On August 29, the Minnesota Historical Society participated in the sixth annual Bemidji Pride Festival, joining other history organizations at the event. One of these organizations was Red River Rainbow Seniors, sponsor of BREAKING BARRIERS: Harvesting LGBTQ Stories from the Northern Plains. Started in 2017, this oral history project documents the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and their allies in northern Minnesota and North Dakota. Through oral history interviews, personal memories, photographs, and records, the project preserves stories that were often ignored or kept private because of discrimination. Oral histories collected through BREAKING BARRIERS helped support At Last: 10th Anniversary of Marriage Equality in Minnesota, an exhibit presented by the Clay County Historical Society from August 1, 2023, through August 20, 2024.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest and resume to carolyn.veeser-egbide@mnhs.org by Monday, October 12, 2026. Details are available on the MNHS HRAC Page.
Spotlighted State Capital Grants-in-Aid Project: Red Wing City Hall Masonry and Front Entrance Restoration
The project addressed failing mask grout, cracked brick, and weather-related deterioration that threatened both the building's appearance and long-term integrity. Deteriorated mortar was removed and replaced, while damaged brick was repaired or replaced with carefully matched material. Restoration of the elevated north entrance addressed settling masonry, deteriorating limestone, and failing concrete coverings on the original stair treads. By addressing these concerns before more extensive damage occurred, the City of Red Wing has protected a highly visible community asset, strengthened its continued use as a public building and City Council meeting place, and demonstrated a lasting commitment to historic preservation.
Recipient: City of Red Wing
Funded Amount: $100,000
State Capital Grants-in-Aid Program
This grant opportunity supports capital preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, building systems, and accessibility projects at publicly owned historic properties. Sites must be National Register-listed or determined eligible for listing by SHPO, and applicants must provide a 1:1 match. The manual will be released in September 2026; pre-applications are due January 22, 2027. Learn more »
Small Grant Deadline
Applications for the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants quarterly small grant round (requests of $20,000 and less) will be due Friday, October 9, 2026. Contact the Grants Office with questions.
Grants Office Webinar: Heritage Partnership Grants
September 24 @ 2 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: This webinar provides an overview of the Heritage Partnership Grant program, which supports collaborations between two or more Minnesota organizations working toward shared goals related to the state’s history.
Participants will learn how to develop a strong partnership proposal, identify a project’s desired outcomes, and navigate the program’s categories, including Partnership Development and Planning, Shared Resources, and other collaborative approaches. We will explore examples of successful projects and discuss ways partnerships can strengthen organizations’ operational, programmatic, financial, and organizational capacity.
The webinar will also cover the pre-application and application process, offer guidance on repurposing previously unfunded proposals, and explain what to expect when carrying out a funded partnership project. Presented by Grants Specialist John Fulton.
Join online: meet.google.com/zwx-krei-com
Join by phone: (US) +1 386-361-3086 PIN: 420 891 978#
Grants Office YouTube Playlist »
This week's blog post is from the Ramsey County Historical Society. Have a blog? Let us know!
We Should All Be Public Historians
My history education began in a very ordinary classroom with a whiteboard and a large world map. I remember reading atlases and encyclopedias and diligently copying down dates and names into my notebooks for future study. I understood that I needed to get good grades to get into a good college to get a good job and build a good life. I did not understand why I needed to take history classes to do it, though. Of the “good” jobs that I was aware of as a child, it wasn’t immediately clear to me what role, if any, learning history played in them. Did medical doctors ever study history? Did lawyers and astronauts? Do you have to know history to be the president? I know now that, yes, all of these professions likely require at least some history education, but it wasn’t until I started college that I began to unpack why that was important. Continue Reading »
This week's post is from the Gammelgården Museum of Scandia. Have a video channel or podcast? Let us know!
| Interview with Lynne Blomstrand Moratzka on Charlotte Weibull Dolls Former Gammelgården director and current tour guide Lynne Blomstrand Moratzka sat down with summer intern Ezra Bao to present the history and value of these special dolls. Watch Video » |
Heritage Preservation YouTube Playlist »
Minnesota Historical Society's Job Announcement, Internship, Fellowship, and Volunteer Opportunity pages.
