Spotlighted Project: Online Historical Records Indexing Project

Recipient: Otter Tail County Historical Society

Funding Amount: $7,000

Project Overview

Otter Tail County Historical Society, Fergus Falls MN, created a secure online database for off-site historical records indexing.

Facebook Findings

Minnesota Local History fans now number 825! In the news this week:

• War of 1812 Bicentennial: not just for the coasts. The war also affected Minnesota.
• Minnesota winners at National History Day competition.

Program Assistant
Reiman Gardens, Ames IA, seeks Program Assistant I (Volunteer Coordinator). Deadline: June 28, 2012.

Collections Inventory and Research Assistant
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Port of Dubuque IA, seeks Collections Inventory and Research Assistant. Deadline: June 29, 2012.

Executive Director
La Crosse County Historical Society, La Crosse WI, seeks Executive Director. Deadline: July 6, 2012.

Executive Director
Iowa Transportation Museum/Spaulding Center for Transportation, Grinnell IA, seeks Executive Director. Deadline: July 31, 2012.

Oldest House Open House
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead MN, announces the annual open house at the 1870 Bergquist Pioneer Log Cabin, June 22-23, 2012, 1-4 p.m. Call 218-299-5511 for more information.

Base Ball Game
St. Croix Base Ball Club, a program of Washington County Historical Society, Stillwater MN, and Northfield Silver Stars play a match game of 1860s base ball, Saturday June 23, 2012, 2:15 p.m., Hay Lake Museum, Scandia MN. Call 651-433-4014 for more information.

History of Steamboating
Dr. William Lass, Professor Emeritus of History at Minnesota State University, Mankato, will present a program about steamboating on the Minnesota River at the Fort Ridgely Historic Site, Saturday June 23, 2012, 2 p.m. For more information contact Nicollet County Historical Society, 507-426-7888, or Fort Ridgely State Park, 507-426-7840.

Meadowfest
Mower County Historical Society, Austin MN, invites the public to Meadowfest Sesquicentennial, Grand Meadow MN, Saturday June 23, 2012, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday June 24, noon to 3 p.m. Tour Booth Post #130 GAR Hall, see an 1860s-style base ball game, talk to President Abraham Lincoln. Call 507-437-6082 for more information.

U.S.-Dakota War Poetry Competition
Sixth Annual Cambria Eisteddfod takes place Sunday June 24, 2012, Morgan Creek Vineyards, New Ulm MN, with a U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 theme. The event honors the Welsh traditions of poetry and music, known as an Eisteddfod. Admission: $5/adults; children free. Proceeds go to support Blue Earth County Historical Society, Mankato MN. Call 507-345-5566 for more information.

U.S.-Dakota War Program
Representative Dean Urdahl will speak on the U.S.-Dakota War, Tuesday June 26, 2012, 7 p.m. at Rushseba Town Hall, Rush City MN. Call 651-674-4819 for more information.

Lunchbox History
Mower County Historical Society, Austin MN, invites the public to bring a bag lunch for the first installment of this season's Lunchbox History Series, Thursday June 28, 2012, noon. Hormel Historic Home Executive Director Laura Helle will speak on the history of East Side Lake. Free, donations appreciated. Call 507-437-6082 for more information.

Exhibit Opening
Northfield Historical Society, Northfield MN, opens "Northfield Girl Scouts--Then and Now," at the historical society, Thursday June 28, 2012, 6-9 p.m. Call 507-645-9268 for more information.

Book Talk and Signing
Kandiyohi County Historical Society, Willmar MN, hosts author Ellen-Marie Jensen, who will speak on her book "We Stopped Forgetting," the story of Sami ethnicity in the United States, Thursday June 28, 2012, 7 p.m. Call 320-235-1881 for more information.

Inkpaduta and Spirit Lake
Independent historian and publisher Mary Bakeman will speak at Fort Ridgely State Historic Site (Commissary Building), June 30, 2012, 2 p.m. Bakeman will recount the 1857 attack by a Wahpetuke band of Santee Sioux near the northwestern Iowa towns of Okoboji and Spirit Lake, and how it contributed to the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Call 507-426-7888 or 507-934-2160 for more information.

Base Ball Game
Mankato Baltics vintage base ball team hosts annual tournament, Land of Memories Park, Mankato MN, Saturday June 30, 2012, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See vintage base ball played with 1860s rules. For more information contact Blue Earth County Historical Society, 507-345-5566.

Fundraiser
Mark Thudin's daughters host a spaghetti fundraiser (PDF) in memory of their father, Sunday July 1, 2012, noon-5 p.m., Proctor Moose. All proceeds go to Proctor Area Historical Society Museum. Call 218-624-0187 for more information.

Birthday Bash
Join Pond Dakota Heritage Society, Bloomington MN, for Gideon Pond's 202nd Birthday Bash, Sunday July 1, 2012, 1:30-4 p.m. Drop-in program for all ages. Call 952-563-8693 for more information.

U.S.-Dakota War Sites Tour
Pond Dakota Heritage Society, Bloomington MN, will conduct a tour emphasizing the missionary and Dakota Christian involvement in the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday July 7, 2012. Meet at Pond Dakota Mission Park. Cost: $15/adults; $10/youth ages 18 and under. Contact Jeff Williamson, 651-423-9004, for more information or to register.

Summer Events
Friends of B'nai Abraham Synagogue and Virginia Area Historical Society, Virginia MN, announce their summer events lineup at B'nai Abraham. 

Managing Controversy
National Coalition Against Censorship provides information on best practices for managing controversy and transforming controversy into a learning opportunity.

Exhibition Cost Survey
Has your museum installed an exhibit within the last two years? If so, please take Split Rock Studios' short survey about the cost of museum exhibitions.