Field Note

Staff from Local History Services recently toured and provided general Grants guidance at Scottish Rite Temple. Built in 1894 by Warren H. Hayes as Fowler Methodist Episcopal Church and expanded in 1906 by Harry W. Jones, the Minneapolis Valley Scottish Rite purchased the Wisconsin red sandstone and Minnesota Quartzite Richardsonian Romanesque building in 1916 for area lodge events. 

Heritage Preservation Grants

Spotlighted Project: Conservation of Outdoor Sculpture in the St. Catherine University Fine Art Collection and Development of Outdoor Sculpture Corps
In 2021, St. Kate’s received a previous grant for a General Conservation Assessment and Preservation Plan for its Fine Art Collection. The plan aimed to establish an outdoor sculpture maintenance program and an Outdoor Sculpture Corps for sustainable care. With over 2,700 artworks, including outdoor sculptures, St. Kate’s hired the Midwest Art Conservation Center for a 2-day project to train staff and students in conservation treatment. The initiative created a community-based Corps for the ongoing maintenance and preservation of outdoor sculptures on campus.

The Outdoor Sculpture Corps program at St. Kate’s, involving staff members and students, has established a sustainable conservation program. They inspected and treated outdoor sculptures, adding 3 to their digital collection, revealing issues with some sculptures, and initiating repairs for long-term preservation.
Funded Amount: $4,020
Recipient: St. Catherine University
Project Details

OCTOBER Grants Open House
October 3 - 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 support to our communities. We encourage people to RSVP to Gillian 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 »

Small Grant Deadline
The next small grant deadline (requests of $10,000 or less) for the MHCHG program is Friday, October 11, 2024.

Grants Office Webinar: Making Films with Grants
October 17 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: The Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program has helped to complete a broad range of historical films. We'll discuss how grants can fund research, scriptwriting, visual elements, and sound design for your film projects. We'll also briefly examine the process of successful history films and how that process can and sometimes cannot fit into the calendar and standards for grant-funded work. Presented by Grants Specialist John Fulton
Join: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com, Phone in: (‪US‬)‪+1 386-361-3086‬

Grants Office YouTube Playlist »

From the Blog

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

Ask Heidi: I love my old house built in 1893. Should I register it as a historic landmark?
If you’re considering registering a historic property, you’re probably a little confused about local, state, and national historic registers. In Minnesota, places are listed in the state register only through legislative action, so we’ll focus specifically on the national and local registers. Each has its own set of advantages and protections, but in a general sense the following can help you distinguish them: Continue reading »

More MN Blog posts

• From the President: October 2024 - Danish American Center
• Old Main Destroyed by Fire, 120 Years Later - U of MN Libraries
• Beltrami County Historical Society audio recordings now accessible in MDL - Minnesota Digital Library News
• Our Station on Hubbard Avenue -  Robbinsdale Historical Society

From the Tube

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

More MN Tube posts

• Gone But Not Forgotten - Winona Public Library
• Fridley Elementary Schools - Fridley Historical Society
• Martin County Historical Society's 2024 Annual Meeting with keynote address by Trae Vassallo - Martin County Historical Society
• Pipestone County Percheron Horse Farm - Pipestone County Historical Society
• BookEnds Online Edition - Jay Grammond - Wadena County Historical Society
• Jan Sivertson: Once Upon an Isle: The Story of Fishing Families on Isle Royale - Gunflint Trail Historical Society Chik-Wauk Museum
• Time for Women: 150 Years of Leadership - History Alive Pop-Up Plays

Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

• Program Facilitator I - Minnesota State Capitol
• Interpreter I - Ramsey and Hill Houses
• Guest Services Assistant II - History Center

LOCAL

• Exhibit Developer - Split Rock Studios, Minneapolis, MN
• Experience Developer - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
• Artistic Director - Theater Mu, St. Paul, MN

REGIONAL

• Guest Services Lead - HH Bennett Historic Site, Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Dells, WI

