HRAC Meeting
Staff recently notified eligible applicants to the Summer mid/large grant round of the upcoming Historic Resources Advisory Committee meeting. If you plan to send a representative to present your proposal, please RSVP to Melinda Hutchinson.

Grants Program Forms
The Grants Office occasionally updates the forms used by the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program (Scope of Work, final report form, in-kind reporting, etc.) and replaces the old version with the new online. When you use these forms, check to make sure you are using the most updated version(s) from the website.

Spotlighted Project: Wilder Archives Collections Project

Recipient: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
Funding Amount: $5,221
Project Details

The Wilder Foundation Archives was made more accessible to the public as a result of building on initial efforts by organizing and preserving fifty-nine cubic feet of archival materials.

Local History Newsletter Digest: Notes from the Curator...

The following article was originally printed in "Martin County Historical Society News" Spring 2012. Reprinted with permission from the Martin County Historical Society.

Facebook Findings

Minnesota Local History is up another three this week, to 872 likes. Getting closer to that coveted 1000 mark! In the news this week:

• Preserving Wood Lake Battlefield: history where it happened.
• Ness Church, rural Litchfield MN, held a prayer service in observance of the U.S.-Dakota War.
• New U.S.-Dakota War exhibit at Brown County Historical Society, New Ulm MN.

Preservation Specialist
Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul MN, seeks Preservation Specialist, Heritage Programs. Deadline: August 29, 2012.

Director of Development and Communications
Whiterock Conservancy, Coon Rapids IA, seeks Director of Development and Communications. Deadline: August 31, 2012.

Executive Director
Whiterock Conservancy, Coon Rapids IA, seeks Executive Director. Deadline: September 14, 2012.

Development Associate
Carl & Mary Koehler History Center, Cedar Rapids IA, seeks Development Associate.

U.S.-Dakota War Roundtable
Traverse des Sioux Library System hosts U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 roundtable discussion at Turner Hall, New Ulm MN, Thursday August 23, 2012, 10 a.m. to noon.

U.S.-Dakota War Symposium
Turner Hall, New Ulm MN, is the location for a U.S.-Dakota War Symposium, Friday August 24, 2012, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sponsored by Friends of the New Ulm Public Library, Brown County Historical Society, and Turner Hall. Full calendar of events listed online.

Civil War Talk
Join Vickie Wendel from Anoka County Historical Society for a program that will provide a hands-on approach to the U.S. Civil War, Saturday August 25, 2012, 2 p.m., Fort Ridgely, Fairfax MN. Call 507-426-7888 for more information.

Movie Matinee
Carlton County Historical Society, Cloquet MN, holds the next movie matinee on Saturday August 25, 2012, 1 p.m. Movie selections this month: "The Smart Way" with Willie Howard, "Elephant Roundup," "Fur and Feathers in Alaska." Films are shown using a vintage projector. Call 218-879-1938 for more information.

U.S.-Dakota War of 1862
Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn Park MN, presents Darryl Sannes, who will discuss Hennepin County soldiers and settlers during the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, Brookdale Library, Brooklyn Center MN, Saturday September 1, 2012, 10 a.m. Newly restored 1862 drawing of the Battle of Acton will be on view. Call 763-607-1150 for more information.

Celebrate the West
West Newton, MN hosts author John Koblas, an authority on Jesse James; and Lonesome Ron, King of the Valley Yodelers, Sunday September 2, 2012, 1-4 p.m. Tours also available of the Harkin Store, nine miles northwest of New Ulm. Call 507-354-8666 or 507-934-2160 for more information.

U.S.-Dakota War Talk
Join Blue Earth County Historical Society, Mankato MN, for a talk by Dr. William Lass on the historiography of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, Tuesday September 4, 2012, 6 p.m. Contact Shelley Harrison, 507-345-5566, for more information.

U.S.-Dakota War Program
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Moorhead MN, presents "The Dakota War of 1862: Minnesota's Other Civil War," a program by Dale Blanchan, Saturday September 8, 2012, 2 p.m., Hjemkomst Center. Call 218-299-5511 for more information.

Sesquicentennial Party
Join History Center of Olmsted County, Rochester MN, to celebrate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the William Dee Pioneer Log Cabin, Sunday September 9, 2012, 2 p.m. RSVP to HCOC, 507-227-5726, by September 5, 2012.

