Local History News: May 3, 2023

Field Note

Heritage Preservation, Planning, and Outreach staff were out at the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums Conference in Austin, MN last week presenting at several different sessions. Grants Associate Gillian Maguire and Outreach Conservator Megan Narvey presented "Disaster! Part II: Grants for Emergency Preparedness" which provided information on applying for a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant for emergency preparedness including a Structured Grant for Creating a Disaster Response Kit.

LOCAL HISTORY WORKSHOPS

Registration Now Open for Workshops
MNHS Local History Services is working with the MNHS Native American Initiatives to offer the workshop “Native Nations and Local History Organizations.” Focused on building an understanding that Minnesota shares borders with four Dakota and seven Ojibwe nations who are oftentimes overlooked or underrepresented in non-Native spaces, this training is intended to support the work of history organizations across the state. Participants will leave the session with a better understanding of how to talk about Native Nations in Minnesota.

Dates and Locations:

• Tuesday, May 30 from 10 am to 1 pm - Treaty Site History Center in St. Peter - Register »
• Wednesday, May 31 from 9 am to 12 pm - Becker County Museum in Detroit Lakes - Register »

Heritage Preservation Grants

May Grants Open House
May 4 - 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 additional grants information and support to our communities. 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 »

Grants Office Webinar: Environmental Monitoring in Museums
May 18 - Online: 2-3 pm (CT). Temperature, humidity, and UV? Before you can apply for a grant to improve your museum environment, it's important to understand what its current conditions are. Learn: how to use a data logger, write an environmental monitoring plan, and what to do with all of the data you will find. Hear advice about grants to support monitoring work. Improve your museum space. Presented by Megan Narvey, Outreach Conservator. 
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com 
Join by phone: ‪(US) +1 386-361-3086‬ PIN: ‪420 891 978‬#

From the Blog

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

As I Remember: Our Colorful Circus Life 
We were born in Belle Plaine when the days most looked forward to were Christmas, July 4th, and the circus. This was the horse and buggy days and before the radio and movies in our town. Dramatic plays, by both school children and adults, were popular.

When I was about seven years of age the Gollmar Brothers Circus came to Belle Plaine from Montgomery. A truly wagon show. They set up near my parents’ home and with great anticipation we youngsters were there to meet their arrival, very early in the morning. Oh! The thrill to see the animals, the fancy costumes, and the various acts. A circus with all the color, glitter, glamor, excitement, and thrills. Continue Reading »

More MN Blog posts

• Crystal Lake Heights - Robbinsdale Historical Society
• Meet the new curator of the Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies - U of MN Libraries
• Earl Tracy: Healer or Con Artist? - Cokato Historical Society

From the Tube

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

Veterans Revisit Operations Allies Refuge & Allies Welcome
In the aftermath of the 2021 Kabul Airport (HKIA) evacuation, the U.S. Military set up processing bases in Italy, Germany, Spain, Qatar, UAE & Kuwait. The more than 80,000 evacuees were then transported to bases stateside (VA, TX, NM, WI, IN, NJ).  

Two remarkable Veterans – COL Jeff Patton & BG Dan Gabrielli – who were assigned leadership posts at bases in Germany and New Mexico respectively shared their accounts of facilitating the largest airlift in American history. Wisconsin Adjutant General Knapp shared stories and images from Fort McCoy which served as one of the largest processing centers in the country for our Afghan allies. The program concludes with remarks by Senator Amy Klobuchar who co-authored the Afghan Adjustment Act along with Senator Lindsey Graham. Watch Video »

More MN Tube posts

• Damanta Basnet: Immigrant Stories - Immigration History Research Center
• Daren Hill Artist Talk - Hennepin History Museum
• Archaeological sights and sounds on an urban Phase 1 Archaeological Survey - Nienow Cultural Consultants
• Lake Superior Railroad Museum and Depot Tour - Lake Superior Railroad Museum & NS Scenic Railroad
• False Runestones and other Forgeries: Carving out a Norse Foundational Myth (Logan Bullard) - Council for Minnesota Archaeology
• Alma Wagen - Blue Earth County Historical Society
• Ride along in the B-25 Miss Mitchell with Us! - Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing
• Remembering Art Gahbow - Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
• Artifact Spotlight | Cutlerites - Otter Tail County Historical Society