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

• Archives Program Officer - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
• Assistant Archivist - Sousa Archives and Center for American Music, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
• Lead Archivist - Shorefront Legacy Center, Evanston, IL
• Executive Assistant - Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Museum Director - Arlington Heights Historical Museum, Arlington Heights, IL
• Historic Site Interpreter - T.C. Steele State Historic Site, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, Nashville, IN
• Head of Special Collections - Butler University Libraries, Indianapolis, IN
• Advancement Coordinator - Studebaker National Museum, South Bend, IN
• Collections Manager: Ethnography - Indiana University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Bloomington, IN
• Assistant Manager of Visitor Services & Volunteers - Applewood Estate, Ruth Mott Foundation, Flint, MI
• Program and Events Coordinator - Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, MI
• Digital Asset Specialist - Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI
• Restoration/Maintenance Supervisor - Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association, Ludington, MI
• Museum Assistant - Pottsgrove Manor, Pottsgrove Manor, PA
• Archives Technician - National Archives and Records Administration, Independence, MO
• Director - Affton Historical Society, St. Louis, MO
• Curator of Archives and Library - Riley County Historical Museum, Manhattan, KS
• Program Assistant, Community Programs - Internet Archive, Remote Work

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

• Resources & Collections Intern, Summer 2025 - Promega, Madison, WI

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Image used with permission. From the collections of Historic Cook County.

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

Presentation: An Evening with Marlene Johnson, Minnesota’s First Female Lieutenant Governor
October 9 @ 7 to 8:30 pm - Stillwater: Washington County Heritage Center - A program featuring Minnesota’s first female lieutenant governor Marlene Johnson. The evening will feature a conversational interview by former lobbyist John Kaul, highlighting Marlene’s illustrious career and celebrating the launch of her new book, "Rise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership & Love." Cost: Free, reservations are required. Learn more »

Activity: Escape Room at the Schoolhouse
October 1 @ 1:30 pm - Marshall: Lyon County Museum - The theme for this year’s Escape Room at the Schoolhouse is Lost Classroom Pet. Your team will look for clues and solve puzzles to find the lost classroom pet. Cost: $25 per team. Learn more »

Classes: Genealogy Series
October 3, 10, 17, and 24 @ 7 to 8:30 pm - Mankato: Blue Earth History Center - A series of genealogy classes to start or sharpen your genealogy skills. Cost: $7 members/$10 nonmembers per class. Learn more » 
The schedule is:

• October 8 - Conducting and Using Oral Histories
• October 15 - DNA Tests for Beginners
• October 22 - North Mankato Family History Center
• October 29 - Using Census Data

Tour: Hubbard House Flashlight Tours
Fridays, October 4 through November 1 @ 7, 8, & 9 pm - Mankato: R.D. Hubbard House - Visit the Historic R.D. Hubbard House for Special Flashlight Tours. Tours will explore Victorian Mourning Customs and Superstitions while visiting restricted areas in the Carriage House and Hubbard House Attic and Basement. Cost: $30. Learn more »

Event: 38th Annual Big Island Rendezvous & Festival 
October 5 & 6 - Albert Lea: The family-friendly event at Bancroft Bay Park celebrates heritage, craftsmanship, music, and culture, featuring performances, crafts demonstrations, and delicious festival fare. Highlights include appearances by Singleton Street, Hannah Flowers, and traditional trades showcases by over 20 skilled craftspeople. Learn more »

Presentation: History of Ewald Bros. Dairy
October 10 @ 7 pm - Golden Valley: Golden Valley Historical Society - Hear William Ewald present on history and legacy of Ewald Bros. Dairy. Ewald, a third-generation member of the Ewald Bros. Dairy family and author, is an authority on the dairy's 97-year history in the Twin Cities. Founded in 1886 by Danish immigrant Chris Ewald and his siblings, the dairy became a major local industry player before ceasing operations in 1983. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Tour: Lantern Tours
October 11 and 12 @ 6 to 10 pm - Duluth: Glensheen Historic Estate - Guided only by the soft glow of lanterns, guests will embark on a family-friendly journey through the historic estate, revealing artifacts, artwork, and more in a uniquely beautiful atmosphere. Whether you’re intrigued by history or captivated by the beauty of fall nights by a bonfire, this intimate after-dark experience offers a new perspective on one of Duluth’s most iconic landmarks. Learn more »

