To strengthen a large partnership, including American Indian partners, as they improve and make available more historic information about the Minnesota River Valley.
In the third year of this project, MNHS staff continued to inventory and rehouse archaeological collections from Historic Fort Snelling. As part of MNHS involvement with the University of Minnesota's Heritage Collaborative, student interns spent the 2015 fall semester assisting project staff with inventory and research. Artifact data was shared with University faculty for use in their courses. To date, over 98,000 catalog records have been created, describing more than 180,000 artifacts recovered during archaeological excavations at Historic Fort Snelling.
To hire a qualified consultant to develop a Historic Structure Report that will help preserve the Riley Lucas Bartholomew House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
To hire a qualified consultant to develop a Historic Structure Report for the former Arlington Hills Branch Library, a Carnegie Library listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Through this partnership, U of M and ACTC students from diverse backgrounds explored the museum field and issues related to diversity and museums through a fall semester-long course for ACTC students and a spring semester course at the university, followed by a paid internship at MNHS, the Somali Museum of Minnesota, Mia, and other organizations.
Minnesota, home to the largest Somali population in the United States, lacks resources for students to access knowledge and representations of Somalia. The Somali Museum of Minnesota will offer students immersive field trips illuminating the history and arts of traditional Somali society by subsidizing admission fees, integrating elders as immersive guides on tours, and developing take-home curriculum materials.
To hire a qualified and experienced Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) engineer to evaluate how well the current system controls the museum environment.
To hire a qualified consultant to perform an assessment of White Bear Lake Area Historical Society's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system at the White Bear Lake Armory.
With only 1% of Minnesota’s native prairie remaining, many prairie plant and animal species have dramatically declined. Of the 12 butterfly species native to Minnesota prairies, two species, the Poweshiek skipperling and the Dakota skipper, have already largely disappeared from the state and are proposed for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act despite being historically among the most common prairie butterflies and having their historic ranges concentrated in Minnesota.
To hire qualified technicians to install a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the Ames-Florida House, now part of the Rockford Area Historical Society's museum facilities, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
MPRB requests $444,000 to improve aquatic habitat in Lake Nokomis through integrated lake management. This project will enhance 4580 linear feet of shoreline.
To hire qualified consultants to evaluate submerged cultural resources in Lake Minnetonka for possible inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
To hire qualified consultants to conduct an architectural survey of Macalester Park for possible local designation or inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
In Phase 5, Friends of the Mississippi River and Great River Greening enhanced 277 acres at six sites, exceeding their goals by 48 acres (21%). The Minnesota Valley Trust acquired fee title to 32.4 acres for two high-priority additions to the Rapids Lake Unit, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The Minnesota Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land were unable to finalize their easement and fee title acquisitions when landowners changed their minds. OHF grant funds spent were leveraged more than 110% with $1,343,128 in other funds.
The Metro Big Rivers (MBR) Partnership successfully completed its work under the Phase 6 / ML2015 OHF appropriation, protecting 485 acres across 5 projects (198% of proposed) and restoring and enhancing a total of 1,055 acres (185% of proposed). The Partnership expended 99% of the OHF funds granted awarded to it and leveraged the grant by 57% with nearly $1,141,000 in other funds.
This project will establish a groundwater monitoring network in the 11 county metropolitan area. The network will provide information about aquifer characteristics and natural water trends by monitoring healthy aquifers (non-stressed systems). The project will also develop an automated system that captures groundwater level and water use data. This system will enhance evaluation of changes in aquifers that are stressed by pumping from existing wells.
Arts and Cultural Heritage funding will allow us to pursue three major initiatives between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016: 1) Offer special exhibits and programs promoting creative and critical thinking in our main museum in St. Paul; 2) A Pop-up satellite Museum at the Mall of America featuring four changing exhibits to attract thousands of new visitors; and 3) Changing exhibits and access at Minnesota Children’s Museum-Rochester to ensure inclusive family experiences for the Rochester community. Recipient:
The DNR has been charged by the legislature to develop rules that protect and manage the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) for natural resource, economic development, transportation, historic preservation, and other values. This project engages stakeholder groups in a public process to balance regulatory protections with local flexibility and control.
The Minnesota Historical Society and the Wilder Foundation worked with two new groups of existing and emerging community leaders in 2015 to enhance their ability to act on important community issues.
During each six-month program, 245 participants explored neighborhood involvement and developed leadership skills to take effective community action.
This appropriation allowed the permanent protection of 887 acres in western Minnesota. These properties included 664 acres of remnant native prairie, 76 acres of associated wetlands complexes, and 8,500' of streamfront. For this phase we originally planned to protect 740 acres with a minimum of 375 native prairie. Both targets were exceeded - 120% of total acres and 177% of native prairie acres.
To contract with qualified professionals to prepare planning documents that will help preserve the Norway Lutheran Church (Muskego), listed in the National Register of Historic Places.