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Reference Assistant I - MN History Center
• Marketing Communications Traffic Coordinator - MN History Center
• Guest Services Assistant II - MN History Center
• Sales Assistant I - Split Rock Lighthouse

LOCAL

• Museum Coordinator - Murray County Historical Society, Slayton, MN
• Executive Director - North Star Scouting Memorabilia, North St. Paul, MN
• Director - Goldstein Museum of Design, College of Design, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
• Digital Records Archivist - University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
• Entry-Level Cultural Resource Specialist -  Mead & Hunt, Minneapolis, MN
• Assistant/Associate Curator, European Art - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Retail Sales Lead - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Copywriter - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Retail Sales Lead - Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
• Overhire - Video Technician - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

REGIONAL

• Director of Development, Stanley Museum of Art - University of Iowa Center for Advancement, Iowa City, IA
• Education and Outreach Coordinator - Johnson County Historical Society, Coralville, IA
• Youth and Family Program Manager - Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
• Reference and Circulation Manager - Pritzker Military Museum & Library, Somers, WI
• Level Cultural Resource Specialist -  Mead & Hunt, Middleton, WI
• Facilities Coordinator - Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison,  Madison, WI
• Development Director - National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, WI
• Seasonal Attractions Team Members - Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History, Sioux Falls, SD

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Associate Director of Exhibits - Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL
• Archaeological Principal Investigator - Terraco, Chicago, IL
• Ohio History Service Corps AmeriCorps Member - Ohio History Connection, OH
• Assistant Director & Curator - Cincinnati Type & Print Museum, Cincinnati, OH
• Museum Manager - Dayton Historical Depot Society - Dayton, OH
• Curator of Black History - The Henry Ford, Dearborn, MI
• Exhibition Designer - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Exhibition Specialist - Missouri Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Assistant State Archeologist - History Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• Museum Manager - History Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• Historic Tax Incentive Coordinator - History Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• Native American Graves Protection & Repatriation Act Assistant - Auburn University, Auburn, AL
• Communications & Programming Assistant - Dalnavert Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• Cataloguing Coordinator - Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• Education & Public Programs Coordinator - Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• Museum Experience Ambassador - Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum, Winnipeg, MB
• Digital Asset Consultant - 1000 Islands History Museum, Gananoque, ON

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Summer Historic Marker Equity Research Intern - History Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• Summer Historical Building and Structure Image Research Intern - History Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
• Summer Video Creation Intern - History Nebraska, Lincoln, NE

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Image used with permission. From the collections of the Kathryn A. Martin Library Archives and Special Collection - U of MN Duluth.

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

Event: Burgers, Brats & Barefoot Becky
May 4 - Austin: 5:30 pm. Hormel Historic Home - Come to the annual event that honors the late dedicated volunteer, Anita Ulwelling. Celebrate her legacy, support history, enjoy a polka band paired with a burger or a bratwurst, sides, and a whole lot of fun. Cost: $12. Learn more »

Presentation: Wild Things
May 4 - Duluth: 7 to 8:30 pm. Zenith Bookstore - Lynette Reini-Grandell will read from and discuss her new memoir Wild Things: A Trans-Glam-Punk-Rock​ ​Love Story, which tells the story of her relationship with Venus de Mars of All the Pretty Horses and the many challenges they faced together. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Tours: Cemetery Tours in Anoka and Ham Lake
Walk among the gravestones at Glen Cary Cemetery and Forest Hill Cemetery with your guide and hear stories about Anoka County residents, as well as the history of both Anoka and Ham Lake. Cost: $18. Learn more »

• Glen Cary Cemetery Tours dates: May 6 & June 3, 11 am.
• Forest Hill Cemetery Tours dates: June 10 & 24, 11 am.

