Minnesota Historical Society Local History Services staff visited the Rushford Depot to review progress on site improvements funded by a Legacy Amendment grant awarded to the Rushford Area Historical Society in 2024. Work includes stabilizing the foundation with deep-set helical piles, correcting a bowed north wall, and replacing damaged columns and flooring. The team reviewed how new support beams and concrete bases will reinforce the building’s integrity as the depot moves forward in its rehabilitation phase.
Notice to Solicit Nominees to Historic Resources Advisory Committee
The Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) is actively seeking candidates to fill several open appointments on the Historic Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC). Committee members are responsible for making funding recommendations for grant requests exceeding $20,000 and providing policy and grantmaking guidance for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program, which is supported by the Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
To ensure a diverse pool of candidates, the recruitment period for the Historic Resources Advisory Committee has been extended, allowing potential committee members more time to learn about the opportunity and submit their letters of interest and resumes. The new deadline for applications for the term beginning in January 2026 is Friday, October 24, 2025. If you have any questions, please reach out to Carolyn. For additional information, please visit our website.
The Grants Office and Local History Services will be on the road in October to chat about Legacy grants and answer your questions. These events will be office-hours style, so there will be no presentation, and you are welcome to drop in anytime during the listed times. Prospective applicants, current applicants, and grantees are all welcome! Keep an eye on Local History News for more Open House dates in November.
October 23 @ 10 am to 12 pm
Dakota County Historical Society
130 3rd Ave N, South St. Paul, MN (map)
October 28 @ 12:30 to 2 pm
Meeker County Historical Society
308 N Marshall Ave, Litchfield, MN (map)
Grants Office Webinar: Heritage Partnership Grants in 2026 Can Be Your Second Chance
October 16 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: Once a year, the Heritage Partnership Grant program helps groups of two or more Minnesota organizations collaborate on history-oriented projects. This webinar will show you how to repurpose previously unfunded applications for the Partnership program—a strategy that helped several applicants secure funding last year. We'll also cover the essentials of applying for a Heritage Partnership Grant. Presented by Grants Specialist John Fulton.
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com
Join by phone: (US) +1 386-361-3086 PIN: 420 891 978#
Grants Office YouTube Playlist »
This week's blog post is from Three Rivers Park District. Have a blog? Let us know!
History on Ice: The Ice Harvest Celebration at Three Rivers
Barely 100 years ago, Minnesota was a dominant force in a global industry, with our state shipping more than 20 million tons of product every year. Yet today, this business has melted into nothing. What kind of business could just disappear practically overnight?
The answer: ice.
Once a critical resource to keep food refrigerated in homes and on train cars, eventually the spread of mechanical refrigeration made ice harvesting obsolete. However, not every trace of Minnesota’s ice harvesting empire is gone.
Staff and volunteers at Hyland Lake Park Reserve's Richardson Nature Center have shared the tradition of ice harvesting with its annual ice harvest event. Thousands of visitors have learned about the science and history of ice harvesting by getting hands-on with ice. And every year, people come back for more of the unique experience. Continue Reading »
This week's post is from the Stearns History Museum. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!
Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »
Minnesota Historical Society's Job Announcement, Internship, Fellowship, and Volunteer Opportunity pages.
Additional Job Postings in the Field »
American Range Corporation Foundry.
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Scott County Historical Society.
FAQ: How Can I Share My Event for the Local History News E-Newsletter?
Designing the Future: Women in Engineering
October 18 @ 10 to 11 am - Bemidji: Beltrami County History Center - This panel discussion features local women engineers Brit Rohloff, Jenna Roberts, and Laura Carlson. Learn about their career journeys, contributions to local and state infrastructure, and the inspiring history of women in engineering in Beltrami County. Cost: Free. Learn more »
History Book Club – Fall Series Session 1
October 18 @ 11 am to 12 pm - Mankato: Blue Earth County Historical Society - Join the fall book club series featuring The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, with group discussions and related historical presentations from October to December 2025. Cost: $50 for the full series. Learn more »
Duluth River Train 45th Anniversary Fall Excursions
October 18-19 & 25-26 @ 9:30 to 11:30 am and 1:30 to 3:30 pm - Duluth: Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad - Celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Duluth River Train with scenic rides along the St. Louis River. Each weekend day offers two narrated round-trip rides showcasing regional history and beautiful fall colors. Boarding begins 45 minutes prior to departure. Learn more »
Tuesday with a Scholar - Hmong 50th Anniversary in Minnesota
October 21 @ 12:30 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: Ramsey County Library - Join Lee Pao Xiong, Director of the Center for Hmong Studies at Concordia University, for an online program reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the Hmong community’s arrival in Minnesota, their history, and the vibrant culture of over 94,000 Minnesotan Hmong residents. Cost: Free. Learn more »
St. Paul – Fall Metro Indian Education Gathering
