9 min read

Local History News: March 22, 2023

Joe Hoover Mar 22, 2023 11:11:00 AM

Local History News - Minnesota Historical Society, Heritage Preservation

Field Note

Staff from Heritage Preservation, Planning and Outreach was at the Richfield Historical Society to talk with staff and board members about preservation work on the Bartholomew House, a historic house museum on the National Register of Historic Places. Pictured is MNHS Design Reviewer Ryan Maciej and Richfield Historical Society Executive Director Amber Lattanzio.

Heritage Preservation Grants

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

ONLINE: April Grants Open House
April 6 - 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 support to our community. We encourage people to RSVP to Gillian by email 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 »

From the Blog

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

Black and White photo of young woman in white smock dress leaning against log cabin. Wheat field in the background with pine trees in far distance copy

Unknown woman
Today [March 8th] is International Women's Day! Starting in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality. Continue Reading »

From the Tube

This week's post is from Ramsey County Historical Society. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

March of the Governors, Governor #24: Elmer Austin Benson
We are unlikely to see a politician like Elmer Benson ever again. The small-town, left-wing banker served briefly as a US Senator before becoming governor. He was a genuine political radical who advocated replacing capitalism in Minnesota with a “cooperative commonwealth.” The first time he ran for governor of Minnesota in 1936, he won by a landslide. The next time, in 1938, he lost by a landslide. In between, he battled with the legislature, filled state jobs with Farmer-Labor party workers, and once endorsed an occupation of the state senate chambers by Farmer-Laborites demanding action. Benson lived a long life (1895-1985) and never repented of anything. Listen to podcast »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

Site Guide I - Split Rock Lighthouse

LOCAL

Request for Qualifications for Consultant on the North Heritage Trail Expansion - St Anthony Falls Heritage Board & St Anthony West Neighborhood Organizations, Minneapolis, MN
Summer Camp Counselor - The Bakken Museum, Minneapolis, MN
Development Associate - Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
Arts and Culture Programs Coordinator - American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis, MN
Administrative Assistant - Pavek Museum, St. Louis Park, MN
Executive Director - Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, Waseca, MN
Development Director - History Theatre, St. Paul, MN
Curator - Rice County Historical Society, Faribault, MN
Curator - Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth, MN
Executive Director - Chippewa County Historical Society, Montevideo, MN
Summer STEM Educator - The Works Museum, Bloomington, MN

REGIONAL

Product Manager - Wisconsin Historical Society, State of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Tax Credit Reviewer - Wisconsin Historical Society, State of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Experience Facilitator - Old World Wisconsin, Eagle, WI
Technician Digitization & Research - Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, WI
Visitor Services Coordinator - Pentacrest Museums, Iowa City, IA
Museum Communications Coordinator - University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art, Iowa City, IA
Agriculture Supervisor - Living History Farms, Urbandale, IA
Executive Director - Journey Museum and Learning Center, Rapid City, SD

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Executive Director - Glen Ellyn Historical Society, Glen Ellyn, IL
Farm & Horticulture Coordinator - Hale Farm & Village, Bath, OH
Interpreter - Harding Presidential Sites, Marion, OH
Editor in Chief - Historical Society of Michigan, Lansing, MI
Associate Painting Conservator - CRDN, Detroit, MI
Archeologist - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, NE
Director of Granting - Manitoba Arts Council, Winnipeg, MB
Executive Director - Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Winnipeg, MB
Museum Services Manager - Dalnavert Museum, Winnipeg, MB
President & CEO - Canada's National History, Winnipeg, MB
Visitor Experience Associate - Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

Board members - St. Louis County Historical Society, Duluth, MN
Museum Education Assistant Internship - State Historical Museum of Iowa, Des Moines, IA
Historical Library Internship - State Historical Museum of Iowa, Des Moines, IA

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Olmsted County Sheriffs Department in 1954
Image used with permission. From the collections of the History Center of Olmsted County.

Be sure to check with each organization for COVID-19 updates and safety measures for in-person events.