Executive Director - Kaddatz Galleries, Fergus Falls, MN
Property and Guest Caretaker - Grand Marais Art Colony, Grand Marais, MN
Visitor Experience Staff - The Works, Bloomington, MN
Visitor Assistant: Box Office - Minnesota Children's Museum, St. Paul, MN
Director of Exhibits - Madison Children's Museum, Madison, WI
Museum Director - Neville Public Museum, Green Bay, WI
Head of Archival Collections & Institutional Repository [extended] - Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Senior Manager of Guest & Member Engagement - Discovery World Ltd, Milwaukee, WI
Document Imaging Technician - State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND; Job ID: 3033642
Museum Gift Shop Coordinator - Dickinson Museum Center, Dickinson, ND
Lennox AV Preservation Librarian - Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA
Director - Sioux Falls Arts Council, Sioux Falls, SD
Technical Data Migration Specialist, Contract - CatalogIt, Remote, but within the Central or Eastern Time Zone
Archives Processing Assistant - DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Development Officer - Poindexter Village, Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH
Executive Director - Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH
Director of Facilities & Security - Fair Lane Estate, Dearborn, MI
Interpretation & Education Programs Manager - Fair Lane Estate, Dearborn, MI
African American Inspiring History Supervisor - The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Dearborn, MI
Associate Curator/Curator of Community Engagement - Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, PA
Facility Operations Supervisor - Old Economy Village, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Ambridge, PA
Chief Mate - U.S. Brig Niagara, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Erie County, PA
Maintenance Repairman 1 - Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Lancaster, PA
Objects Collection Specialist - Library and Research Center, St. Louis, MO
Exhibit Designer - Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton, AB
Additional Job Postings in the Field »
Horse racing at the fair, abt. 1957.
Image used with permission. From the collections of the Carlton County Historical Society.
FAQ: How Can I Share My Event for the Local History News E-Newsletter?
Wirtanen Farm Annual Fall Festival
September 12 @ 10 am to 4 pm - Markham: Friends of Wirtanen Pioneer Farm - Enjoy live music and Finnish heritage programming with Jon Niemi, kantele player Sheila Coughlin, poet Susan Perala-Dewey, and cellist Lindsay Schlemmer; plus a local-author book signing, horse-drawn wagon rides, baby animals, fresh vegetables for sale, and a Colvin Fire Department meet-and-greet. Cost: Free admission and parking; donations appreciated; lunch available for purchase. Learn more »
Beyond Summit Avenue: The Walnut Street Steps and the Stories Below the Hill
September 14 @ 6:30 to 8 pm - St. Paul: Rethos - Explore the history of the Walnut Street Steps and their connection between Summit Avenue, Irvine Park, and the neighborhoods below the hill. Rethos Executive Director Heidi Swank and the Walnut Street Steps Advisory Committee will discuss the site’s history, its role in the community, and efforts to reopen the historic public route. Location: Bad Weather Brewing Company. Cost: $10 with registration. Learn more »
The History of Logging Stamps & Patents
September 16 @ 7 to 8 pm - Stillwater: Washington County Heritage Center - Donald McConkey, historian and Depot Museum manager for the Gordon-Wascott Historical Society, traces the history and evolution of logging stamps from King George’s 1691 era through logging camps in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Minnesota Writers Off the Page: Thomas Maltman
September 17 @ 6 to 7:30 pm - Lanesboro: Minnesota Humanities Center - Thomas Maltman discusses his 2026 Minnesota Book Award–winning novel Ashes to Ashes with fellow Minnesota Book Award winner Mubanga Kalimamukwento. The evening includes audience Q&A, refreshments, book sales, and a signing. Location: Sons of Norway – Heimbygda Lodge. Cost: Free; registration required. Learn more »
Elin Anna Labba Book Talk: The Home of the Drowned
September 17 @ 7 to 8 pm - Minneapolis: American Swedish Institute - Sámi author and journalist Elin Anna Labba speaks with North Sámi language educator Dr. Áila O’Loughlin about her debut novel, The Home of the Drowned, a multigenerational story shaped by Sámi forced relocation, colonial dispossession, and a community displaced by hydropower development. Learn more »
School Daze: A Memoir by Ashanté Gills
September 17 @ 7 to 8:30 pm - Rochester: History Center of Olmsted County - Author, community advocate, veteran, and emerging social worker Ashanté Gills discusses her memoir School Daze and how her childhood in Chicago shaped her work in child welfare and social work. The talk examines how grief, poverty, and instability affect children and why understanding the stories behind behavior matters. Cost: Free for members; $5 general public. Learn more »
Stearns County Oddities
September 17 @ 6 to 7:30 pm - Paynesville: Stearns History Museum - Join museum registrar Michelle for a behind-the-scenes look at unusual and unexpected collection objects, how they were acquired, what they reveal about Stearns County, and how museums decide what to preserve. Cost: Free for members; $10 general public. Learn more »
“Wheels of Murder” with Jeff Sauve
September 17 @ 6 to 7 pm - Faribault: Rice County Historical Society - Local author and historian Jeff Sauve discusses his book Wheels of Murder: The 1896 Bank Robbery That Shocked a Small Prairie Town, tracing the Kellihan brothers’ bicycle escape from a southern Minnesota bank robbery, the 150-mile manhunt that followed, and the crime’s lasting consequences. Books will be available for purchase. Cost: Free for members; $5 general public. Learn more »
Aloha from Moorhead! The Story of the Honolulu Conservatory of Music
September 17 @ 3 pm - Moorhead: Clay County Historical Society - Markus Krueger explores the local story of a Moorhead woman whose home-based music school grew into the Honolulu Conservatory of Music, a small music empire that helped popularize Hawaiian-style music. The presentation is followed by a show-and-tell featuring items from the museum collection, and attendees are invited to bring personal local history items to share. Cost: Free. Call 218-299-5511 for more information.
