Field Note

The 2025 Minnesota Main Street Conference in Duluth’s Lincoln Park brought people together to discuss Main Street programs and community work. Attendees met at local venues, heard talks on retail and community topics, and shared information about grant funding. The event included presentations, tours of the district, and group meals. Participants exchanged ideas and learned from each other’s experiences, focusing on ways to support Main Streets across Minnesota. National expert Michele Reeves of Civilis Consultants presented the keynote “The Science of Retail” and our own Ryan Maciej and Todd Mahon presented on “Legacy Grant Funding for Main Street Communities.”

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: Sediment Mapping of Archaeologically Significant Lakes on the Coteau des Prairies in Southwestern Minnesota
This project used grant funding to complete a sonar survey of Lake Benton and Lake Hendricks in southwestern Minnesota. The survey mapped the depth and composition of sediments beneath the lake floors to identify locations for collecting sediment cores. The work took place in spring and summer 2024 and helped clarify where the oldest and thickest sediment deposits are located.

The survey showed that a previous core from Lake Benton had sampled only the edge of the deepest sediment area. Using the new survey data, researchers collected new sediment cores as part of a related project. These cores matched well with the subsurface features seen in the seismic survey, confirming the value of the mapping.

This project supports the research on the more than 10,000-year record of human presence in southwestern Minnesota. The shifting climate and environmental changes since the end of the last Ice Age played a critical role cultural changes and adaptations for people living in the region. By identifying where complete sediment sequences are preserved, the project makes it possible to link environmental changes to the long history of human activity in the area. The survey data and methods will help future research on climate, environment, and archaeology in the region.
Recipient: Science Museum of Minnesota
Amount Funded: $8,865
Project Details

June Grants Office Webinar: Do Grant Projects Model Trends in History Work?
June 26 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: Join the Grants Office for a discussion on how recent grant projects reflect important trends in historical practice and community engagement. The field of history is evolving to better meet contemporary needs and priorities. We'll examine a few case studies that showcase innovative approaches to history work. This session will be valuable whether you're preparing your first grant application or looking to strengthen future proposals for effective history projects. Presented by Grants Specialist John Fulton. Reminder: The Minnesota Historical Society celebrates Juneteenth on June 19. This month’s webinar will be held on Thursday, June 26. 
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com
Join by phone: ‪(US) +1 386-361-3086‬  PIN: ‪420 891 978‬#

Small Grant Deadline
Applications for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants quarterly small grant round (requests of $10,000 and less) will be due Friday, July 11, 2025. Contact the Grants Office with questions.

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 18, 2025. This is a required part of the large grant application process. Contact the Grants Office with questions.

Grants Office YouTube Playlist »

From the Blog

This week's blog post is from the Ramsey County Historical Society. Have a blog? Let us know!

A Family Reclaims Its Heritage: Growing Up with Anna Belle Rideaux
Whether material or spiritual, experiencing loss changes people, families, and communities. This article examines how losing a matriarch impacted her descendants and the Rondo neighborhood. What was gained from loss, what has vanished forever, and what does a community and family strive to reclaim?

I never knew my great-grandmother, Anna Belle Hitt Rideaux, but as a little girl growing up in the 1990s and early 2000s, I heard wonderful stories of Anna Belle and the family she and my great-grandfather, James, raised in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. She seemed like a dream to me.

• Great-grandmother Anna Belle was a talented businesswoman, sewing elegant dresses and handsome suits from her home and later owning her own women’s dress shop;
• She opened her house to Black travelers looking for an affordable and safe place to stay;
• She, with James, owned a country club in the St. Croix River Valley and invited friends, family, and travelers to enjoy time in Wisconsin’s great outdoors; and
• Great-grandmother Anna Belle was most certainly THE “Belle of the Ball” at local social and family events.

Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Riverside Park Staircase - Minneapolis Park History
• MDL celebrates 20 years of preserving history, including the resorts of Douglas County's Chain of Lakes - Minnesota Digital Library News
• Kraus-Anderson and the Milwaukee Road - Kraus-Anderson
• Unfolding History: Celebrating Minnesota’s Flags with Color and Meaning - Beltrami County Historical Society
• Why Archiving Matters: Understanding the Full Lifecycle of Media Preservation - MN Media Arts
• In the News, part 1: The Gulf of Mexico - U of MN Libraries
• What’s in a name - Washington County Historical Society

From the Tube

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

More MN Tube posts

• Ghost of the Upper Mississippi River - MinneCulture
• Grace Campbell and the Bank Robbery - Anoka County Historical Society
• HORA Romanian American Cultural Center Tour - Heritage of Romanian-Americans of Minnesota
• It Happened Right Here: St. Paul - Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest
• Minn CWRT 2025 Symposium - Winschel, Tragedy Of Errors: The Failures Of The Confederate High Command - Minnesota Civil War Round Tables
• Rube Bjorkman Part 3 Life After the Olympics - Warroad Heritage Center

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

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

LOCAL

• Museum Director - Giiwedinong Museum and Cultural Center of the North, Park Rapids, MN
• Executive Director - Giiwedinong Museum and Cultural Center of the North, Park Rapids, MN
• Assistant Registrar - Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
• Planetarium Educator - Bell Museum, St. Paul, MN

REGIONAL

• Accountant-Journey - Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
• Collections Care and Access Assistant - Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, WI
• Director of Operations - South Dakota State Railroad Museum, Hill City, SD
• Senior Librarian - City of Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls, SD
• State Librarian - Department of Administrative Services, Des Moines, IA
• Heritage Center Museum Store Weekend Clerk - State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND 

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Education Support Specialist - Museum of the Grand Prairie - Mahomet, IL
• Historical Research Specialist - Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Springfield, IL
• Vice President for Public Engagement - Newberry Library, Chicago, IL
• Out of School Time Program Manager - Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Indianapolis, IN
• Museum Supervisor - Bicycle Museum of America, New Bremen, OH
• Curatorial Assistant - Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, MI
• Digital Communications Manager - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Resource Protection Officer - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photography - Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, MO
• Exhibits Manager - Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, NE
• External Affairs and Membership Coordinator - Spencer Museum of Art, Lawrence, KS
• Assistant Curator - McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Postdoctoral Fellow in Paleontology - Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI
• Fellowship - To support academic research in the collections of the Swedish Emigrant Institute, Växjö which houses Sweden’s largest collection of manuscript and archival materials covering the Swedish migration to North America 1850-1930. 

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Crystal Theater, Robbinsdale, MN in 1927. Southwest corner of 42nd and West Broadway.
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Robbinsdale Historical Society.

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

Millions of Minnesota Artists Writing Series – Brenda Ueland
June 17 @ 6 to 7:30 pm - Mankato: Blue Earth County History Center - Explore the life and work of journalist and writing teacher Brenda Ueland in this workshop led by writer J. Anderson. Participants will learn about Ueland’s history, engage in creative writing, and share their stories. No preparation needed—bring a notebook and writing utensil. Cost: $10 members/$15 nonmembers. Learn more »

5th Annual Juneteenth Observance at Rondo
June 19 @ 12 pm to 5 pm - St. Paul: Rondo Center of Diverse Expressions - Celebrate Juneteenth at the Rondo Commemorative Plaza with the theme “The Journey of Four Families.” Enjoy new exhibit panels, speeches from public officials, Spirit of Rondo awards, food vendors, and community exhibitors. Programmed events run from 2 to 3:30 pm. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Juneteenth Brunch & Conversation with Sherrilyn Ifill
June 19 @ 9:15 to 11:15 am - Minneapolis: Minnesota Humanities Center - Enjoy a delicious brunch and an inspiring conversation with renowned civil rights lawyer and scholar Sherrilyn Ifill, current Vernon Jordan Professor of Law at Howard University and former President of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Hear insights on racial justice, democracy, and her influential work. Two meal options available. Location: Quincy Hall. Cost: $100. Learn more »

Women Elected to Lead: Voices from Local Government
June 21 @ 10 am - Bemidji: Beltrami County History Center - Join a panel featuring former Bemidji mayor Rita Albrecht, current Bemidji City Council member Gwenia Fiskevold-Gould, and former Cass Lake mayor Elaine Fleming as they discuss the challenges and rewards of women in local government. Moderated by historian Lois Jenkins. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Juneteenth Family Day at the Minnesota State Capitol
June 21 @ 12 to 6 pm - St. Paul: ANIKA Foundation - Celebrate Juneteenth with a vibrant community event honoring the culture, history, and legacy of People of African Descent in Minnesota. Enjoy music, food, family activities, and reflections on our shared heritage. Hosted in partnership with Ramsey County. Location: Minnesota State Capitol. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Opening Reception: Recent & Past Works from Brock Larson that Capture Northern Life
June 20 @ 5 to 7 pm - Grand Marais: Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, Historic Cook County - Celebrate Duluth artist Brock Larson’s exhibit featuring realistic paintings and drawings that capture the light, mood, and nature of northern life. The gallery exhibit will run from June 21 to July 13. Refreshments provided. Learn more »

