9 min read

Local History News: September 27, 2023

Joe Hoover Sep 27, 2023 3:21:00 PM

Local History News - Minnesota Historical Society, Heritage Preservation

Field Note

Albert Lea Main Street-Jacobson Building

Heritage Preservation, Planning, and Outreach staff attended the Main Street annual accreditation meeting in Albert Lea on July 18. The discussion was around how Albert Lea, a nationally accredited Main Street program, is rebounding after COVID-19. The group then toured downtown Albert Lea, passing by various landmarks including churches and parks. The tour included the Jacobson Building, which is undergoing repairs to its cracking and loose terra cotta façade.

Heritage Preservation Grants

OCTOBER Grants Open House
October 5 - 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 13, 2023.

From the Blog

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

Etching of the original Shakopee High School

History of the Shakopee Central School, Part 1
When the public educational system began in Shakopee in 1854, classes were held in various locations, including the Stemmer home and the second story of the old post office building. Three schools served Shakopee residents during the 1870s: The District 1 stone building, the District 2 school, and District 41 school building. The No. 1 school burned in 1880, the No. 2 building became the residence of Herman Duede, and the No. 41 school house, located on Fourth Street, served the district until 1918 and was destroyed in 1935 after officials condemned the building as a hazard to life and limb.

1881 Building

In July of 1881, the County Commissioners consolidated Districts 1 and 2, and construction began on a new building located on a block of land bordered by Fifth and Sixth Avenues to the north and south, and Holmes and Lewis Streets to the west and east, respectively (3). A published article in 1881 reads:

“The present school system of Shakopee is in the process of a change. A new school house is building, the cost of which will be $10,000 and a well graded school will be inaugurated with the opening of the present building.”

From the Tube

This week's post is from U of MN Libraries. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!

Secrets of the Archives: A Yiddish Scrapbook
In this episode of "Secrets of the Archives," Kate Dietrick and host Tim Johnson discuss a recent acquisition at the University of Minnesota: A scrapbook created by Holocaust survivors, who were members of a Yiddish theatre troupe in a displaced person camp. Dietrick is the Archivist for the Berman Upper Midwest Jewish Archives at the University of Minnesota Libraries, and Tim Johnson is Curator of the Sherlock Holmes and Rare Books collections, also at the University of Minnesota Libraries. Watch Video »

Job Opportunities

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

MNHS

Program Facilitator I - Minnesota State Capitol

LOCAL

Request for Proposals, Research for Silent Voices: Teachers Moving On - Portal Research, Twin Cities
Facilities Manager Job - Northern Bedrock Historic Preservation Corps, Duluth, MN
Historian - Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, National Park Service, St. Paul, MN
Statewide Educator - Bell Museum, St. Paul, MN
Museum Evaluator II - Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Grant Writer - Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Evaluation & Research Associate - Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Communications Coordinator - The Bakken Museum, Minneapolis, MN
Museum Collections Lead - Paisley Park, Chanhassen, MN

REGIONAL

Curator III - University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Museum Maintenance Supervisor - Discovery World, Milwaukee, WI
Park Ranger Interpretation - Theodore Roosevelt National Park, National Park Service, Watford City, ND
Museum Technician - Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, National Park Service, Stanton, ND
Program Manager - Arts Across the Prairie, North Dakota Council on the Arts, Bismarck, ND

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL

Request for Letters of Interest – Historic Resource Study Addendum on African American History, Paterson Great Falls Historical Park, National Council on Public History & National Park Service
Director of Institutional and Public Giving - The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL
Senior Registrar - Indiana University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Bloomington, IL
Curator of Cultural Heritage - Indiana University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Bloomington, IL
Museum Technician (General) - Great Lakes Naval Museum, Department of the Navy, Great Lakes Naval Training Center, IL
Digital Imaging Technician - Barack Obama Presidential Library, National Archives and Records Administration, Hoffman Estates, IL
Associate Conservator - The Newberry, Chicago, IL
Museum Educator - Lake County Forest Preserves, Libertyville, IL
Records Manager at Archives and Rare Book Library, Librarian Position - University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Digital Archivist at Archives and Rare Book Library, Librarian Position - University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Assistant Facilities Manager - Massillon Museum, Massillon, OH
Historic Preservation & Civic Relations Manager - German Village Society, Columbus, OH
Special Events Coordinator - Gerald R. Ford Library, National Archives and Records Administration, Ann Arbor, MI
Curator - Gilmore Car Museum, Hickory Corners, MI
Architectural Historian - Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Jefferson City, MO
Curator - Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, MB
Director, Facilities and Protection Services - Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, MB

INTERNSHIPS/VOLUNTEERS/FELLOWSHIPS

Board Member - Lyon County Historical Society, Marshall, MN
Museum Studies Internship Summer 2024 - Iowa 80 Truckstop Inc, Walcott, IA

Additional Job Postings in the Field »

Do History Here

Joe and Mary Boshey canoeing on Burntside Lake in the early 1900s
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Ely-Winton Historical Society.