2026 Grand Marais Plein Air Exhibit Opening & Awards Reception
September 18 @ 5 to 7 pm - Grand Marais: Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery - View paintings created during Plein Air Grand Marais 2026 and celebrate the competition’s award winners. The exhibit, presented with Outdoor Painters of Minnesota, remains on view through November 1. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Romanian Interest Group Meeting
September 19 @ 10 am to 12 pm - Online: Minnesota Genealogical Society - Join the first meeting since the Romanian Genealogy Society became the Minnesota Genealogical Society’s Romanian Interest Group. Share current research, discuss genealogy challenges, and help shape future meetings and speaker topics. Cost: Free for members; Zoom access is limited to members. Learn more »
“Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope” Program by Patty Wetterling and Joy Baker
September 19 @ 2 to 4 pm - Marshall: Lyon County Historical Society Museum - Patty Wetterling and Joy Baker discuss their book Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope, reflecting on Jacob Wetterling’s 1989 abduction, the long search and investigation, their relationship, and the power of community resilience. Light refreshments will be served. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Celebrate the Vote!
September 19 @ 1 to 4 pm - St. Peter: Cox House, Nicollet County Historical Society - Celebrate the 19th Amendment and local voting history at the Cox House with a suffrage exhibit, reenactments featuring Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lillien Gault, a historic hat and suffrage sash photo opportunity, button making, nonpartisan voting information, and cake and lemonade. Cost: Free. Learn more »
September GAI Café: Mit Deutsch zu Hause: Raising Bilingual Children in an English-Speaking World
September 19 @ 9 am to 1 pm - St. Paul: Germanic-American Institute - Professor Juliane Schicker leads a practical, supportive workshop for families raising bilingual children, with strategies for using German at home despite the pressures of an English-dominant environment. Cost: Free; Kaffee and Kuchen available for $8. Learn more »
Trolley Tour of New Prague
September 20 @ 12:15 and 1:30 pm - New Prague: New Prague Area Historical Society - Join local historian Greg Tikalsky for a 45- to 60-minute trolley tour highlighting New Prague’s historic events, places, people, and homes. Tours depart from and return to Giesenbräu Bier Co.; choose a 12:15 pm or 1:30 pm departure and arrive 15 minutes early. Cost: $30. Learn more »
Mark Dayton in Conversation with Lori Sturdevant
September 20 @ 4 to 5 pm - Minneapolis: Content Bookstore - Former Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton discusses his memoir, Perseverance, with Star Tribune columnist Lori Sturdevant. The conversation explores Dayton’s public-service career, including his time as state auditor, U.S. senator, and Minnesota governor, alongside the political history and leadership lessons reflected in the book. Doors open at 3:30 pm; attendees with accessibility needs may enter at 3 pm. Cost: Free; RSVP requested. Learn more »
Grave Matters: The Story of a City as Told Through its Cemetery
September 20 @ 1 to 2:30 pm - Minneapolis: Hennepin History Museum - Join Alex Weston for a guided walking tour of Pioneer & Soldiers Memorial Cemetery, Minneapolis’s oldest cemetery, using the lives of its overlooked residents to trace the city’s history from its founding through its growth into a major metropolis. The tour covers approximately 90 minutes on uneven ground and addresses sensitive historical topics. Location: Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery. Cost: $15 – $20. Learn more »
Election Defense Equitable Dinner
September 29 @ 6 to 8 pm - Minneapolis: Liberal Arts Engagement Hub - Mixed Blood Theatre’s Equitable Dinner combines a shared meal, the play Let’s Save Democracy!, and facilitated conversation on voting rights, democratic participation, and protecting every community member’s vote. Location: Pillsbury Hall, U of MN. Learn more »
Explore Minnesota - State of MN's Tourism website
Listings: Museums & Galleries | Culture & Heritage | Attractions & Entertainment
Register for an Account »
Highlighted Museum: Nobles County Heritage Center, exhibit area in the former Worthington Armory. Worthington, MN.