October 23 @ 11 am to 1:30 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Humanities Event Center - All who are connected to American Indian Education or students are invited to this fall gathering for networking, sharing ideas, and supporting the success of Native students. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Celebrating 20 Years of Church Basement Ladies
October 23 @ 2 to 4 pm - Goodhue: Goodhue County Historical Society - Celebrate the beloved musical series that humorously depicts the lives of women working in a rural Minnesota church basement, supporting their community through food and friendship. Cost: $20. Learn more »
Paj Ntaub Guild Sewing Session
October 23 @ 6 to 8 pm - St. Paul: Hmong Museum - Join paj ntaub sewing sessions welcoming all ages and skill levels to come together and sew traditional Hmong textile art. Registration is preferred. Cost: Free. Learn more »
50th Anniversary Joint Commemoration Immersive Digital Experience
October 25 @ 10 am to 5 pm - Minneapolis: Minnesota Humanities Center at Royalston Square - Explore an immersive digital exhibit tracing the intertwined histories of Minnesota’s Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese, and U.S. Vietnam veteran communities as they navigated war, displacement, and new beginnings in America. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Digital Newspaper Workshop
October 27 @ 6 pm - Warroad: Warroad Heritage Center - Learn how to navigate the MNHS Digital Newspaper Hub and explore 40 years of Warroad newspapers online, discovering rich local history. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Pedagogy Session – Eras 1 & 2: Indigenous Histories, Settler Colonialism, and Atlantic Slavery
October 30 @ 4 to 5:30 pm (CT) - Online: Minnesota Humanities Center - Explore teaching approaches for early U.S. history with a hands-on session for educators, covering Indigenous histories before European contact, settler colonialism, and the development of slavery, drawing from the Navigating U.S. History Eras series. Cost: Free. Learn more »
St. Paul – 50th Anniversary Joint Commemoration Community Events
November 1 & 2 @ 12 to 7 pm/10 am to 5 pm - St. Paul: Minnesota Humanities Center - Experience food vendors, craft booths, entertainment, exhibits, artifacts, and more, showcasing the stories and cultures of Minnesota’s Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, and Vietnamese communities alongside Vietnam War era veterans, highlighting their journeys from Southeast Asia to Minnesota. Location: Union Depot. Cost: Free. Learn more »
From Wood to Stone: Romanian Architecture Unveiled
November 2, 9, and 23 @ 1 to 3 pm - Saint Paul: HORA Romanian Cultural Center - Explore Romania’s architectural heritage, from wooden monasteries and vernacular homes to stone castles and Byzantine churches. Discover how religious traditions, rural life, and history shaped iconic Romanian architectural elements through storytelling, images, and discussion. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Possible Histories: Arab Americans and the Queer Ecology of Peddling with Charlotte Karem Albrecht
November 5 @ 6 to 7:30 pm - Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Immigration History Research Center - Join Associate Professor Charlotte Karem Albrecht for a lecture exploring the late 19th and early 20th-century Syrian immigrant peddling economy as a "queer ecology" that reveals intersections of sexuality, gender, race, and labor in Arab American history. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Minnesota Seventh in the Civil War with Eric Linner
November 5 @ 7 to 8 pm - Stillwater: Washington County Heritage Center - Historian Eric Linner shares stories and experiences from the Minnesota Seventh Infantry during the Civil War, highlighting personal journeys and Minnesota’s role in the conflict. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Book Reading by Author Debra J. Stone
November 6 @ 6:30 to 8:30 pm - Minneapolis: Hennepin History Museum - Attend a reading by Debra J. Stone, author of The House on Rondo, a novel that tells the story of the vibrant Black neighborhood Rondo in St. Paul and the impact of the 1963 highway construction that disrupted the community. Cost: Pay as you can. Learn more »
Mayo Clinic Lecture Series: The Tornado That Gave Rise to Mayo Clinic & The Founding of Saint Mary's Hospital
November 6 @ 7 to 8:30 pm - Rochester: History Center of Olmsted County - Join W. Bruce Fye, M.D., Emeritus Staff at the Mayo Clinic, for a lecture and film screening about the inspiring history of the Mayo Clinic’s founding, focusing on compassion, collaboration, and innovation in medicine. Cost: Free for HCOC members, $5 for nonmembers. Learn more »
Artifact Chat: Veteran’s Day Special
November 10 @ 5 pm to 6:30 pm - Alexandria: Douglas County Historical Society - Join this special Veteran’s Day Artifact Chat featuring discussions and displays of military artifacts from the Douglas County Historical Society collection. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Past and Future Structures of Judicial Branch Support for Civil Legal Aid in Minnesota
November 11 @ 4:30 pm to 7 pm - Minneapolis: The Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society invites you to their 2025 Annual Event focusing on the history and future of judicial branch support for civil legal aid in Minnesota, featuring expert discussions and networking. Location: Minneapolis: Minneapolis Club. Cost: $20 to $50. Learn more »
Tuesday with a Scholar - Sahan Journal
November 18 @ 12:30 to 2 pm (CT) - Online: Ramsey County Library - Learn about Sahan Journal with Executive Director Vanan Murugesan, exploring the newsroom’s mission to tell authentic stories of immigrants and communities of color in Minnesota. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Explore Minnesota - State of MN's Tourism website
Listings: Museums & Galleries | Culture & Heritage | Attractions & Entertainment
Register for an Account »
Highlighted Museum: Wasioja Civil War Recruiting Station, operated by the Dodge County Historical Society, Wasioja, MN.
Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums invites session proposals for its 2026 conference in Mankato, Minnesota. See a list of suggested topics for the MALHM Conference 2026. Sessions can include workshops, panels, or roundtable discussions designed to share experiences, challenges, and solutions in the field. Submit proposals by November 19 to join peers in advancing local history work. This is an opportunity to shape the conference program and contribute to statewide historical dialogue. Full details and submission guidelines »
DHPSNY: Stories from the Field: Love Canal Interview Redaction
October 23 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts - Explore how the Love Canal Oral History Project addressed ethical and technical challenges of interview redaction to balance privacy, access, and preservation in community history projects. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Data for Sustaining Hope in Uncertain Times
October 24 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: American Alliance of Museums - Explore how data-driven insights can strengthen organizational resilience, inspire action, and sustain hope during challenging periods. This session highlights tools and case studies that demonstrate how museums use data to navigate uncertainty and plan for the future. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Transforming Business Models
October 29 @ 12 pm (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits - Learn the four core components of a nonprofit business model—revenue mix, program cost structure, infrastructure, and capital—and how they connect to mission and financial health. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Small Museums, Important Collections – A Virtual Summit
November 3, 12, & 13 - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Discover how small museums manage and interpret collections of great significance, even with limited budgets and staff. This virtual summit brings together museum professionals to share practical solutions, creative partnerships, and innovative strategies for safeguarding and activating community heritage. Cost: $60 member/$75 nonmember. Learn more »
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Oct. 29 - Nov. 1, 2025 |
November 15, 2025 |
October 24 & 25, 2025 |
Additional Educational Opportunities »
It's History Awards Season - SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS!As you reflect on 2025, consider what great history projects you and your colleagues have accomplished. Consider nominating notable history work for either a Minnesota History Award or an AASLH Leadership in History Award. Great work deserves recognition; recognition inspires and informs others. |
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MINNESOTA History AwardsNominations are open and accepted until January 14, 2026. Since 2009, the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums has recognized outstanding history work by local organizations at its Annual Meeting. A formal nomination process is conducted and reviewed by a panel of peers to determine award recipients. There are two award programs: the Minnesota History Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Awards. Award Categories:
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AASLH Leadership in History AwardsNominations are open and accepted until March 1, 2026. American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) bestows the Leadership in History Awards in recognition of excellence in the field of state and local history. AASLH recognizes EXCELLENCE in the following areas:
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The Eric DeLony Industrial Heritage Preservation Grant Fund
Deadline - March 1, 2026: Society for Industrial Archeology - Grants from $1000 to $3000 for the study, documentation, recordation, and/or preservation of significant historic industrial sites, structures, and objects. Awards are made to nonprofit organizations and qualified individuals. Learn more »
Humanities in Place
Deadline - Rolling: The Mellon Foundation – Supports institutions and organizations advancing fuller exploration of community histories and sites in the U.S. through place-based projects, including work with history museums, heritage spaces, and public storytelling. Grants encourage innovative approaches to documenting, interpreting, and engaging with underacknowledged histories and communities. Proposals accepted by invitation only. Learn more »
Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »
Vintage Museum Photo: St. Olaf Church (Tverberg Log House) Hayfield, MN. (1970s). 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.
In a time of increasing threats to the public history field, the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums has assembled a new team to focus on advocacy. The Advocacy Team will work to promote the interests of the MALHM membership and the Minnesota local history community as a whole. As the team gets going, they are asking for your input:
Fill out the following survey to share your thoughts and reach out with any additional questions or comments. Deadline: November 13, 2025.
2025/26 Mondale Quie Essay Contest
October 8, 2025 to January 20, 2026 - Virtual Event: Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society - Open to Minnesota high school juniors and seniors from public, private, charter, alternative, or homeschool programs, this essay contest invites students to explore legal and historical topics each year. Learn more »
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Featured BookA Collaborative Approach to Exhibition Making by Emily Saich and Joey Scott. Bloomsbury Publishing. |
Featured Article
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Featured Article
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Minnesota UnraveledA podcast series by the Minnesota Historical Society
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Minnesota History Organizations Directory• County, Chapters, and Local |
Minnesota Main Streets |
Preservation Specialists Directory |
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