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	Native Words, Native Warriors 'Minnesota on the Map:' Four Centuries of Maps from the Minnesota Historical Society Collection Minnesota Prints and Printmakers, 1900-1945 From Mill to Museum: The Hidden History of the Washburn Complex, 1965-2003 MN150 Going Places: The Mystique of Mobility Grainland/Boxcar Open House: If These Walls Could Talk Fur Trade Beyond the Palisade Home Place Minnesota Weather Permitting Minnesota's Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War, The Boom		Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Short Plays Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 3, 2009, July 7, 2009, July 8, 2009, July 9, 2009, July 10, 2009, July 14, 2009, July 15, 2009, July 16, 2009, July 17, 2009, July 21, 2009, July 22, 2009, July 23, 2009, July 24, 2009, July 28, 2009, July 29, 2009, July 30, 2009, July 31, 2009, Aug. 4, 2009, Aug. 5, 2009, Aug. 6, 2009, Aug. 7, 2009 Time: 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Performed in the Minnesota’s Greatest Generation: the Depression, the War, the Boom exhibit Tuesdays through Fridays, these four short plays are based on materials from the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society. The plays will be rotated through the week: "Swell!", by Craig Johnson, explores 1930s popular culture and daily life amidst the turmoil of the Great Depression through diary excerpts, newspaper accounts and more. "Parachute Silk," by Carson Kreitzer, looks in on a conversation between two women during World War II as they discuss love, marriage, and the waste and sacrifice of war. "The Amazing Adventures of Stuart Lindman," by Joseph Scrimshaw, is a recreation of an old radio show adventure serial detailing the life of Stuart Lindman -- radio announcer, soldier, medic, engineer, television broadcaster and civilian aide to the Secretary of Defense. "The Secret Storm," by Sheri Wilner, is about how television entered the fabric of American life: It's 1954 and watching a popular soap opera has become part of a suburban housewife’s daily routine. Or has a suburban housewife’s daily routine become a part of a popular soap opera? See related events. History HiJinx: Silent Wings - World War II Era Paper Gliders Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 3, 2009, July 7, 2009, July 8, 2009, July 9, 2009, July 10, 2009, July 14, 2009, July 15, 2009, July 16, 2009, July 17, 2009, July 21, 2009, July 22, 2009, July 23, 2009, July 24, 2009, July 28, 2009, July 29, 2009, July 30, 2009, July 31, 2009, Aug. 4, 2009, Aug. 5, 2009, Aug. 6, 2009, Aug. 7, 2009, Aug. 11, 2009, Aug. 12, 2009, Aug. 13, 2009, Aug. 14, 2009, Aug. 18, 2009, Aug. 19, 2009, Aug. 20, 2009, Aug. 21, 2009 Time: Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. During World War II, gliders, known as "Silent Wings," were used to transport troops and equipment behind enemy lines. They were produced by the thousands in the Twin Cities in the 1940s. Learn more about gliders and make your own model using a paper pattern and wooden wheels. Families are encouraged to visit the exhibit "Minnesota's Greatest Generation: the Depression, the War, the Boom." See more events in this series See related events. Adventures in Nature Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: July 3, 2009, July 4, 2009, July 5, 2009, July 9, 2009, July 10, 2009, July 11, 2009, July 12, 2009, July 16, 2009, July 17, 2009, July 18, 2009, July 19, 2009, July 23, 2009, July 24, 2009, July 25, 2009, July 26, 2009, July 30, 2009, July 31, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 2, 2009, Aug. 6, 2009, Aug. 7, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009, Aug. 13, 2009, Aug. 14, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 16, 2009, Aug. 20, 2009, Aug. 21, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009, Aug. 27, 2009, Aug. 28, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Aug. 30, 2009, Sept. 3, 2009, Sept. 4, 2009, Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009 Time: Daily at 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Join a program designed for children to learn about the people who lived on the prairie and the prairie ecosystem. Topics include the atlatl, an ancient hunting device; the travois, a frame used to drag loads over land; how American Indians kept track of history; and the many plants and animals of the prairie. Each program includes hands-on learning. Bringing Light to the Petroglyphs Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: July 3, 2009, July 4, 2009, July 5, 2009, July 9, 2009, July 10, 2009, July 11, 2009, July 12, 2009, July 16, 2009, July 17, 2009, July 18, 2009, July 19, 2009, July 23, 2009, July 24, 2009, July 25, 2009, July 26, 2009, July 30, 2009, July 31, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 2, 2009, Aug. 6, 2009, Aug. 7, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009, Aug. 13, 2009, Aug. 14, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 16, 2009, Aug. 20, 2009, Aug. 21, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009, Aug. 27, 2009, Aug. 28, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Aug. 30, 2009, Sept. 3, 2009, Sept. 4, 2009, Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009 