Local History News

Local History News: August 5, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

On July 28, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the Wasioja Ruins Stabilization Project, bringing together local advocates, state and county officials, and staff from the Minnesota Historical Society. Originally constructed in 1860 from native limestone, the historic site was later partially destroyed by fire in 1905. Its successful preservation was made possible through state funding.

Local History News: July 29, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

On July 20 and 21, outreach conservator Megan Brakob Narvey attended the workshop “Guidelines for Cleaning: Focus on Decorative Arts and Historic House Collections” provided by the Midwest Art Conservation Center (MACC) and hosted by Gammelgarden Museum in Scandia. MACC and MNHS partner to provide preventive conservation workshops like this for free to Minnesota residents thanks to the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Check the schedule and register for an upcoming workshop »

Local History News: July 22, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

The Anoka County Historical Society is moving its museum and collections storage to a new location. Colleagues from multiple organizations have been lending a hand to move items, create boxes and mounts, and update catalog records in preparation for the move. On Monday, June 15, staff from MNHS Local History Services, the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums, Minnesota State University, Mankato, and the Morrison County Historical Society assisted in the effort.

Local History News: July 15, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

Lakes Area Pride hosted its fifth annual Pride celebration, “Pride in the Park,” on Saturday, July 11, in Alexandria. The free event featured live entertainment, food trucks, games, and booths from local vendors and supportive community organizations. Both the Minnesota Historical Society and the Douglas County Historical Society participated with resource tables at the festival, held in Alexandria’s City Park.

We’d love to see you at one of Greater Minnesota's Pride festivals this summer! MNHS staff will be tabling at the following upcoming events:

Willmar Pride: August 1
Range Iron Pride (Virginia): August 8
Bemidji Pride: August 29
South Central MN Pride (Mankato): September 12
St. Cloud Pride: September 19
Austin Pride: October 10

Local History News: July 8, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

MNHS Local History Services staff met with Tova Brandt, the new executive director of the Midwest Art Conservation Center. Tova gave us a tour of the treatment lab spaces, and we discussed our continued partnership and MACC’s plans for the future.

Local History News: July 1, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

The Young-Quinlan Building, now 100 years old, remains a downtown Minneapolis landmark. Opened in 1926 as the Young-Quinlan Co. women's specialty store, it was saved from demolition in 1985 by Bob and Sue Greenberg and The 614 Company, then reopened in 1989 as a mixed-use office and retail space, helping pioneer adaptive reuse in Minneapolis. Through the Greenberg Endowed Fund at the Minnesota Historical Society, the Greenbergs have also supported preservation training and outreach statewide. Today the building serves as an event and performance venue through the Dakota's Quinlan Room and still employs one of Minnesota's last staffed elevator operators. At the June 25 100th anniversary celebration, MNHS was joined by historians and preservationists, including Hennepin History Museum Executive Director John Crippen, pictured at left.

Local History News: June 24, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

Executive Director Valerie Wassmer and board president Mark Warner of the History Center of Olmsted County gave MNHS staff a tour of the Olmsted History Center and the cave on the Stoppel Farm grounds in Rochester on Friday, June 5. After the tour, MNHS hosted a lunch with Director and CEO Kent Whitworth for supporters from the Rochester area.

Local History News: June 17, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

Minnesota Historical Society staff attended the event "From Synagogue to Church: A Shared North Side Story," which marked the 100th anniversary of a historic North Minneapolis building. Originally built as Tifereth B'nai Jacob, an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, the site is now home to the First Church of God in Christ. The program highlighted the building's layered history and the long-standing presence of both Jewish and Black communities on the Near Northside. Attendees heard musical performances from both congregations' choirs. Speakers included Pastor Tierre Webster, Rabbi Alexander Davis, and Dr. Marilyn Chiat, who discussed the building's architectural and cultural significance, as well as its recent listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Local History News: June 10, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

The Valley Grove Preservation Society, a volunteer organization that maintains two historic 19th-century churches and 50 acres of restored prairie located near Nerstrand, MN, contacted MNHS's Local History Services for advice on repairing the stucco covering one of the church buildings. MNHS staff member John Beaty led a stucco repair workshop for the volunteers, demonstrating how to properly repair stucco with traditional mortars. Volunteers left the workshop equipped with the knowledge needed to carry out future repairs.

Local History News: June 3, 2026

Joe Hoover — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Field Note

MNHS Staff joined a strong turnout of community members at Voyager Park in Pine City for the unveiling of a new historical marker recognizing the early growth of rural LGBTQ Pride gatherings. Jack Matheson, Vice President of Strategy for the Minnesota Historical Society, spoke alongside the mayor and a representative from the Pine City Area History Association. Funded by a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant, the marker commemorates a 2005 picnic that drew 50–70 people and helped spark rural Pride celebrations across the region with at least 15 established annual Pride festivals outside of the Twin Cities metro area in Greater Minnesota. Pine City is the host to the annual East Central Minnesota Pride, celebrating its 21st year.