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

Sámi Collections and Sámi Museums in the Nordic Countries
September 28 @ 6 pm - University of Minnesota Press - Author Barbara Sjoholm will talk on Sámi collections and Sámi museums in the Nordic countries. She’ll discuss the establishment of Sámi museums in Norway, Sweden, and Finland in the past fifty years and their role in the renaissance of Indigenous Sámi music, duodji (handicraft), and language restoration. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Wayzata Then...Wayzata Now
September 28 @ 7:15 pm - Wayzata: Wayzata Historical Society - This program will explore the “old” and the “new” Wayzata. During the program, WHS board member Joanie Holst will guide attendees on a virtual tour of various sites and places across Wayzata that have changed over the years. The second part of a two-part series. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Bde Maka Ska: From Dakota Village to Cottage City – Landscape and Community Transitions
September 30 @ 10 to 11:30 am - Minneapolis: Linden Hills History Study Group - Walking tour with Peter Sussman. Meet at the southeast corner of West Bde Maka Ska Parkway and Thomas Avenue S. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Commemorative Ride for Bicycling Leader Bill Dooley
September 30 @ 11 am to 1 pm Minneapolis: Hennepin History Museum and the Major Taylor Bicycling Club of Minnesota are hosting a commemorative bike ride to honor the legacy of the club's late member Bill Dooley, a civic leader who shaped the modern history of bicycling in the Twin Cities through his advocacy and planning. The ride will start at Hennepin History Museum and visit some of the community projects Bill worked on. The tour will last approximately 2 hours, ending back at the Museum with light refreshments. Learn more »

Performance: The Laramie Project
September 30 @ 7pm - Ramsey (City): Northern Starz Center for the Performing Arts - The Laramie Project is a by Moisés Kaufman about the reaction to the 1998 murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. Join founder Telling Queer History Rebecca Lawrence, Matthew's father Dennis Shepard (virtually), and others for a post-show conversation on th at the Northern Starz main stage in Ramsey MN. Cost: $20. Learn more »

Expensive Crossings
October 1 @ 3 pm - Pine City: Pine City Area Historical Society - Olaf Danielson shares his knowledge on the border crossings of western Wisconsin including the Soderbeck ferry and the Highway 70 bridge. Location: Pine City Public Library. Learn more »

Society Briefs, Village News or the Other “Gossip Columns”
October 4 @ 7 to 8:15 pm - Online: Minnesota Genealogical Society - Before Facebook, there was an interesting tradition in journalism: the society and rural/small town correspondent column. These columns can provide useful, often amusing, tidbits that can fill in the blanks and connect the dots about your family and where they lived. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Voices From the Past Cemetery Walk
October 5 @ 6 pm, October 7 & 8 @ 12 to 4 pm - Winona: Winona County Historical Society - Take a walk into the past with stories of Winona County brought to life with community actors in beautiful Woodlawn Cemetery. Learn more about local history in a fun and unique way! Each year highlights a different historic theme and different people's stories are told by actors at sites throughout the cemetery. Cost: $10. Learn more »

Sundown Cemetery Tour
October 7 @ 4:30 pm - Sauk Centre: Stearns History Museum - Program Director Caitlin Carlson and Exhibits & Curatorial Director Eric Cheever take you on a guided tour through the beautiful Greenwood Cemetery. The history of the cemetery and several of its residents will be discussed. Cost: $10. Learn more »

Historical Home Tour
October 7 @ 11 am to 4 pm - Albert Lea: The tour features 7 gorgeous historical homes in Freeborn County. You will be able to visit the houses in any order you choose and at your own pace. Cost: $35 members/$45 nonmembers. Learn more »

Origins of the Minneapolis Sound: The Twin Cities Music Scene from the ‘60s to the Prince Era
October 16 @ 7 pm - Minneapolis: Linden Hills History Study Group - The 1960s was an explosive time for Minnesota music, as a generation of teenagers inspired by early rock ‘n’ roll and R&B formed their first bands. Join Rick Shefchik, author of Everybody’s Heard About the Bird: The True Story of 1960s Rock ‘N’ Roll in Minnesota, and Andrea Swensson, author of Got to Be Something Here: The Rise of the Minneapolis Sound, for a musical presentation about this influential, vibrant period in local music. Location: St. John’s Episcopal Church. Cost: Free members/$5 nonmembers. Learn more »