Time: Daily at 3 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Using mirrors to capture the light greatly enhances a visitor’s ability to view the petroglyphs during the day. On these special tours, a guide will use tools to give the illusion of late day sunlight and discuss the importance and meaning of the petroglyphs, the different styles, the dates of their creation and their geographic distribution. Capitol Mall Walking Tour Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN Dates: July 4, 2009, July 11, 2009, July 18, 2009, July 25, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 12, 2009, Sept. 19, 2009, Sept. 26, 2009, Oct. 3, 2009, Oct. 10, 2009, Oct. 17, 2009, Oct. 24, 2009, Oct. 31, 2009, Nov. 7, 2009, Nov. 14, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee: Self-guided brochure available for $2 at Capitol Information Desk. Since 1912, there has been a rich tradition of placing war memorials and remembrances of noted Minnesotans from the state's history and government on the Capitol Mall. Created in various forms, such as sculpture, flower gardens, plaques and public spaces, they are available for public viewing. A self-guided brochure, available for purchase at the Capitol's Information Desk, guides visitors along the Capitol Mall and explains the history of this public space and the significance of each of the memorials. An online tour is available for guests who want to get oriented before arriving at the Capitol. Farmer's Fourth of July Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: July 4, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Celebrate the Farmer's Fourth of July at the Kelley Farm. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the lawn while the spring lambs and calves prance about. Participate in a lively oratory and debate from the front porch. Take an afternoon horse-drawn trolley ride along the nature trail and join in 19th-century games and contests including Townball, the precursor to modern baseball. Enjoy the company of your family and friends along with the Kelley farmers and celebrate the most important holiday in the 19th century. Independence Day Celebration Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: July 4, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Spend the day celebrating our nation’s independence as people did 178 years ago. Participate in toasting our nation, enjoy a theatrical presentation, dance with the residents of the frontier fort, play historic games, listen and watch the canon salutes, and hear one of the great patriotic speeches of history. Made in America: American Indian Technology Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: July 4, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore American Indian technology through demonstrations and hands-on activities. At 1 p.m. watch a flint knapper create stone tools and try your hand at making an arrowhead. At 4 p.m. learn about native plants that can be used to make cordage and make your own cordage with plant fibers. Take guided tours of the prairie and carvings at 2 and 3 p.m. Traditions of the Trading Post: Birchbark Bonanza North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: July 4, 2009, July 5, 2009, July 11, 2009, July 12, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 senior and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore life in a 19th-century fur post with demonstrations of historic handcrafts. See how Birchbark is used to make an amazing array of items including a house, a basket, a canoe, or containers to store food or boil water. See more events in this series Minneapolis Riverfront Walking Tours Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 4, 2009, July 5, 2009, July 19, 2009, July 26, 2009, Aug. 2, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 16, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009, Sept. 19, 2009, Sept. 20, 2009, Sept. 26, 2009, Sept. 27, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. Saturdays, 1 p.m. Sundays Fee: $12 adults, $10 seniors and college students, $8 children 6-17 and MHS members. Includes museum admission. Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 Visit the historic district at St. Anthony Falls, which was once the milling center of the world and is now a growing cultural, recreational and residential neighborhood. A guide from Mill City Museum will lead visitors onto the Stone Arch Bridge for spectacular views of the falls, surrounding historic buildings and downtown Minneapolis while telling stories of the people who have worked and lived in the area. Tours begin and end at Mill City Museum where participants can visit the museum gallery (included in the price of the tour), and enjoy refreshments at the Mill City Museum Café. This tour is made possible in part with support from the Chute Family Fund. Mill City Fourth of July Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 4, 2009 Time: Noon to 7 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; Free for MHS members. $25/$20 MHS members, for Koch Observation Deck fireworks. Visit Mill City Museum, the gift store and café during special holiday hours from noon to 7 p.m. Make a splash in the Water Lab, take a ride in the amazing Flour Tower, follow your nose to the Baking Lab, take a cinematic tour of "Minneapolis in 19 Minutes Flat." The head outside for family fun and entertainment along the riverfront. New this year, purchase a ticket to reserve your spot on the museum’s Observation Deck starting at 9:30 p.m. for the best view of the fireworks. Observation deck tickets include museum admission. Tickets are limited. Reservations are required, call 612-341-7555. River History Walking Tour Sibley House Historic Site, Mendota MN Dates: July 4, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009 Time: 10:30 a.