Class: Rehab Lab-Cemetery Repair at Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
October 12 @ 2:30 @ 5:30 pm - Minneapolis: Rethos - This inaugural cemetery repair class, hosted by Rethos and taught by Northern Bedrock, will make for a spooky and history-rich October afternoon. Half of the proceeds from the class will go toward purchasing markers for people buried in the cemetery without a headstone. Cost: $60. Learn more »

Second Annual Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ Water Blessing on Indigenous Peoples' Day
October 14 @ 10 am to 11 pm - Crystal: Hennepin History Museum in collaboration with cultural advisors and community partners - The event will feature a program including Diane Wilson's opening remarks and a water blessing by Tanaǧidaŋ To Wiŋ, among other activities aimed at honoring the Dakota name for Bassett Creek. The event will also offer updates on the Haȟá Wakpádaŋ/Bassett Creek Oral History Project and tips on watershed care. Location: Bassett Creek Park. Cost: Free. Learn more »

The Grand Meadow Chert Quarry: A Significant New Indigenous Site
October 17 @ 7 pm - Minneapolis: Linden Hills History Study Group - The speaker, Tom Trow, is the lead archaeologist for the effort to open to the public a long-hidden archaeological and cultural site in Mower County, MN. For about 400 years, ending in around 1400 CE, the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry was the most important place in southeastern MN and possibly the whole state, at the time.  Families and entire villages came here for the stone called “chert” (flint is a type of chert), used for everyday tools including awls, hide scrapers, spear points, and arrowheads. Tools made from this chert have been found at sites in 52 counties in the state, including Hennepin.  Location: St. John’s Episcopal Church. Cost: Free members/$5 nonmembers. Learn more »

Introducing, "Get to Know Waterville" 
Waterville: City of Waterville - Waterville Economic Development Authority - Walk, Bike, or drive a 10-site tour of the town. Visit all ten historical and cultural attractions featured on the map. The ten sites are in or near downtown, just off the Sakatah Trail. Complete all ten stops on the tour and receive a one-of-a-kind keepsake medallion. 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: City of Plymouth History Center, operated by the City of Plymouth, Plymouth, MN.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Wiki Uff Da! Editing Wikipedia for Absolute Beginners

Oh, you know, if it isn't just the most basic workshop ever needed, "Wikipedia Editing for Absolute Beginners" for those who haven't had the pleasure of diving into that simple process quite yet. Bless their hearts, they're just starting out, so we thought, why not put something together? Because, you know, it's not like it's rocket science or anything, but hey, we're always happy to lend a hand where we can. And just a little bit of Minnesota Nice to help along the way. 'Uff da!' you say? Well, editing the Wikipedia is not hard at all!

Join us at one of the Minnesota Historical Society's three FREE Local History Workshops in Minnesota, where you can learn how to edit Wikipedia and share your community's local history.

Whether you're curious about how information gets added to Wikipedia or want to find new ways to share your community's history, this workshop will boost your confidence in editing the world's largest encyclopedia. In this workshop you will also learn how to use AI to help you write your Wikipedia articles. The cost is free, and lunch is provided, but registration is required. Learn more »

• Wednesday, October 23 - Morris, MN
• Thursday, November 14 - Chisholm, MN
• Wednesday, November 20 - Mankato, MN

The workshops take place in Minnesota's Regional Research Centers.

Activating the Power of Place: A Conversation with the Leadership of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
October 7 @ 1 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: The National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrates its 75th anniversary by hosting a conversation with its leaders, exploring the impact of preservation on improving lives and future prospects. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Engaging Hispanic/Latinx Communities - Resources for Public Engagement (Part 2)  
October 8 @ 1 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: National Informal STEM Education Network - Learn more about resources to help engage with local Hispanic/Latinx communities. Hear from members of the NISE Engaging Hispanic Communities Initiative, diving deeper into building capacity among educators and scientists to engage Hispanic communities. Cost: Free. Learn more »

