Grantees may use funds to support their creative practice and meaningfully connect to and engage with audiences, participants, students, and/or communities during the grant period. Learn more »

Our Town Grant
August 3 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Arts - For projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities. Learn more »

Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research
September 28 - (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 »

News

The people behind the history: Meet some of the staff from the Otter Tail County Historical Society
Fergus Falls Journal - The Otter Tail County Historical Society is vital to preserving the rich history of our region. It was organized during a gathering at Amor Park on July 31, 1927. The county courthouse basement served as the headquarters for many years until Underwood native John Gronner started a county-wide fundraiser to build the museum. The museum has grown and updated over the years thanks to many people’s generosity of time and funds. Continue reading »

Beltrami Bicentennial honors 200 years with stories of Italian explorer's life and journeys
Bemidji Pioneer - Worlds and cultures came together over the weekend as the Beltrami County Historical Society celebrated the 200th anniversary of Giacomo Costantino Beltrami’s exploration of the region. Continue reading »

Dance and mixed media, ski jumping, tornado, tattoo artist
KSMQ Public Television - In this episode of Off 90, we learn about a dance and mixed media project in Rochester, the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum in Red Wing, the town of Taopi's recovery from a tornado, and a tattoo artist in Mankato. Watch episode »

Featured Book Gunflint Falling: Blowdown in the Boundary Waters by Cary J. Griffith. Minnesota Historical Society Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History The "Historic Fight": The Struggle to Control St. Paul Charity Volume 58, Issue 8, 2003–04	Featured Article MNopedia Red Wing's "Stone Age" 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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