September 19 @ 11 am to 3 pm - Banning State Park & Pine County Historical Society -
Join your colleagues for an inaugural History Hike. Enjoy a history-filled hiking trip at Banning State Park, plus lunch & a short tour at the Pine County Historical Society. Free, but attendees will be responsible for their own museum admission ($5) and lunch. Learn more »
The call for session proposals for the 2027 MALHM Annual Conference in St. Cloud is now officially open! MALHM is seeking proposals for sessions which will be held on Wednesday, April 14 and Thursday, April 15, 2027.
The annual conference is designed for, but not limited to: history museum volunteers, paid staff, board members, and history/museum students. Topics are expected to address a broad range of work typically found in small to mid-sized local history organizations (operating a museum, archive, historic site or house, etc.). Learn more »
September 19
9:30 to 11:30 am
12:30 to 2:30 pm
September 26
9:30 to 11:30 am
2:30 to 2:30 pm
106 Group invites participants to explore how archaeology reveals local histories that may not survive in written records. During this interactive program, visitors will tour 106 Group’s archaeology laboratory and learn how archaeologists study artifacts, landscapes, and other forms of material evidence to understand the people, places, and communities that shaped the region. Guided activities include examining modern and historical artifacts, participating in a simulated artifact-screening exercise, and considering how specialists interpret physical evidence to construct historical narratives. The tours will also feature artifacts and discoveries from a recently excavated urban archaeological site in the Twin Cities, illustrating archaeology’s role in documenting and elevating stories that are often underrepresented in traditional sources. The program is recommended for participants ages 10 and older; attendees under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Location: 106 Group offices, 550 Vandalia St., Suite 102, St. Paul. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Project Budgeting for Nonprofits
September 16 @ 9 to 11 am (CT) - Online: Propel Nonprofits - This training explores project budgeting as a practical tool for planning, decision-making, resource management, and organizational storytelling. Participants will learn how to develop budgets that communicate their organization’s values, priorities, and aspirations while supporting effective project management. Cost: $70. Learn more »
Everyday HVAC Problems Standing Between You and a Quality Preservation Environment
September 16 @ 10 to 11 am (CT) - Online: Conserv - This webinar examines common HVAC challenges facing museums, libraries, and other collecting institutions and offers practical approaches to maintaining a stable preservation environment. It is designed for collections staff building HVAC literacy and facilities staff seeking specialized insight into collection-environment requirements. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Stewarding Your Cultural Institution’s Future: Financial Decision-Making for Every Role
September 23 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: Virginia Association of Museums - Will Nixon, Senior Director of Finance for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, examines fiscal stewardship as a responsibility shared across museum roles. Participants will gain a practical framework for weighing decisions through mission, public trust, and sustainability; communicating program and resource needs; and making informed choices that support long-term institutional health. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Safely Caring for Hazardous Materials
September 24 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: Collections Care & Conservation Alliance - This webinar examines the practical realities of caring for hazardous or potentially hazardous collection materials. Through four case studies, presenters will discuss how they triaged immediate risks and developed protocols for future situations, with an emphasis on balancing human safety and collections longevity when materials may endanger staff, visitors, or other objects. Cost: $10 members; $15 nonmembers. Learn more »
Archival Reference
September 28 @ 5 pm (CT) - Online: Backlog Webinar - This session examines how archives can support meaningful collection use by identifying what researchers need to access and understand materials. Participants will explore reference services across in-person, online, and email-based settings, along with the shared responsibilities of archivists and users in caring for collections. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Accessibility by Design: Empowering Staff for Human-Centered Change
September 29 @ 12 to 1 pm (CT) - Online: American Alliance of Museums - This interactive webinar helps museum staff at all levels advance accessibility as an organization-wide, human-centered practice. Based on the methodology in Museum Accessibility by Design, participants will examine physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, and organizational barriers; identify biases that limit inclusion; and develop concrete priorities for institutional change. Cost: Free members; $40 nonmembers. Learn more »
Understanding Governance: A Quick Introduction
September 29 @ 2 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - This free webinar offers a concise introduction to governance for history organizations, combining brief presentations with breakout-room discussions for peer learning and conversation. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Strengthening History Communications: Reframing the Value of History and Your Institution