REUSE24 Conference
October 8 & 9 - Minneapolis: Reuse Minnesota - This two-day event is focused on promoting reuse, repair, and rental practices. It brings together professionals from various fields, including business, nonprofits, government, and students, to learn about innovative approaches to reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Topics will include discussing Reduce, Reuse, Repair Microgrants, building material reuse, vintage furniture revitalization, and the power of storytelling. Location: Hennepin Technical College. Cost: $30 to $130. Learn more »

The Wrecking Ball: Demolishing Barriers in Historic Preservation
October 9 @ 5:30 pm - St. Paul: Rethos - This gala functions both as an educational platform and raises funds for preservation and community revitalization projects. It features entertainment, auctions, awards, and speeches, emphasizing the importance of preserving historic buildings and cultural heritage. Location: Landmark Center. Cost: $75. Learn more »

Fall Virtual Events Highlighting 2024 AMM Awards Recipients
Association of Midwest Museums - The fall virtual programming will focus on learning from the experiences of their 2024 AMM Awards recipients. All are welcome for this series of virtual programs. Cost: Free. Learn more »

• October 21 - Best Practices Award
• October 30 - Collaborators Award
• November 4 - Promising Leadership Award
• November 18 - Groundbreakers Award

Conference: Unlocking the Past, Shaping the Future
October 25 & 26 - Eagan: Minnesota Genealogical Society - This event is designed for individuals interested in exploring their family history and learning more about genealogical research. Featuring a variety of workshops, lectures, and presentations by experienced genealogists and historians. These sessions cover a range of topics, from beginner tips for tracing family roots to more advanced techniques like using DNA testing in genealogy and accessing historical archives. The conference also provides a great opportunity for attendees to network with fellow genealogy enthusiasts, share stories, and learn from each other's research experiences. Location: Eagan Community Center. Cost: $160 member/$210 nonmember. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

• Advocating for social justice work in museums: A planning tool to help you make your case - Margaret Middleton
• Crappy Funding Practices -  LinkedIn Group

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Media Projects
January 8, 2025 - (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 offers two levels of funding: Development and Production. Learn more »

Public Humanities Projects
January 8, 2025 - (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 »

Conservation and Exhibition Grant
February 15, 2025 - (Deadline): Foundation for Advancement in Conservation - Grants to support conservation projects in glazing applications for preservation and exhibition of museum and library collections. The goals of this grant program include increasing knowledge of glazing applications, supporting the preservation of collections, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and encouraging the involvement of conservators in museum and library collection projects. Funds are to help defray direct project costs, including contract workers, display fabrication, supplies, and publicity. Up to four awards will be made each year. Each award includes a cash amount of up to $3,000 and a donation of museum acrylic or laminated glass for use directly related to the conservation and display project. Learn more »

Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award
February 1, 2025 - (Deadline): American Library Association - This award consists of a citation and $1,000 and recognizes an intellectual freedom-focused organization that has developed a strong multi-year, ongoing program or a single, one-year project that exemplifies support for intellectual freedom, patron confidentiality, and anti-censorship efforts. Learn more »

Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »

News

MN Digital Newspaper Hub - September 2024 content update
A content update to the Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub today added 1,385 new issues and 21,945 new newspaper pages.
New publicly available titles & date spans:

• Long Prairie leader (Long Prairie, Minn.) 1954-1965 added
• Stillwater arrow (Stillwater, Minn.) 1929-30, 1933-34 added
• Silver Bay shopper (Silver Bay, Minn.) 1964-1966
• Silver Bay shopper & press (Silver Bay, Minn.) 1966-1968
• Eveleth Range scene (Eveleth, Minn.) 1976-1982
• Eveleth scene (Eveleth, Minn.) 1983-2000

New issues for the years 2008-2015 were also added to several existing current newspaper titles, available to view only in the MNHS Library.

Featured Book Global Heartland: Cultivating the American Century on the Midwestern Farm by Peter Simons. University of Minnesota Press.	Featured Article Minnesota History Hardware Store Sedition: The Case of Charles W. Anding Volume 64, Issue 4, 2020–21	Featured Article MNopedia Albert Lea Commercial Historic District   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.

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