Presentation: Doug Ohman Featured Speaker at Washington County Historical Society Annual Meeting
March 23 - Stillwater: 5:30 pm. Washington County Historical Society - Travel throughout the State of Minnesota with photographer/storyteller Doug Ohman. Doug will share images and stories for many types of landmarks that are endangered and disappearing from the landscape. Doug's presentation style will be sure to entertain and bring back memories for many as we travel back in time. Cost: $25 members/$30 nonmembers. Learn more »

When Teachers Broke the Law
March 23 - Online: 7 pm (CT). Ramsey County Historical Society - The 1970 Minneapolis Teachers’ Strike had a profound effect on Minnesota labor relations and political history. Join William Green, Professor Emeritus of History at Augsburg University for a look back at a tumultuous chapter of Minnesota history. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Drafting a Maintenance Plan
March 23 - St. Paul: 6:30 to 8 pm. Rethos - The best way to prevent unexpected and expensive rehab projects is proactive maintenance. In this class, you’ll learn what home maintenance tasks you should do on a seasonal or annual basis. This class will arm you with a manageable checklist, resources, and a maintenance schedule. Cost: $10. Learn more »

Presentation: Genealogy 101
March 23 - South St. Paul/Online: 5:30 pm (CT). Dakota County Historical Society - Mica Anders of Anders Genealogical Services will cover some of the skills and records used in basic genealogy. Cost: $5 members/$10 nonmembers. Learn more »

Event: 10th Annual Civil War Symposium
March 25 - Mankato: 9 am to 5 pm. Friends of the Boy in Blue Civil War Memorial - This year's theme is "The Tide Turns – 1863," and features a full day of speakers, costumed interpreters, Civil War era music, exhibits, books and authors, panel discussions, and more. Special guest speakers are author Tamara Thayer, presenting The Mystery of Barbara Fritchie: A True Patriot; and Col. Gary Carlberg, presenting The Controversial Major General George Meade. Cost: $25 members/$30 nonmembers. Location: Morson-Ario-Strand VFW. Learn more »

Event: Rosie the Riveter Day
March 25 - Superior WI: 10 am. Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center - All are welcome to join in a day of celebration of 'Rosie the Riveter' and her impact on women. See 'Women in the Workforce' reenactors & a WASPS presentation by aviation historian, author, and pilot, Frederick Beseler, sharing stories of how Women changed the landscape in male-dominated industries. Learn more »

Exhibit Closing: Celebrate! Soiree
March 25 - Shakopee: 6:30 to 9 pm. Scott County Historical Society - The evening offers guests a last chance to explore the exhibition "Celebrate!" which celebrates the ways Scott County residents have been coming together to celebrate life, love, and community from the 1880s to today. The evening will then progress just a few blocks away to Turtle's 1890 Social Centre for light refreshments, fun activities, and a short program. Cost: $25 members/$30 nonmembers. Learn more »

Presentation: Tapestry Artist Talk - Telling Stories Through Tapestry
March 25 - Minneapolis: 11 am to 1 pm. Hennepin History Museum - Like many artists, local artist Susan Gangsei derives personal benefits from her art as a creative outlet, an opportunity to meditate, as well as a way to speak out about social issues. With her most recent series of works, she focuses on aging, ultimately using tapestry to feature the beauty, strength, and wisdom of aging women. Cost: Pay as you can. Learn more »

MN Writers Series: Wild Things
March 31 - St. Paul: 7 to 9 pm. Minnesota Humanities Center - Join in on Trans Day of Visibility for a conversation with author Lynette Reini-Grandell, author of “Wild Things: A Trans Glam Punk Rock Love Story,” in a deeply personal conversation with her trans spouse, Venus de Mars. The two will discuss the themes and stories in the book, which follows the two through the art, literary, and indie rock worlds of Minneapolis and New York in the 1990s and early 2000s as they learn, change, and grow together, navigating the transition, the communities they found, and the hostility they faced. Cost: $10. Learn more »

Presentation: Onawa Builder - Arthur Dyer
April 10 - Excelsior: 7 pm. Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society - Learn about young Arthur Dyer and how he revolutionized yachting in 1892. Barb Sykora will share the story of Arthur’s family tradition of boat building locally and how he, with Ward Burton, became famous throughout the sailing world. Location: Excelsior Brewing Company. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Exterior of the Millersburg School Museum
Highlighted Museum: Millersburg School Museum, Operated by the Christdala Church Preservation and Cemetery Association, Millersburg, MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Buildings on Main Street
April 26-28 - Winona: Rethos - The Buildings on Main Street Conference is an opportunity for Main Street districts and any community interested in revitalizing their aging downtown buildings to obtain tools, knowledge, and resources to help their communities flourish. This year’s conference is in Winona, MN. Registration is now open. Learn more »