September 30 @ 12 to 3 pm (CT) - Online: American Association for State and Local History - Drawing on findings from AASLH’s Reframing History project, this half-day workshop helps history practitioners communicate their institutions’ value more effectively to public audiences. Participants will explore how Americans understand history, discuss common communications challenges with peers, and begin crafting stronger messages for fundraising, advocacy, media outreach, websites, and other public-facing materials. Cost: $100 members; $150 nonmembers. Learn more »
Genealogy for Library, Archives and Museum Services
November 2 to December 13 - Online: University of Wisconsin–Madison iSchool - This six-week, instructor-led course is designed for library, archives, local history, and museum staff with little or no previous genealogy experience. Participants will build confidence in assisting patrons with family history research while developing practical knowledge of genealogical resources and services. Cost: $275. Learn more »
Additional Educational Opportunities »
Duluth Preservation Alliance Grant Program
Deadline - September 15, 2026: Duluth Preservation Alliance - This grant program provides essential financial assistance for the preservation and restoration of historic properties in the Duluth area. Non-profit and public organizations can apply for grants available biannually for maintenance projects on historically significant structures. Learn more »
J.W. Couch Foundation
Deadline - September 25, 2026: J.W. Couch Foundation - Offers preservation grants available bi-annually with a minimum award of $50,000 to support historical architecture, cultural heritage, and natural resource conservation. Learn more »
Deadline - September 30, 2026: Minnesota Humanities Center - Nominations are open for the Ruth & Ray Reister Award recognizing an individual whose distinctive contributions to Minnesota history and the humanities deepen understanding and enrich public life. Nominations are welcome from across scholarship, education, preservation, storytelling, cultural work, and community-based practice. Learn more »
Deadline - October 26, 2026: For individuals and organizations to preserve and honor the cultural heritage of Minnesota, provide education and student outreach on cultural diversity, expand development of culturally diverse humanities programming, empower communities in building identity and culture, or amplify the arts, culture, and heritage in Minnesota. Learn more »
Wendy Shadwell Conservation Grant for American Prints
Deadline - September 30, 2026: American Historical Print Collectors Society - Supports the preservation of significant early American prints and works on paper more than 100 years old, particularly in small institutions without on-site print conservation facilities. The program helps extend the life of historically important works while advancing preservation awareness and institutional engagement. Learn more »
National Trust Preservation Funds
Deadline – October 1, 2026: National Trust for Historic Preservation – Provides grants available biannually ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 to encourage local preservation efforts by supporting planning, education, and outreach activities for historic sites. Eligible applicants include public agencies and nonprofit organizations. A 1:1 match is required. Learn more »
Additional Funding & Award Opportunities »
Vintage Museum Photo: Nobles County Museum, in the Nobles County War Memorial Building. Worthington, MN (1986). View additional photos on Instagram »
This section features slides taken of Minnesota history museums from the 1970s through the 1990s by David Nystuen, the MNHS Field Services Coordinator, and other Field Services representatives during that time period.
Newly added collections include the Olmsted County: Eyota Township Records.
Collections with additions or added digital content include the Cushman K. Davis Papers; the Martin County District Court Civil Case Files; and the Vernon J. Pick Papers.
In addition, there are many newly encoded finding aids that are now available online for the first time.
The A–Z Index lists all current digital finding aids and available digital content. Learn more »
Hanska residents preserve town's identity with Historical Society and future museum
Mankato Free Press - At age 79, Larry Harbo knows what’s important. That’s preserving his hometown’s history — and he’s hard at it, having helped form the Hanska Historical Society in May and now working toward opening a museum in the town of 300. Continue Reading »
NU grad returns as BCHS curator
New Ulm Journal - The new collections curator at the Brown County Historical Society did not start out planning to work in a museum when he began college in Northern Iowa. Logan O’Neill, 24, came to the Brown County Museum in March with a double major in sociology and psychology from the University of Northern Iowa, three minors, including history, and a certificate in museum studies. Continue Reading »
Somali Museum & Cultural Center buys $2.3M building to expand beyond Midtown Global Market
Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal - Osman Ali has collected 1,500 Somali artifacts over the years. He wants to share them with the world and Somali youth who want to connect with their heritage. Continue Reading »
The history behind the Minnesota Newspaper Museum
FOX 9 - Tom Butler looks at the history of local newspapers at the Minnesota State Fair. Watch video »
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Featured BookBanking in the Great Northern Territory by George Richard Slade Afton Press. |
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Minnesota History Organizations Directory• County, Chapters, and Local |
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