Partner Organizations: Council for Minnesota Archaeology, Minnesota Archaeological Society.
Radiocarbon dating is an important technique in modern archaeology since it provides objective information about the calendar age of archaeological objects and sites. Through this partnership, the Society's existing archaeological collections were mined for organic samples suitable for radiocarbon dating.
To improve access to the historic 1918 barn on the fairgrounds by adding ventilation and cooling. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the barn once served as the county poor farm. Today, it's home to various 4-H and youth programming.
The Minnesota Historical Society manages 26 historic sites and museums across Minnesota. Recognizing an opportunity to work more collaboratively with organizations where historic sites are located, the Society developed programs to expand history education and programming and elevate the level of professionalism in local history organizations.
This funding enabled site staff across the state to host workshops to train history professionals and work with local historical agencies to assess and update collections.
The Minnesota Historical Society manages 26 historic sites and museums across Minnesota. Recognizing an opportunity to work with organizations where historic sites are located, the Society is collaborating with local historical organizations around the state to assess and improve their service to the public.
An interpretive exhibit, "Hmong History Through Textile", was created to show the relationship between Hmong history and the changing styles of traditional clothing and the "story cloth". Paj ntaub (flower cloth) is a form of textile artwork used to decorate women's skirts, men's collars and story cloths. The design of tradtional Hmong clothing identifies its wearer by familial, political, cultural and geographical connections.
Inert museum storage was created for the ethnographically and historically significant Helbing Collection of American Indian Arts and Crafts as recommended in a museum assessment.
Partner Organizations: Winona County Historical Society and Theatre du Mississippiona
Winona County Historical Society and Theatre du Mississippi will partner to produce a new interpretive program for the Historic William Bunnell House in 2015. They will conduct research to produce an hour-long script based on the lives of families who lived in the house and the period they lived there. This new program will create a purpose for a house museum which has been languishing.
To preserve the 1861 school house by reinforcing the foundation, repairing the roof to preserve the artifacts inside the school, and restoring the interior walls and ceilings. During the fair, the Blue Earth County Historical Society will dress in period costumes to entertain and educate fairgoers, and allow visitors to interact with school desks, maps, slate chalkboards, and school books from the era the school was in operation.
To bring new arts and cultural heritage programming to the Renville County Fair. Programming included a performance by the Red Tree Singers, a Native American group, and Kid Power, an interactive kids’ program. Funds were also used to commission a local artist to paint a mural depicting local agriculture and history.
To restore Rock County Fair's Floral Hall. Built in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Rock County Fair will restore its interior. Funding will not only preserve this historic building, but also create an enhanced space to showcase regional artwork.
To construct an Arts and Heritage Center on the fair grounds. The Sibley County Fair will erect an Arts and Heritage Center with a 40 foot stage and two dressing rooms. The building will primarily serve as an educational arts and culture center for the fair. The fair will present acts on the stage from six to eight hours per day during the fair.
To increase access to historical and cultural presentations in southwest St Louis county by building an amphitheater on the banks of the Floodwood River. Because the community of Floodwood has not previously had a grandstand area, the stage will be an excellent venue to promote the arts, cultural history, and the ethnic mix of people who settled in the area.
MNHS and the Minnesota State Fair Foundation increased awareness and knowledge of Minnesota history by providing quality programming for visitors to the Great Minnesota Get-Together. In 2016, new content was added to the Minnesota State Fair History Walking Tour brochure, including a wide array of diverse images of people at the fair. Audio and visual content was also available through the tour's smartphone component, and staff presented audio/visual content via social media throughout the fair.
The Legislature created the Statewide Survey of Historic & Archaeological Sites to provide opportunities to expand our understanding of historic and archaeological sites statewide.
Projects are defined by an oversight board and are conducted through competitive-bid contracts.
This funding supports and ensures the success of the ACHF-funded Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants Program. The Society seeks out potential grant applicants, leads statewide grant-writing workshops and webinars, and helps applicants with technical information critical to submitting a successful grant application, as well as supporting recipients throughout the life of their projects.
Recommendations for reducing the Minnesota Historical Society’s environmental impact will be presented and implemented during the second phase of this project. It's estimated that the recommendations can save the Society $1.7 million over five years and divert two million kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.
With the approval by the U of M Board of Regents of a recently proposed MA program in Heritage Studies and Public History, the Teaching Heritage Collaborative will shift focus to the development of program curriculum and recruitment. In addition, the History Day partnership between the U of M and MNHS will be enriched through further development of campus engagement programs.These will include new cohorts of the Summer History Immersion Program for high school students as well as on-campus research experiences during the school year.
To preserve the one room schoolhouse on the fairgrounds. The Little Red Schoolhouse will need painting, window repair, and electrical upgrades. The Winona County Historical Society will help organize materials for programming and exhibiting.
Funds will also improve lighting in two art exhibit buildings.
Through a competitive process, the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants Program awards grants to historical organizations statewide to support projects of enduring value for the cause of history and historic preservation. Each of the more than 500 active historical organizations in Minnesota serves an important role in preserving significant stories of the people and events of Minnesota.
As required by law, the Minnesota Historical Society appoints a citizen advisory panel, the Historic Resources Advisory Committee, to guide grant decisions for the program.
The project included documenting all existing interpretive panels and markers of the U.S. - Dakota War in the MN River Valley and researching potential sites for new interpretive panels or markers. The end result is a written document with an inventory of existing marked U.S. - Dakota War sites in the MN River Valley, research of unmarked sites and an overall strategy of which sites could be marked to better tell the story. The report will provides guidance in telling a more complete story of the U.S. - Dakota War of 1862 through interpretive markers.
To hire a qualified historian to complete an evaluation to determine eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for the Woman's Club of Minneapolis.
The WW1 America exhibit will be a new traveling exhibit created by Minnesota History Center staff and focused on America during the World War I era, 1914-1919. The 5,000-square-foot exhibit will depict the era as a dramatic time in American history when the nation grappled with massive upheavals brought on by social movements, mobility and modernity at home, while exerting its growing military, industrial and cultural influence abroad. Visitors will gain a better understanding of this often-overlooked period in U.S. history.
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is one of the top visited cultural destinations in the state of Minnesota, with over 2 million visitors each year, because it’s free, interactive, welcoming, and accessible for families. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory celebrates diversity in many forms, across cultures, ethnicity, economics and generations and visitors come from all over the state.
MPR will broadcast a one-hour radio documentary on MPR NEWS, with concurrent postings to MPRNews.org that includes expanded features and professional photography.
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is one of the top visited cultural destinations in the state of Minnesota, with over 2 million visitors each year, because it’s free, interactive, welcoming, and accessible for families. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory celebrates diversity in many forms, across cultures, ethnicity, economics and generations and visitors come from all over the state.
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is one of the top visited cultural destinations in the state of Minnesota, with over 2 million visitors each year, because it’s free, interactive, welcoming, and accessible for families. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory celebrates diversity in many forms, across cultures, ethnicity, economics and generations and visitors come from all over the state.
The MNHS permanent collection includes more than 6,500 objects related to American Indian culture and history. MNHS provides responsible stewardship of these items, in accordance with the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and industry standards for collections management. Meaningful partnerships with tribal communities are the key to successful stewardship. In FY16, MNHS continued collections outreach programming by partnering with Dakota tribes and Ojibwe bands throughout the state and beyond.
