Government Records
The Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission was created by legislation in 2005 to plan, promote, and oversee events and activities to recognize Minnesota's 150th anniversary of statehood and to achieve broad participation of the people of Minnesota, visitors, local communities, institutions and organizations in activities across the state; raise awareness and educate Minnesotans by telling the stories of our past, recognizing the indigenous people of Minnesota, and learning from them and the many ethnic groups that have come and continue to come to Minnesota; develop a shared vision for the state's future, by engaging Minnesotans in civic dialogue; and leave a lasting legacy through print, visual, musical, and other reminders, as well as media documentation. The commission expired January 30, 2009.
Included are minutes; files of the executive director, chairperson, and Minnesota
Historical Society liaison; event and grant files; published records and reports,
including the commission's final report, news releases and clippings, and the
sesquicentennial master plan; cookbook submissions;
Access to the time capsule prior to 2057 requires permission from the State Archivist.
Digital masters of the viedo files are maintained on the Society's secure digital collections storage server and are managed and preserved in accordance with archival best practices.
Accession number: 2012-47
Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project
grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission
Catalog ID number: 007510292
Files of Executive Director Jane Leonard and Commission staff; alphabetical by subject.
Arranged chronologically by event.
Envelopes and letterhead.
Alphabetical by subject; files of Chairperson Cay Hellervik.
Files of Patricia (Patti) Norquist, who served as the Society's liaison with the Commission; the files concern planning, coordination between the Society and the Commission, financial and budget information, publicity and related background information.
Arranged in categories by county, city and alphabetically by event title; captured from the internet by volunteer Audrey Williams.
Arranged chronologically by month; summaries submitted online.
Grants to counties; not all counties are represented.
Arranged chronologically; print and near-print materials published by the commission or about the sesquicentennial celebration.
Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission Final Report.
Signed record of the resolution recognizing the State of Minnesota's 150th Anniversary.
Recognizing the 150th Anniversary of the State of Minnesota.
Articles highlighting events associated with sesquicentennial celebrations.
Posters from various events around the state celebrating the sesquicentennial.
Calendar, brochure, exhibit pictures, and 26 laminated posters; all documenting a grant project done by the students of Minneapolis South High School.
Three sesquicentennial banners, one used for Chautauqua.
Submitted recipes from each county for inclusion in Make it Minnesotan! Sesquicentennial Cookbook: 150 Years of Recipes and Stories from Minnesota Kitchens.
Final galleys for Minnesota, Hail to Thee! A Sesquicentennial History by Karal Ann Marling.
Journals that traveled to the State Fair and various cities around the State accompanying the sesquicentennial banner; include entries in answer to the question "What do you appreciate about Minnesota?" along with drawings and photographs.
Magnetic sign for the sesquicentennial unit in the daily State Fair Parade.
Signatures on a petition for reconsideration for the city of St. Peter to assume its rightful place as the capital city of Minnesota in 2058.
Winona Middle School students’ thank you notes to Executive Director Leonard (2007) and What Does Minnesota Mean to Me essays from the Kingsland Middle School students, Spring Valley/Wykoff (2008).
Sealed by Jane Leonard, Executive Director and Karen Rickert, Executive Assistant on February 3, 2009; to be opened May 11, 2057 by the Bicentennial Commission in advance of the 200th Anniversary of Minnesota Statehood
Events at the state capitol.
View video file
Features local news anchor Diana Pierce officiating at an evening event on the steps of the state capitol building.
View video file
Commission produced; about Minnesota’s future history.
View video file