Scandinavian Festival
June 20 & 21 - Moorhead: Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County - Celebrate Nordic heritage at the annual Scandinavian Festival, featuring Norway as the showcased nation in honor of the Bicentennial of Norwegian immigration to the U.S. Learn more »

Tour the Lepak/Larson House Museum
June 21 @ 10 am to 12 pm - Shoreview: Shoreview Historical Society - Enjoy a guided tour of the 1930s–40s Lepak/Larson House Museum and learn about early 1900s life in Shoreview from Board members. Cost: Not specified. Learn more »

Crossings and Connections Conference: Film Festival Explores Migration
June 22 @ all day - Northfield: Norwegian American Historical Association at St. Olaf College - Experience a diverse selection of dramas, documentaries, and shorts exploring migration to, from, and within Norway and the United States. The festival fosters dialogue and understanding through powerful storytelling, with multiple screenings throughout the day. Cost: $20 general public (without conference registration). Learn more »

A Dive Into Unitary Executive Theory: Presidential Powers and Limitations
June 24 @ 3 to 4 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society - Explore the origins and development of the unitary executive theory in this CLE panel featuring legal scholars Christine Chabot, Heidi Kitrosser, and Nick Bednar. Discussion includes founding-era history, executive accountability, and recent Supreme Court interest. Location: Minnesota Judicial Center - Room 230. Cost: Free members/$25 nonmembers. Learn more »

History on the River: The Clamming and Pearl Button Industry
June 26 @ 4 to 5:30 pm & 6 to 7:30 pm - Winona: Winona County Historical Society (Cal Fremling Cruise Boat) - Experience the story of the Mississippi River’s clamming and pearl button industry as storyteller Terry Visger, in character as a clammer’s wife from 1900, shares tales of river life, mussel harvesting, and button making. Learn about the industry’s history, its impact on freshwater mussels, and why these animals are now endangered. Cost: $35–$45. Learn more »

Stories from Jewish Elders
June 29 @ 1 to 3 pm - St. Louis Park: Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest - Retired Judge Allen Oleisky and attorney Dick Hunegs share memories of practicing law as young Jewish lawyers in the 1950s and 60s. Location: Beth El Synagogue. RSVP to history@jhsum.org. 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: Spring Valley Methodist Church Museum, operated by the Spring Valley Community Historical Society, Spring Valley, MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

AASLH History Hour: Walking Tours
June 24 @ 2 to 3:15 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Join Dr. Michael Dove of Western University for a discussion on walking tours at museums, historic sites, and public spaces. The session includes a brief presentation and small group brainstorming on tour content, accessibility, and audiences. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Get the House in Order – Proactive Risk Mitigation for Nonprofits
June 25 @ 8:45 am to 3:30 pm (CT) - Online: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - This full-day online training features four sessions on state registration, records management, financial reporting, and good governance practices to help nonprofit leaders maintain 501(c)(3) status and organizational integrity. Designed for nonprofit finance, operations, HR leaders, executives, and board members. Cost: $135 members / $175 nonmembers. Learn more »

Preserving Our Past As Place-Based Care Work
June 26 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Connecting to Collections Care - Learn from preservation professionals Rita Cofield and Deqah Hussein-Wetzel about building long-term relationships with communities and using holistic approaches to archive and honor hyper-local, non-dominant oral histories, especially those of people of color. Gain practical techniques for strengthening archival collections and redressing urban inequities, with a focus on small and mid-sized cultural institutions. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Sanborn Maps
July 7 @ 5 pm (CT) - Online: Backlog - Archivist Brittany Fox explores the origins and uses of Sanborn maps, originally created for fire insurance but now essential for historical and archival research. Learn how to find, read, and interpret these detailed maps, with real-world examples for research and preservation. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Managing Cash Flow
July 8 @ 9 to 11 am (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits - This workshop will help you anticipate and prepare for the ebb and flow of cash coming in and going out of your organization and identify ways to avoid and manage cash flow challenges. Cost: $70. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• A guide to what the Juneteenth holiday is and how to celebrate it - Minnpost