Presentation: Civil War Roundtable: Was the Civil War about Slavery? Yes, No, and the Path to Yes with Dr. Mark Jaede
May 9 - St. Cloud: 3:30 pm. Stearns History Museum - Dr. Mark Jaede, professor of history at St. Cloud State University will explore the shortcomings of both generalizations and consider the question of who really freed the slaves. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Presentation: A Legacy of Serving, The 75-Year History of Golden Valley’s Chester Bird Post 523 and 100-Year History of the America Legion
May 11 - Golden Valley: Golden Valley Historical Society - Get ready for Memorial Day and learn about the 100-year history of the American Legion, the 75-year history of Chester Bird Post 523, Chester “Bird” Ptaszek (the man behind the name), the Legion's legacy of giving, and their big plans for this coming June. Cost: Free. Learn more » 

Event: Autism Friendly Austin’s Cosplay Con
May 12 - Austin: 4 to 7 pm. Hormel Historic Home - This event is geared toward those 15 years and older to have a whole lot of fun in a friendly, exciting, and inclusive atmosphere. Younger registrants may attend with a parent or guardian present. Cosplay is the art of costume role-playing. All activities and events are focused on supporting cosplay by sharing, learning, getting into character, costuming, being a community, and having a great time. Light dinner and drinks included. Cost: $15 - $20.  Learn more »

Event: Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Pioneer Settlers Association 
May 18 - St. Cloud: 5:30 to 8 pm. Stearns History Museum Join the festivities at Rolling Ridge for a night of memory making as they celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Pioneer Settlers Association, the first generation of immigrant families to gather history for the next generation. See local makers demonstrate crafts of the past as you enjoy the ambiance of a historic century farm in the springtime. Where: Rolling Ridge Wedding & Event Center. Cost: $50. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Highlighted Museum: Minnesota Fishing Museum, Little Falls, MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

5 Secrets of Email Marketing Geniuses
May 10 - Online: 10 am (CT). Firespring - There is more power and leverage in one email subscriber than 100 Facebook likes or 50 Twitter followers if email marketing is done right. The problem is, 9 out of 10 nonprofits don’t do it right. In this educational session, Jay will share the secrets of email marketing geniuses, including: The 5 types of nonprofit emails; The anatomy of an email marketing campaign; 6 email marketing mistakes to avoid; and 5 secrets of email marketing geniuses. Cost: Free. Learn more »

AI & Fundraising: Revolutionize Your Fundraising Efforts 
May 11 - Online: 11 am to 12 pm (CT). Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University - Join three experienced, tech-savvy colleagues for a conversation about how they are seeing artificial intelligence being utilized for fundraising and where they see the trends leading next. Cost: $19.74. Learn more »

AAAM Conference Travel Scholarships
May 11 - (deadline): The Association of African American Museums is accepting applications for 2023 AAAM Conference Travel Scholarships to attend the 2023 Annual Conference in Nashville, TN. Learn more »

Introduction to Finding Grants
May 11 - Online: 1 pm to 2:30 pm (CT). Candid - Are you new to the field of grantseeking? Discover what funders are looking for in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders in this introductory course. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Fundamentals of Nonprofit Board Governance
May 16 - Online: 9 am to 12 pm. Propel Nonprofits - Board members will participate in board meetings and other engagements with more confidence and more knowledge about their roles after attending this workshop. You will learn typical board responsibilities and explore the nuances of board authority and relationships. Cost: $75. Learn more »

Creating Exhibitions through the Collective
June 5 - Online: Do you want to create an exhibit that utilizes your community? If so, Creating Exhibitions through the Collective is for you. This class will be focused on community co-curation. We will investigate how community involvement during all stages of the exhibit development process can lead to more interpretation that is credible, community empowerment, and advocacy. Tips and strategies will be provided to build sustainable frameworks for this type of engagement. Join Instructor Saul Sopoci Drake for this 4-week online professional development course. Cost: $400. Learn more »

TIP Jar

Historical Marker Cleaning & Maintenance
Minnesota is home to thousands of historical markers, which exist in a wide range of conditions. In this video, MNHS provides information on cleaning these markers and things to consider before starting the process.

