Community Collaboration - Up in the U.P; a musical tribute to Michigan's Upper Peninsula

2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$294

Project of

Southeastern Libraries Cooperating Legacy Grant SFY 2012 - SFY 2013

Fund Source

Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

Recipient

Northfield Public Library

Recipient Type

Libraries

Status

Completed

Start Date

June 2013

End Date

June 2013

Activity Type

Education/Outreach/Engagement

Counties Affected

Rice

Project Overview

Author, songwriter and film maker Bill Jamerson presented a program on early mining in the Upper Peninsula. Through songs and stories, he described how immigrants came from many countries, including Finland, Sweden, Croatia, and Italy to the U.P. to work and fulfill the American Dream. They supported their families by working in the iron range. The Upper Peninsula was originally acquired by the state of Michigan in 1837. Many people thought it was uninhabitable and too remote. However, the discovery of iron ore in 1847 changed the area. Within two decades, iron mines were in operation across the Upper Peninsula. Bill sang songs describing the work, children bringing pasties to their dads during lunch, picking thimbleberries, Saturday night saunas, and ski jumping. The people in the U.P. learned to love winter, and participated in ski jump contests throughout the Midwest.

Project Details

30 attended

Competitive Grant Making Body

Board Members and Qualifications

THE FOLLOWING ARE MEMBERS OF THE SELCO/SELS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ALL APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE LOCALLY BY LEGALLY CONSTITUTED GOVERNING AUTHORITIES: LIBRARY BOARDS, CITY COUNCILS, AND/OR BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONS. Leo Aeikens - Albert Lea, Sally Baker - Austin, Martha Hauschildt - Brownsdale, Liz Wanschura - Caledonia, Carol Price - Cannon Falls, Denise Mullen - Chatfield, Nancy Smith - Dodge Center, Clint Patterson - Dodge County, Mary Jane Holland - Faribault, Judy Webster - Harmony, Kurt Carlson - Hokah, Marilyn Frauenkron Bayer - Houston, Lori Hopkins - Kasson, Rhana Olson - Kenyon, Robin Yaffe Tschumper - LaCrescent, Andru Peters - Lake City, Barb Payne - LeRoy, Robert Elliott - Lonsdale, Deanna Larson - Mabel, Robert Bruce - Northfield, Thomas Sherman - Olmsted County, John Pfeifer - Owatonna, Kim Aarsvold - Pine Island, Mary Schneider - Plainview, Charles Sparks - Preston, Sara Hoffman - Red Wing, Galen Malecha - Rice County, Diane Moench - Rochester, Valerie Hasleiet - Rushford, Jill Mueller - St Charles, Pat Falbo - Spring Grove, Carol Gross - Spring Valley, Janice Welch - Stewartville, Judith Schotzko - Wabasha, Dave Harms - Wabasha County, Judy Rusert - Winona County, Ann Goplen - Zumbrota

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

THE LEGACY REVIEW COMMITTEE SERVES AS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF 11 MEMBERS REPRESENTING EACH COUNTY WITHIN THE SELCO/SELS REGION, WITH A MAJORITY BEING CURRENT OR RECENT MEMBERS OF THE SELCO/SELS BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE REMAINING COMING FROM THE ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMUNITIES. Diane Moench - Olmsted County, Clint Patterson - Dodge County, Gretchen Schade - Fillmore County, Pat Mulso - Freeborn County, Don Regelman - Goodhue County, Drue Ferguson - Houston County, Scott Anderson - Mower County, Marcy Irby - Rice County, Sharon Stark - Steele County, Judith Schotzko - Wabasha County, Jill Mueller - Winona County

Conflict of Interest Disclosed

Project Details: 2013 Fiscal Year

Legal Citation / Subdivision

Laws of Minnesota for 2011 Chapter 6, Article 4, Subdivision 4

2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$294

Other Funds Leveraged

$456

Direct expenses

$750

Administration costs

Number of full time equivalents funded

0.001

Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The audience will have an increased awareness of the history of iron mining in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and in Minnesota. With the increased interest in mining today, the history and topic will be of interest.
The audience will recognize the importance of music throughout history, and its connection to specific times and events.
The audience will have an increased interest in historical education.

Measurable Outcome(s)

The event was very successful, and the attendees were very pleased with Bill Jamerson's stories and music.
We had some attendees who were originally from the U.P. (they call themselves "uppers"). One woman recognized her brother-in law as one of the ski jumpers in a film clip from the early 20th century!
We had many verbal comments that the attendees learned more about iron mining, the U.P. and ski jumping.
Evaluation results show that there is a great desire for programs related to Minnesota and upper Midwest history.
A number of the attendees found out about the event from the Northfield News and Senior Center.
The Senior Center has a larger space, and the program was able to include an older population who might not come to the library.

Source of Additional Funds

Northfield Senior Center, Southeastern Libraries Cooperating

Recipient Board Members

THE FOLLOWING ARE MEMBERS OF THE SELCO/SELS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ALL APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE LOCALLY BY LEGALLY CONSTITUTED GOVERNING AUTHORITIES: LIBRARY BOARDS, CITY COUNCILS, AND/OR BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONS.
Leo Aeikens - Albert Lea, Sally Baker - Austin, Martha Hauschildt - Brownsdale, Liz Wanschura - Caledonia, Carol Price - Cannon Falls, Denise Mullen - Chatfield, Nancy Smith - Dodge Center, Clint Patterson - Dodge County, Mary Jane Holland - Faribault, Judy Webster - Harmony, Kurt Carlson - Hokah, Marilyn Frauenkron Bayer - Houston, Lori Hopkins - Kasson, Rhana Olson - Kenyon, Robin Yaffe Tschumper - LaCrescent, Andru Peters - Lake City, Barb Payne - LeRoy, Robert Elliott - Lonsdale, Deanna Larson - Mabel, Robert Bruce - Northfield, Thomas Sherman - Olmsted County, John Pfeifer - Owatonna, Kim Aarsvold - Pine Island, Mary Schneider - Plainview, Charles Sparks - Preston, Sara Hoffman - Red Wing, Galen Malecha - Rice County, Diane Moench - Rochester, Valerie Hasleiet - Rushford, Jill Mueller - St Charles, Pat Falbo - Spring Grove, Carol Gross - Spring Valley, Janice Welch - Stewartville, Judith Schotzko - Wabasha, Dave Harms - Wabasha County, Judy Rusert - Winona County, Ann Goplen - Zumbrota