UPCOMING STATE and REGIONAL CONFERENCES

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

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 »

Hometown Grants
T-Mobile - Applications are open for grants of up to $50,000 each to revitalize community spaces in towns with 50,000 people or less. Applications are open on a quarterly basis. Learn more »

National Trust Community Investment Corporation New Markets Tax Credits
National Trust Community Investment Corporation, a tax credit syndicator, operates by forming a legal partnership with a developer of historic real estate that results in NTCIC making an equity investment in the project in exchange for receiving rights to the federal tax credits generated by the rehabilitation of the property. This is similar to what can be done with state historic tax credits. Combining state and/or federal historic tax credits with the federal New Markets Tax Credit is also a possibility if the project is located in a low-income census tract. Learn more »

Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »

News

Vintage Museum Photo: The former Brown County Museum - two years after the Brown County Historical Society moved into the Old Post Office building and two years before the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame moved into this building. New Ulm 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.

What's New in the Archives
Here is the latest from archival cataloging for May. It includes newly cataloged materials, newly digitized collections or parts of collections, and recently updated finding aids.

Collections with additions or added digital content this month include the Alvin W. Boese Papers; the Ruth Cutler Family Papers; the Hennepin County Medical Examiner Coroner Record Books/Medical Examiner Reports; the Northern Pacific Railway Company President's Records; the Timothy J. Penny Congressional, Legislative, and Personal Papers; and the War Records Commission World War I Military Service Lists; the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board Various Records; and the Municipal Board Various Records. In addition, there are many newly encoded finding aids that are now available online for the first time. Learn more »

Highlighted Gale Library Social Media Posts:

• Sinclair Lewis
• Ruth Cutler Life Motion Photograph
• 3M Scotch Tape Ads
  
  

Minnesota State Archives Acquisitions
Records added in the month of May to the State Archives document a number of different functions and will be useful for a variety of research topics, including services provided to Minnesota's senior citizens, local and family history, and delivery of public education services in rural Minnesota. Learn more »

1. Aging Board. Program operations committee meeting files dated 1995-2001.
2. Isanti County. Independent School District No. 314 (Braham). Community task force records (meeting minutes, reports, correspondence) dated 1982-1983, and school board agenda packets dated July 1983-June 1992.
3. Itasca County. Sheriff. Jail register dated 1893-1896.

“We Are Water MN” - Host Community Application
Deadline extended to July 12: 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 »

Once-forgotten pits could be the most significant Indigenous archaeological site in southern Minnesota
Star Tribune - Tucked in a wooded glen among the farm fields of southeastern Minnesota lies the answer to a mystery hundreds of years old. It’s a series of pits, the remnants of an ancient Native American quarry. There, people likely gathered from hundreds of miles over thousands of years to dig up a type of flint called chert, used to make everyday tools. Continue reading »

Maple Grove Historical Preservation Society selected to host the U of M exhibit
Sun Newspapers - The Maple Grove Historical Preservation Society is proud to announce that it has been selected by the University of Minnesota’s Digital Library to be the inaugural host of the University's newest traveling exhibit: “Minnesota Seedswomen 1890s-1900s.” Continue reading »

1,500-plus murals created after George Floyd’s killing live on in Minneapolis
Star Tribune - An 8-foot plywood board painted in blue, orange and red leaned against a wood frame. “NAMES MATTER,” it read. Then the names: Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd. And “too many more.” For four years, this mural lived at the Black woman-owned Beauty Lounge in Uptown. Memorialize the Movement Executive Director Leesa Kelly, 27, stopped by in 2021, and every year after that, letting them know she’d be happy to take the mural for safekeeping. Continue reading »

Featured Book Making Mill City: Flour and Fortune in Minneapolis by Robert M. Frame III. University of Minnesota Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History Democratic Will; Individual Cunning: The Secret History of Voter Registration in Minnesota Volume 69, Issue 5, 2025	Featured Article MNopedia Flour City Ornamental Iron Works Strike, 1935 Featured MNopedia Article	Minnesota Unraveled History on Two Wheels: Bicycles and Bike Paths in Minnesota Episode 111

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.

Subscribe to Local History News
Use Local History News as part of your online tools to stay connected to your colleagues while working from home. Know someone who could benefit from this newsletter?
Have them sign up »