Forest History Center.

Forest History Center Winter Lecture Series

The Forest History Center hosts lectures by expert guest speakers who share their expertise on topics that connect Minnesota with the wider world.

Lectures occur every other Saturday in January, February, and March, from 1pm to 3pm. Lectures are free for MNHS members, or included with regular site admission.

If you have a suggestion for a future presentation, drop us a line at foresthistory@mnhs.org.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.

2026 Lectures

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End of the Road Recipes: Traditional Favorites from the Iron Range.

End of the Road Recipes: Traditional Favorites from the Iron Range

Iron Range native Crystal Schlueter will highlight the “Five Ps” of regional cooking.
The Intersection of Science and Art.

The Intersection of Science and Art

Fiber Artist Kristen Anderson will share her creative journey which braids together environmental science, art, and personal story.
Rooted in the North: The Lives and Lore of Twenty Minnesota Nature Writers.

Rooted in the North: The Lives and Lore of Twenty Minnesota Nature Writers

Writers helped create the sense of place that we call Northern Minnesota.

Previous Presentations

  • Paul Bunyan's Footprints / Jonathan Jaeger / March 29, 2025
  • Women in the Fur Trade / Nikki Rajala / March 15, 2025
  • The Wood and Canvas Canoe / Alex Comb / March 1, 2025
  • After the Burn / Matt Kania / February 15, 2025
  • Birds, Bees, and Butterflies / Bonnie Siegford / February 1, 2025
  • North of Nowhere / Terry O'Brien / January 18, 2025
  • Spirits Dancing / Travis Novitsky / 1/4/2025
  • Wolves of Minnesota / Karlyn Berg / 4/13/2024
  • Pokegama & Gaaginwaajiwanaag / Karen Noyce / 3/16/2024
  • Owls to Orchids / Sparky Stensaas / 2/3/2024
  • Logging Era Folksong / Brian Miller / 1/27/2024
  • The World that Grew from Stumps and Ash / Aaron Brown / 1/20/2024
  • Whose Land is it Anyway? / Mary Pelcich Keyes / 1/6/2024
  • Making the Carry / Tim Chochrane / 4/22/2023
  • Stillwater's Last Lumber Baron / Bill McGrath / 4/8/2023
  • Native Plants / Courtney Kerns / 3/11/2023
  • Expedition to Churchill: Polar Bears of Northern Manitoba / John Grabko / 2/11/2023
  • Rights of Wild Rice / Frank Bibeau / 1/21/2023
  • Butterflies / Allison Barta / 1/7/2023
Reclaiming Minnesota's Mined Lands.
Memory in the Woods: Inventing the Nostalgic Lumberjack.