Get Wrapped up in History 2023 at the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums Conference 2023 Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums Conference
April 25 through 27 - Austin: Get wrapped up in history at the 2023 MALHM Conference and Annual Meeting in Austin, MN! Connect with colleagues from across the region at Minnesota's largest conference for history people. Explore products and services for your organization in the vendor hall, dive into local history through the evening socials, and hone your skills in a variety of workshop sessions. Learn more »

Crucial Conversations from an HR Perspective: Creating a Safe Space Conversation with Staff Surrounding DEI and Belonging
March 22 – Online: AASLH - This leadership webinar will define crucial conversations and how DEI initiatives are tangled within the communication web and will provide some insight on the challenges leaders have with navigating conversations about inclusiveness. Cost: $25 members/$45 nonmembers. Learn more »

Care of Judaica
April 3 - Online: 12 pm (CT). Connecting to Collections Care - This lecture on caring for Judaica in museum collections will provide cultural background and practical advice for collection care professionals in small and medium institutions, regardless of their collection care or Judaica background. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Beginner Grantseeking
April 4 - Online: 1 to 4 pm (CT). Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - Learn the best ways to begin grant-seeking, explore good places to start looking, work through a proven process for finding funder information, discover how to “dig deeper” into a foundation’s interests, and determine the best way for you to start capturing what you are learning. Cost: $89 members/$129 nonmembers. Learn more »

Bring Out the Best in Your Board
April 4 - Online: 12 to 1 pm (CT). Propel Nonprofits - Explore four practices for healthy board governance: 1) Being purposeful in recruiting and onboarding, 2) sharing board norms and accountability, 3) designing board structures, and 4) identifying board development. Tips will be provided to increase the engagement of board members, including an overview of facilitation strategies you can use during your board meetings. Cost: Free. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

10 Essential Preservation Tools - National Trust for Historic Preservation

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Bush Foundation Ecosystem Grants
April 13 - (Deadline): The Bush Foundation works to inspire and support creative problem-solving — within and across sectors — to make the region better for everyone. As problem-solving is hard, their Ecosystem grant program provides operating support to the organizations that support the people doing this work. Ecosystem grants to organizations that other organizations and leaders within the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota region rely heavily on to do one or more of the following: Provide critical data and analysis; Advance public awareness and policy; Spread great ideas and build capacity; and Build and support leadership networks. Learn more »

Grant Opportunity for Individuals
April 21 - (Deadline): Minnesota State Arts Board - Creative Individuals grants are designed 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. Applicants may request between $2,000 - $10,000. Learn more »

Challenge America Grants
April 27 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Arts - This grant offers support primarily to small organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines that extend the reach of the arts to groups/communities with rich and dynamic artistic and cultural contributions to share that are underserved. Challenge America features an abbreviated application, a robust structure of technical assistance, and grants for a set amount of $10,000. Grants require a cost share/match of $10,000 consisting of cash and/or in-kind contributions. Total project costs must be at least $20,000 or greater. Learn more »

J.M.K. Innovation Prize
April 28 - (Deadline): The J.M.K. Innovation Prize seeks to identify, support, and elevate innovators who are spearheading transformative early-stage projects in the fields of the environment, heritage conservation, and social justice. Up to ten prizes will be awarded in 2023, each including a cash award of $150,000 over three years, plus $25,000 in technical assistance funds, for a total award of $175,000. Learn more »

News

mastheads MN Digital Newspaper Hub - content update
A content update to the Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub added 5,756 new issues and 70,631 new newspaper pages. Newly publicly-available titles & date spans:

New issues for the years 2009-2022 were also added to numerous existing current newspaper titles, available to view only in the MNHS Library.

Prairie Island Project button What's New in the MNHS Archives?
Benjamin Franklin said, "nothing is certain except death and taxes." We have an awful lot of archival records relating to death and tax collection in both our state and local government records collections and they are in evidence in our list this month as well. Court records from various state and local jurisdictions also predominate. Of special note this month, we received additional records relating to a court case involving the Prairie Island Nuclear Plant. Various entities kept files relating to this plant and the nuclear waste stored there (Environmental Quality Board, Legislative Commission on Waste Management, and the Nuclear Safety Advisory Committee, to name just a few). The addition of these case files from the Public Service Department helps to broaden research on this topic. Continue Reading »


Featured Book Making Minnesota Explore Minnesota’s history, people, landscapes, wildlife, and culture in this fun—and free—activity book! Minnesota Historical Society Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History Wanda Gag: The bite of the picture book Volume 44, Issue 7, 1975	Featured Article MNopedia Harris Martin (1865–1903) 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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