Trickin' and Treatin' and Creepy Doll Scavenger Hunt
October 27 @ 6:30 to 8 pm - Albert Lea: Freeborn County Historical Museum - Time for spooky fun for the whole family! There will be trick or treating in the historic village. Inside the museum take part in a Creepy Doll Scavenger Hunt. They will be dimming the lights and sending you through the museum to view some of the creepiest dolls in our collection. Learn more »

Continuing Education

Exterior of the Northfield Historical Society Museum
Highlighted Museum: Northfield Historical Society Museum, operated by the Northfield Historical Society, Northfield, MN.
Photograph by McGhiever, distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Cyber Incident Response Plans for Nonprofits
October 5 @1 pm (CT) - Online: Blue Avocado - This webinar is meant to educate and inform your nonprofit about: What a cyber incident response plan is; Why your nonprofit should have one; What should be included. Cost: Free. Learn more »

17th Annual Local History & Historic Preservation Conference
October 18 to 20 - La Crosse, WI: Wisconsin Historical Society - Gather with colleagues from around the state and beyond as we exchange ideas and share the vision for the future of local history and historic preservation in Wisconsin, the Midwest, and the nation. Learn more »

Navigating Barriers to Ethical Labor Practices
October 30 @ 2 to 3:30 pm (CT) - Online: Society of American Archivists - Contemporary archives leaders contend with long-standing concerns about sustainability, access, and advocacy, in addition to the challenges and excitement of traditional and developing workflows and programs. However, ongoing and recently pressing shifts in the profession highlight the need for leaders to reconsider "softer" concerns that impact their - and employees’ - decision-making and collaborative capacities. Many of these issues center on emotional labor, precarity, and inequitable workload. In this webinar, experts on morale, designing ethical project positions, early career archivists, and workplace ableism will explore these concerns through conversation and open the floor to attendees. Cost: $49. Learn more »

Future of Museums Summit
November 1 & 2 - Online: AAM - Connect with museum professionals around the world for the inaugural Future of Museums Summit, a virtual convening where you'll go beyond the theoretical and gain tactical strategies and takeaways to plan for a brighter future for you, your museum, and your community. Cost: $195 members/$245 nonmembers. Learn more »

TIPS & TOOLS

Evidence of things not seen: Preserving oral histories as a form of reparative practice - American Alliance of Museums

Additional Educational Opportunities »

Funding & Awards

Archival Projects Grants
November 2 - (deadline): National Historical Publications and Records Commission, National Archives and Records Administration - This grant seeks archival projects that will significantly improve online public discovery and use of historical records collections. Learn more »

Publishing Historical Records in Collaborative Digital Editions
November 2 - (deadline): National Historical Publications and Records Commission, National Archives and Records Administration - This grant seeks proposals to publish online editions of historical records. Learn more »

National Leadership Grants for Museums
November 15 - (deadline): Institute of Museum and Library Services - These grants support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public. Learn more »

News

Authors celebrate rich history of waterfowl hunting
Mankato Free Press - Saturday was the kickoff to another Minnesota waterfowl hunting season, and there’s no better way to get excited for what’s to come than to look back on what was. Minnesota waterfowlers carry a history as an ardent bunch. Minnesota used to lead the nation in waterfowl stamp sales and once boasted of leading the nation in waterfowl hunter numbers. Continue reading »

About the Town: Routines return
Isanti-Chisago County Star - ...Larry Helwig is president of the Pine County Historical Society. In a recent newsletter, he points out a few facts about museums. Many small communities have a museum and a number are working to develop a museum. It’s not easy, it takes dedicated people who will share their wealth and time to get it done. These facts point out how important museums are in sharing our cultural heritage... Continue reading »

More to the Story: Why Germans left their homeland
Hutchinson Leader - If you live in McLeod County, there’s a good chance that you have some German heritage. If you do not, there’s a good chance that your friends, your neighbors, or your spouse have some German heritage. If they don’t … well trust me, they do. Continue reading »

Editorial: Vermilion Foundation event honors worthy winners as it returns to calendar
Ely Echo - Ely native and recently-retired St. Louis County Historical Society Executive Director Jo Anne Coombe was recognized, in person, for the Vermilion Lifetime Achievement Award she was selected for way back in 2020, just before the world was disrupted by the pandemic. Continue reading »


Featured Book Clouded Waters by Dianna Hunter Holy Cow! Press. Clouded Waters Book Reading October 12 @ 6 to 8 pm Event by Tretter Collection, Holy Cow! Press and Quatrefoil Library	Featured Article Minnesota History Men’s Photo Club Volume 64, Issue 5, 2015	Featured Article MNopedia Minnesota State Seal 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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