Hangar Dance
Goodhue County Historical Society, Red Wing MN, hosts a World War II USO-themed fall fundraiser, Saturday September 22, 2012, at the Red Wing Airport. Dinner/dance tickets $30, dance only tickets $20, doors open 5:30 p.m. Call 651-388-6024 to reserve tickets.

Bus Trip
Kandiyohi County Historical Society, Willmar MN, will sponsor a bus tour to the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN, on Thursday September 27, 2012. Cost: $25/person, lunch on your own. Bus leaves KCHS at 8:15 a.m. and returns at 6:15 p.m. Register by September 20, 2012 by contacting KCHS, 320-235-1881.

Sperry House Tea
Kandiyohi County Historical Society, Willmar MN, invites the public to make reservations now for the 8th Annual Tea at the Sperry House, Friday October 5, 2012; seatings at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Jaclyn Theis will speak on the history of high tea. Cost: $20/person (adults only); limited seating. Stop by the museum or call 320-235-1881 to register.

AAM Proposals Due
American Association of Museums' 2013 Annual Meeting will take place in Baltimore MD, May 19-22, 2013. Session proposals are due this Friday August 24, 2012.

Volunteer Webinars
American Association for State and Local History offers two volunteer webinars this month. Cost: $40/members; $115/nonmembers.

• Are You Ready for Volunteers?: August 28, 2012, 2-3:15 p.m. ET
• Developing a Successful Volunteer Recruitment Program: August 30, 2012, 2-3:15 p.m. ET

CVB Fall Conference
Upper Midwest Convention and Visitors Bureaus Conference will be held September 9-11, 2012, Minot ND. Register online. Contact Denise Olsen, 651-675-5542 or 651-675-5546, for more information.

Preserve Minnesota Conference
Register now for Minnesota's 32nd Annual Statewide Historic Preservation Conference, to be held September 13-14, 2012 at A Center for the Arts and the Kaddatz Galleries in historic downtown Fergus Falls MN.

Germanic Genealogy
Germanic Genealogy Society of Minnesota will offer a workshop for people interested in the southern areas of Germanic countries, Sunday September 16, 2012, 2-5 p.m., Concordia University Library & Technology Center, Room 214, St. Paul MN. Cost: $5.

Emergency Planning Workshop
Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works announces the workshop "Emergency Planning and Mitigation Strategies for Historic Sites," Monday September 24, 2012, Villa Finale Visitor Center, San Antonio TX, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration: $15. Contact AIC for more information.

AASLH Online
Can't come to Salt Lake City for the AASLH Annual Meeting, October 3-6, 2012? Join your colleagues online instead. Participate in live presentations, ask questions, and make comments from your desktop, conference room, or home office. Full schedule and registration information online.

State Capital Grants-in-Aid
The pre-application deadline for State Capital County and Local Preservation Grants is Friday September 21, 2012. The State Capital program funds the preservation of publicly-owned historic properties. Grants range from $10,000 to $100,000 and must be matched on at least a 1:1 basis. Approximately $450,000 is available for award. Contact Mandy Skypala, 651-259-3458, with questions.

Call for Projects
Minnesota Digital Library has opened the call for projects for Phase 9 of its Minnesota Reflections digitization project. Applications accepted until April 1, 2013 or until funds are expended. Contact Marian Rengel, 320-308-5625, with questions.  

Mining Expo
Minnesota Discovery Center, Chisholm MN, hosts first ever Iron Range Miners' Expo, Tool and Equipment Showcase, September 6-7, 2012. Open to the public. Call 800-372-6437 for more information.

Tourism Annual Meeting
Steele County History Center, Owatonna MN, hosts Southern Minnesota Tourism Association's Annual Meeting, Thursday September 13, 2012, 8 a.m. Registration: $15, includes lunch. For more information or to RSVP, contact Dave Vogel, 888-975-6766, by September 7, 2012.

New Tourism Website
Explore Minnesota announces a newly redesigned industry website, built especially for and about the businesses and organizations that make tourism an $11.3 billion industry in the state.

Political History Website
Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul MN, announces the launch of a new website that provides improved public access to the Walter F. Mondale papers and the start of the one-year project to digitize and make available the manuscripts and audio recordings of the public speeches of Hubert H. Humphrey.