Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grants

Legislative Support
Over this past weekend, the Legacy appropriations conference committee completed its work, and included a significant amount of funding for history, including grants, partnerships and statewide programs.

The Senate passed the conference committee report but the House did not, as they ran out of time before the required midnight adjournment. It is expected that the legislature will take up the Legacy bill in its upcoming special session.

Please take a moment to thank your legislators for their support for history in the Legacy appropriations bill. Stories of the effectiveness and impact of history legacy projects help make the case for why history is important.

Final Reports
Approximately five weeks remain in the biennium, so Legacy grants projects are rapidly drawing to a close. Keep in mind that all expenditures must be incurred prior to June 30, 2011. Questions on completing your project? Contact the Grants Office.

From the Blog

Digital Imaging Guidelines for Small Organizations, Part 1 (new audio podcast) - This podcast and PDF is aimed at smaller museums/organizations that wish to digitize their collections. Please provide feedback! What can we add to make it better, simplify it, or . . . ?

Facebook Findings

For those of you planning to send kids to college, 529 College Savings Plans are one of many things to fret about. Yes, Minnesota Local History's Facebook friends now number 529! Join now to keep up with the latest from your history friends and colleagues. Local History News is up to the challenge--what will the correlation be to next week's number?

Yellow Medicine County Historical Society - Watch a short video on the effects a devastating flood had on Yellow Medicine County Historical Society, Granite Falls MN, in the late 1990s.

Job Opportunities

Museum Assistant
Wells Fargo History Museum, Minneapolis MN, seeks part time Museum Assistant. Deadline: May 31, 2011.

Museum Assistant
City of Cokato MN seeks Museum Assistant for Cokato Museum & Akerlund Photography Studio. Deadline: June 15, 2011, 4 p.m.

Do History Here

Viking Artifacts
Research and discussion on Viking explorers and Minnesota at Kensington Runestone Park, June 1-3, 2011. Contact Steve Hilgren for more information.

Book Signing
Washington County Historical Society, Stillwater MN, announces a presentation and book signing with Robert Goodman and Peter DeCarlo, authors of "In Their Own Words: The Civil War as Seen by Washington County Soldiers," Saturday June 4, 2011, 2 p.m. Call WCHS, 651-439-5956, for more information.

Charlie Maguire
Rice County Historical Society, Faribault MN, hosts "An Evening Out with Charlie Maguire," dinner and entertainment, Friday June 10, 2011, 5 p.m. Tickets: $25. Limited availability; call 507-332-2121 to order yours now.

Northwest Airlines History
New series! Coffee & Conversation at the NWA History Centre, Bloomington MN, features a talk on Donald W. Nyrop, who led Northwest Airlines from 1954 to 1978, Saturday June 11, 2011, 1-3 p.m. Admission: $5, includes refreshments. RSVP to Mary Fryer, 651-699-8833.

Dakota Women's Clothing
Thomas Shaw will discuss Dakota women's apparel at Pond Dakota Heritage Society, Sunday June 12, 2011, 2 p.m. Suggested donation $2/adults. Call 952-563-8693 for more information.

Summer Camp
Rice County Historical Society, Faribault MN, will hold their 2011 Living History Summer Camp, June 13-17, 2011, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Grades 4-6 encouraged to participate. Cost: $50 members/$60 nonmembers. Contact RCHS, 507-332-2121, for more information.

World War I Lunch Talk
St. Louis County Historical Society presents "Lunch with the History People," Thursday June 16, 2011, noon to 1 p.m. Pam Brunfelt will speak on "The Minnesota Commission of Public Safety in WWI: Suppression of Free Expression." Free. Contact Julie Bolos, 218-733-7568, for more information.

Poetry and Music
Isanti County Historical Society, Cambridge MN, hosts poet and essayist Gary Holthaus and musician Lauren Pelon for "The Story of Music, Stories from Home," Thursday June 16, 2011, 7 p.m. Cost: $10/person; limited seating--purchase tickets now! Call 763-689-4229 for more information.

Summer Camps
LeDuc Historic Estate, Hastings MN, offers two summer camps for ages 10-14:

• Experience Life with the LeDuc Family I, June 13-17, 2011
• Experience Life with the LeDuc Family II, August 2-4, 2011

Both sessions 8 a.m. to noon each day. Register through Hastings Community Education, 651-480-7670. Call LeDuc Historic Estate, 651-437-7055, with questions.

Dakota Language Camps
City of Bloomington hosts third annual Dakota Language Camp at Pond Dakota Park, June 21-23, 2011, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children and families welcome. Cost: $40/person, includes lunch. Scholarships available.

Continuing Education

Public History Class
Simpson College in Iowa offers Hist 290 Public History: Historic Site Museums for the Simpson Cross Session, May 24-July 12, 2011. Three hour undergraduate class meets Tuesday evenings at West Des Moines campus. Contact Brian Browning, 515-991-2007, for more information.

MDL Meeting
Reminder! Minnesota Digital Library's 9th Annual Meeting is Monday June 6, 2011. Register by Friday May 27, 2011.

Tourism Conference
Ethnic Cultural Tourism Destinations Conference will be held Wednesday July 13, 2011, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Black Bear Crossings on the Lake, St. Paul MN. Cost: $50.

Lichens and Gravestones Workshop
Humboldt Field Research Institute, Eagle Hill Foundation, Steuben ME, offers Lichens and Gravestones workshop, July 17-23, 2011. Application and cost information online.

News

Blue Star Museums
Scott County Historical Society - Stans Museum, Shakopee MN, and Goodhue County Historical Society, Red Wing MN, are among the Minnesota museums participating in the Blue Star Museums program, offering free admission to all active duty personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2011.

Scholarship Grant
Stearns History Museum, St. Cloud MN, received a $500 grant from the Julianne Williams Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation to support scholarships for ten girls to attend the White House Garden Project. Call Stearns History Museum, 320-253-8424, for more information.

CLASSY Awards
Do you know a nonprofit organization, fundraiser or volunteer making an outstanding impact in your community? Nominate them for a CLASSY Award. Deadline: June 19, 2011.

Field Note

Staples Historical Society received a mid-size grant for $49,400 to restore windows and doors on the Northern Pacific Railway Depot in Staples MN.

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grants recipients are working hard to complete outstanding grants projects by the end of the biennium, June 30, 2011. View more Legacy grants projects online.