TIPS & TOOLS

• Are You Prepared for Disaster? - AASLH
• Unfinished Revolutions: Museums & America’s 250th - We the Museum

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund
This fund helps to build the capacity of existing preservation organizations and encourages collaboration among these organizations by providing grants for mentoring and other peer-to-peer and direct organizational development and learning opportunities. Grants from the Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund support travel costs and mentor honoraria with a maximum reimbursement of $2,500. Learn more »

Museum Assessment Program (MAP)
June 1 & August 1 - (Deadline): MAP offers a special Follow Up Opportunity for museums that have participated in a MAP in 2014 or later. Museum Assessment Program helps small and mid-sized museums strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet national standards through self-study and a site visit from a peer reviewer. Learn more »

GRAMMY Museum Grants Program
June 2 - (Letters of Inquiry due): The Recording Academy - These grants support efforts that advance the archiving and preservation of the music and recorded sound heritage of North America. Learn more »

Small Grants Aid Public School Music and Arts Programs in 44 States
July 2 - (Deadline): California Casualty Music & Arts Grant Program - These grants provide support for K-12 public schools negatively impacted by reduced budgets whose music and arts programs are in jeopardy or in great need of funding. This program is available in many states including Minnesota. Learn more »

The Humanities Collections and Reference Resources 
July 19 - (Deadline): National Endowment for the Humanities - This program supports projects that provide an essential underpinning for scholarship, education, and public programming in the humanities. This program strengthens efforts to extend the life of archival materials and make their intellectual content widely accessible, often through the use of digital technology. Learn more »

News

What's New in the MNHS Archives?
The Minnesota Historical Society received a Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library & Information Resources in April 2022 that supports the preservation of rare and unique audiovisual media of high scholarly value through digital reformatting. This $12,495 grant was provided for the Intermedia Arts of Minnesota Video Collection, and the material has now been digitized and preserved, with much of it available to be viewed through its online finding aid. Learn more »

Historical Campus Part of Preston’s Riverfront Masterplan
KAALTV - The Preston Historical Society has been moving forward to progress its riverfront masterplan. At Tuesday night’s community engagement meeting, board members provided an update. Continue reading »

So Minnesota: Chaska Brick
KSTP - It helped build Minnesota brick by brick, including the State Capitol. By the late 1800s, the Chaska brick industry took off because of the deep, rich clay in the ground, creating around 10 brickyards. “At one point in time around 1910, Chaska was producing 40 to 60 million bricks per year, and that’s not working in the wintertime,” said Lisa Oberski with the Chaska Historical Society. Continue Reading/Watch video »

Ceremony in Osakis Will Honor Last Civil War Soldier Buried in Todd County
Echo Press - A ceremony at Lakeside Cemetery in Osakis on Saturday, May 6 will honor the last Civil War veteran buried in Todd County. His name is Private William M. Johnson. He died on Aug. 7, 1939 at the age of 94. Continue Reading »

Our View: History Gets a Fresh Look
Mankato Free Press - Thumbs up to the 13 Minnesota State University students whose input helped freshen up the gallery at Blue Earth County Historical Society. As participants in professor Alisa Eimen’s class “Art Museum and Exhibition Studies,” they have applied an artistic eye to the history museum, which has generously welcomed them with open arms. Continue Reading »

Featured Book A Guide to Norwegian Genealogy, Emigration, and Transmigration by Liv Marit Haakenstad. Author Presentation on Norwegian Genealogy Date & Time: May 15, 7 p.m. Location: Pope County Museum, Glenwood, MN	Featured Article Minnesota History Minnesota in the Camera's Eye 1935-1943 Volume 61, Issue 5, 2009	Featured Article MNopedia St. Peter Tornado, 1998 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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