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. Henry Sibley was a great hunter and outdoorsman as well as fur trader and powerful politician. Join Sibley House staff on a morning river walk (dog optional) and learn about the history of "the Entry" –- the juncture of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers -- and its importance to the fur trade and development of Minnesota as a state. During the walk, dogs and their owners will also hear more about Henry Sibley's dogs, including his beloved Irish Wolfhound "Lion." Please remember bags and dog leashes. Summit Avenue Walking Tours James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: July 4, 2009, July 5, 2009, July 11, 2009, July 12, 2009, July 18, 2009, July 19, 2009, July 25, 2009, July 26, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 2, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 16, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Aug. 30, 2009, Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009, Sept. 12, 2009, Sept. 13, 2009, Sept. 19, 2009, Sept. 20, 2009, Sept. 26, 2009, Sept. 27, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 Take a 90-minute tour of the Summit Avenue neighborhood, named one of America's "Greatest Streets" in 2008. The popular walking tours include a discussion about the Gilded-Age mansions that line the elite avenue and the people who owned them and built them, as well as the architecture, social history and current preservation issues of the historic neighborhood. Tours start at the James J. Hill House (admission to the historic site not included). Tours are offered every Saturday and Sunday May through September. Call for group tour information. 1899 Independence Day Celebration Historic Forestville, Preston MN Dates: July 4, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children age 6 to 17; $1 discount for MHS members. State park vehicle permit required. Minnesotans expressed local and national pride in the 1890s, after winning a quick war against Spain and recovering from the financial panic of 1893. Experience Independence Day 1890s style with music, games, contests and refreshments. At 1 p.m., costumed history players portraying Rev. Father McTeague will read the Declaration of Independence, followed by a political speech by former wartime Lt. Governor Ignatius Donnelly. Enjoy an 1860s ballgame between the Rochester Roosters and the local team, the Forestville Nine. Game begins at 1:30 p.m. Children's Programs: Beautiful Beads Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: July 4, 2009, July 5, 2009, Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009, Sept. 7, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. In this program, children will learn about American Indian beadwork, then they'll make a bracelet to take home. See more events in this series Following the Footprints of History Guided Tour Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: July 4, 2009, July 5, 2009, July 11, 2009, July 12, 2009, July 18, 2009, July 19, 2009, July 25, 2009, July 26, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 2, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 16, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Aug. 30, 2009, Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009, Sept. 7, 2009 Time: 11 a.m., 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday (and Memorial Day), 1 and 4 p.m. Sunday Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. Take a guided walking tour and gain insight into traditional Dakota culture, how the lives of the Dakota changed because of government policies and treaties, the role and purpose of the Lower Sioux Agency, how the Agency looked 150 years ago and the events that led up to the U.S.-Dakota War. Independence Day Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: July 5, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Celebrate Independence Day at the Harkin Store, where a piece of 19th century remains preserved. Visit the general store, play checkers and relax on the front porch. The New Ulm Battery will fire their 1862 cannon every half hour. Refinement and Charm for Debutantes Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN Dates: July 6, 2009, July 7, 2009, July 8, 2009, July 9, 2009, July 10, 2009 Time: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fee: $175; $160 for MHS members. Reservations: required, register online Designed for young ladies who have already attended the Ramsey Finishing School, this day camp expands on all areas of a young lady's education, including needlework skills, bead crafts, and making a 'proper' pot of tea. The week culminates in a "German" dance cotillion, a popular Victorian-era dance party. Girls will wear Victorian era costumes and create a scrapbook for sketching and journaling to take home. Open to girls ages 11 to 13. Session 1: July 6-10 Session 2: July 20-24 9 Nights of Music: Cafe Accordion Orchestra Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 7, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Enjoy a loungy, eclectic mix of French flare, Latin heat and Bohemian attitude with Café Accordion Orchestra. Wear your favorite rakish beret to model in the Beret Parade. Dan Newton and his musicians provide the bongos and the bravura--you bring the baguettes. It's a beatnik picnic on the History Center plaza. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series Nooks and Crannies Tour James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: July 7, 2009, July 14, 2009, July 21, 2009, July 28, 2009, Aug. 4, 2009, Aug. 11, 2009, Aug. 18, 2009, Aug. 25, 2009 Time: 6 and 7 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 Explore the back staircases, dust chutes, silver vault and more on this 90-minute "behind-the-scenes" tour of the Hill House. Visitors will see the top-floor attic with original theater, take the back stairs to the basement, view the coal storage area and take a tour of the gate house overlooking Summit Avenue. Guides will also discuss the technological innovations present in the house at the time of its construction in the late 19th century, and the difficulties of preserving such a building today. The 7 p.m. tour will be led by a costumed interpreter portraying one of the construction workers who built the house or one of the servants who worked in the house. History Pub Crawls: Working the West End Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 8, 2009, Aug. 5, 2009 Time: 7 to 9 p.m. (trolley departs at 7 p.m.) Fee: $25, $20 MHS members. Reservations: required, register online Visit St. Paul's West End and hear true tales of how this neighborhood built a Capital city. Along the way, stop at some of the storied ethnic bars of West 7th, St. Paul's oldest street. Ages 21 and up only. Drink purchases are not included in the tour price. Drink specials will be made available at participating locations. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/pubcrawls. See more events in this series Mill City Live: Jeremy Messersmith Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 9, 2009 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $5 museum admission from 4 to 9 p.m. includes concert; free for MHS members. Jeremy Messersmith is a Twin Cities singer-songwriter with a strong pop sensibility. His 2006 debut CD "The Alcatraz Kid" invited comparisons to Elliott Smith and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. His latest disc "The Silver City", produced by Semisonic's Dan Wilson, is a bittersweet love letter to Minneapolis including such tracks as "Franklin Avenue" and "Light Rail." Set in the museum's dramatic open air Ruin Courtyard, "Mill City Live" features six great evenings of outdoor music by some of the best local artists. Performances take place each Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., with food and drink available for purchase from D’Amico Catering. Price includes admission to the museum from 4 to 9 p.m. In case of rain, Mill City Live goes on indoors! See more events in this series Craft Renaissance Weekend Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: July 11, 2009, July 12, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Celebrate traditional wood and metal craftsmanship. Wood crafters and metal smiths will demonstrate their skills and exhibit their artwork. Visitors can meet the artisans, participate in hands-on activities, purchase items and learn the history and techniques of traditional handicrafts like basket weaving, wood carving and blacksmithing. See related events. American Indian Games Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: July 11, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Play traditional American Indian games, including double-ball and the awl game, while learning about the fun pastimes the people of the prairie enjoyed long ago. Games are offered at 1, 2, and 4 p.m. Take a guided tour of the petroglyphs at 3 p.m. I'm New Here: Introducing the Library Minnesota Historical Society Library, St. Paul Dates: July 11, 2009, July 18, 2009, July 25, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Sept. 12, 2009, Sept. 19, 2009, Sept. 26, 2009, Oct. 3, 2009, Oct. 10, 2009, Oct. 17, 2009, Oct. 24, 2009, Oct. 31, 2009, Nov. 7, 2009, Nov. 14, 2009, Nov. 21, 2009, Nov. 28, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 12, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009, Dec. 26, 2009 Time: 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Fee: Free Reservations: recommended, call 651-259-3300 or register online The library contains an array of sources for finding family history; researching a term paper; looking into the history of a house, business, organization or neighborhood; or just finding out more about Minnesota's rich past and many cultures. This free class held each Saturday year round, introduces these resources and offers tips on how to use catalogs, request materials and purchase photocopies. Exploring Eva Gay’s Minneapolis Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 11, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Sept. 7, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. Fee: $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for children ages 6-17 and MHS members. Fee includes museum admission. Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 Take a walking tour led by costumed History Player Eva Valesh, whose undercover reporting for the Saint Paul Globe in 1888 and 1889 exposed the harsh working conditions of women in mills along the riverfront. Learn about factory life for girls at the North Star Woolen Mill, still standing at the west end of the Stone Arch Bridge. Valesh, a labor writer and orator, known by her pen name Eva Gay, served as labor editor for the Saint Paul Globe, a skilled orator for the National Farmer’s Alliance and labor editor for the Minneapolis Tribune. She went on to national acclaim, working for Samuel Gompers as assistant editor of the American Federationist. This tour is made possible in part with support from the Chute Family Fund. DIY: Shoestring Chic Art and Architecture, Minneapolis Dates: July 11, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to noon Fee: $20/$15 MHS members Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online Explore the Great Depression practice of turning flour sacks into quilts, clothing, even underwear, then see how designer Sarah Holm draws on this creative and practical ethic to construct garments from reused clothing for her stylish reevolution line. Learn about Holm's techniques while creating hair accessories from reused materials to take home. Formerly known as Creative Keepsakes, the DIY series explores timeless techniques that save dollars and stretch the family budget, and teaches new ways to preserve family memories. This program is being held at Art and Architecture, 3338 University Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414. It is offered in conjunction with the Minnesota's Greatest Generation Project. See more events in this series See related events. Children's Programs: Animal Adventures Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: July 11, 2009, July 12, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009, Sept. 12, 2009, Sept. 13, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. In this program, children will learn about common animals of the area by touching animal pelts, making animal tracks and taking a hike to look for animal signs. See more events in this series The WPA and Lindbergh Park Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Little Falls MN Dates: July 11, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17. Free for children ages 5 and under and MHS members. Free for former “New Deal” workers Minnesota’s Greatest Generation lived through the pivotal decades of the Great Depression, World War II and the postwar boom. Explore some of the "New Deal" programs designed to get America back to work during the Great Depression, including the WPA, or Works Projects Administration, which had a large presence in Little Falls. Meet living history characters playing WPA workers and learn about projects undertaken at the historic site and state park, then take a guided walking tour which highlights original WPA buildings, and view New Deal films from the 1930s in the visitor center theater. At 1 p.m., site staff will give a presentation on WPA projects in Minnesota. Visitors are encouraged to share memories of the Great Depression with site staff as part of an oral history project, as well as contribute to a "memory book" by writing down their stories. This event is co-sponsored by Lindbergh State Park. See related events. Lac Qui Parle Mission Sunday Lac qui Parle Mission, Montevideo MN Dates: July 12, 2009 Time: 10:30 a.m. Fee: Free Join Missionary and Dakota descendants for worship and to celebrate the Lac qui Parle Mission. The Dakota Choir will perform during service. Coffee and juice will be provided. A potluck picnic will follow at noon with an afternoon program at 1 p.m. Bring a plate and eating utensils. Railroad History Tour Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 12, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Sept. 13, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. Saturdays, 1 p.m. Sundays Fee: $12 adults, $10 seniors and college students, $8 children ages 6-17 and MHS members. Includes museum admission. Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 Minneapolis and its riverfront industries grew up with the railroads. Beginning with the arrival of Minnesota’s first rail line in 1862, Minneapolis boomed in population, flour milling, lumber production and warehousing as a rail network extended throughout the Upper Midwest. Discover the impact of railroads on the Mill City with a guided tour of railroad landmarks such as the Stone Arch Bridge, Milwaukee Road Depot and the Minneapolis Eastern Railway engine house and trestle. Find clues to the vanishing railroad landscape and learn about the new rail era that is arriving with the Hiawatha light rail and the North Star commuter rail. The tour will begin and end at Mill City Museum, where participants can visit the museum’s gallery, included in the price of the tour. This tour is made possible in part with support from the Chute Family Fund. River Program Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: July 12, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. View historical photographs of riverboats that traveled the Minnesota River. Herpetologist Tom Jessen will also be on hand with a live display of snakes native to Minnesota. Huck Finn Day Camp Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: July 13, 2009, July 14, 2009, July 15, 2009, July 16, 2009, July 20, 2009, July 21, 2009, July 22, 2009, July 23, 2009 Time: Full day: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Half day: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fee: Full-day: $225; $200 for MHS members; Half-day: $140, $125 for MHS members Reservations: required, register online Historic Fort Snelling's Summer Camps were selected as "Best Camps for Kids" by Nickelodeon.com in 2008. The classic book "Huck Finn" is the basis for this exciting camp for the adventurous child. Campers will explore the book and its themes of adventure and boyhood fun through hands-on activities including fishing, cooking outdoors, building a lodge, and exploring the river and woods of the adjacent Fort Snelling State Park. Campers will also hike to the historic Minnehaha Falls, just as the youthful Henry Snelling did as a young boy in the early 1820s. This camp is for children ages 9 to 13. Session 1: June 29 to July 2 (full day) Session 2: July 13 to 16 (full day) Session 3: July 20 to 23 (full and half day options) Meighen Homestead 19th-Century Day Camp Historic Forestville, Preston MN Dates: July 13, 2009, July 20, 2009 Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $60, $55 for MHS members Reservations: required, register online Become a farmer and storekeeper and experience family life in 1899 Forestville during this one-day summer camp. In the Meighen General Store, campers will price goods using a secret pricing code, candle eggs and compound medicines. In the house they will hear stories, participate in sing-a-longs, play games in the parlor and help in the kitchen. On the farm, they will help garden, tend the chickens and saw wood. The Meighen homestead at Historic Forestville includes the original 1856 home, attached store and farm of Thomas Meighen, a businessman, farmer and politician. Campers should dress for outdoor activities and bring a bag lunch. This camp is for children ages 7 to 11. Session 1: June 15 Session 2: June 22 Session 3: July 13 Session 4: July 20 Seniors in Mind: Tales of the Road with Cathy Wurzer Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 14, 2009 Time: 10:30 a.m. Fee: Free. Does not include $8 senior admission to museum galleries. Highway 61 traces approximately 440 miles through Minnesota, from Pigeon Falls at the Canadian border to La Crescent in the south with many well-documented stopping-off points along the way. But what about those often ignored sites, historic buildings, markers and abandoned structures? Broadcast journalist Cathy Wurzer unearths fascinating stories about the places she visited along Highway 61 – as part of a project for a documentary airing on TPT-2 at 7pm on May 31, and a companion book published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. Join Wurzer as she spotlights famous and infamous locations, screens a portion of the documentary and signs books. Registration is required for groups of five or more. There is a 10-percent discount at the History Center’s Museum Stores. Café Minnesota will be open for lunch following the program. See more events in this series 9 Nights of Music: Bruce A. Henry and Friends Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 14, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Bruce A. Henry, popular vocalist, educator and Twin Cities favorite, uses his talent with tremendous ease and flows effortlessly from octave to octave, from genre to genre, interpreting Spirituals, Blues, Jazz, R and B, Rock and Soul. He’ll bring his extraordinary range, charm and commanding presence to the plaza with a four-piece combo that will blend genres in a rhythmic, danceable groove. Learn to stride, glide, dip and dab with confidence and perfect your funkadelic strut. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. The Bruce A. Henry and Friends concert is presented by Best Buy. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series Children's Day Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: July 15, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Children can join in the farming events of midsummer by helping to load grain into a wagon pulled by Coulter and Toby, the farm’s oxen. They can help shock freshly cut grain in the field, make a batch of pickles in the house, pull weeds in the garden to feed the livestock and pump water. Enjoy the music of Bill Cagley from under the oak tree. History Pub Crawls: Downtown Low-Down Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 15, 2009, Aug. 12, 2009 Time: 7 to 9 p.m. (trolley departs at 7 p.m.) Fee: $25, $20 MHS members. Reservations: recommended, register online Explore downtown St. Paul’s winding journey from sleepy riverside trading center to bustling turn-of-the century power hub, where influential politicians, literary greats, business moguls, and artistic impresarios rubbed shoulders and made the city run. Enjoy drinks at some of downtown’s finest pubs along the way! A trolley will take participants to the various watering holes. Ages 21 and up only. Drink purchases are not included in the tour price. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/pubcrawls. See more events in this series State Capitol Civil War History Camp Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN Dates: July 16, 2009 Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $50; $40 MHS members. Reservations: required, register online Discover the role Minnesota soldiers played in the Civil War during this unique one-day summer camp. Campers will create a newspaper front page that records stories from the Minnesota home front and the role state regiments played in the Civil War; visit with a historical costumed character – an aging Civil War hero who recalls his battlefield experiences; learn about Civil War flags and statues; and go on a Capitol scavenger hunt. They will also make a map of the nation at war and write a letter home to their family or friends describing their Civil War experiences. Each camper should bring a bag lunch. Snacks will be provided. This camp is for children ages 9 to 13. Generations Camp: Art Open House Willmar Education and Arts Center, Willmar MN Dates: July 16, 2009 Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Fee: Free View an encore showing of original works of art created by Willmar area middle school children with help from local seniors. The art works were made during "Generations Camp," a program that partners first generation Minnesotan children with senior community members to create art about being Minnesotan. In 2008 this program enrolled thirteen Latino and Latina children with 6 seniors. The 2008 camp was delivered as a partnership between the Willmar Senior Center and the Willmar Area Multicultural Market with gracious funding from the Willmar Area Community Foundation. The art will be on display from July 1 through July 31. The Open House includes light refreshments. The Willmar Education and Arts Center is located at 611 5th St. SW, Willmar MN 56201 See related events. Mill City Live: Gospel Gossip Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 16, 2009 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $5 museum admission from 4 to 9 p.m. includes concert; free for MHS members. Led by guitarist and vocalist Sarah Nienaber, this Northfield quartet has been building a local following based on its powerful live shows and a noisy but melodic fuzz-rock sound reminiscent of 1990s shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Its 2007 debut CD was "Sing Into My Mouth." They finished second in the City Pages "Picked to Click" poll in 2008. Set in the museum's dramatic open air Ruin Courtyard, "Mill City Live" features six great evenings of outdoor music by some of the best local artists. Performances take place each Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., with food and drink available for purchase from D’Amico Catering. Price includes admission to the museum from 4 to 9 p.m. In case of rain, Mill City Live goes on indoors! See more events in this series Basswood Doll Making Workshop Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN Dates: July 18, 2009, July 19, 2009 Time: Saturday Noon to 4 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fee: $50, $45 MHS members. Additional supply fee of $10. Learn to craft a basswood doll with the help of Joyce Shingobee, an artist, traditional dancer and former site manager at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Commissioner of Education for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Discount hotel rooms are available on Saturday night for workshop participants at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. A minimum of five participants required to hold this workshop. An adult must accompany children under 18. Pastries and refreshments provided along with a light lunch. Engineering the Falls: Walking Tour by History Player William de la Barre Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 18, 2009, Aug. 30, 2009, Sept. 12, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. Saturdays, 1 p.m. Sundays Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 children ages 6-17 and MHS members. Includes museum admission. Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 Take a walking tour of St. Anthony Falls led by costumed History Player William de la Barre, the Austrian engineer who spent half a century developing Minneapolis flour milling and waterpower. Participants will visit the Minneapolis Riverfront, the west side milling district and the Stone Arch Bridge, and hear about the many ways the falls has changed over the years. The tour will begin and end at Mill City Museum, where participants can visit the museum's gallery (included in the price of the tour). This tour is made possible in part with support from the Chute Family Fund. Traditions of the Trading Post: Net Making North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: July 18, 2009, July 19, 2009, July 25, 2009, July 26, 2009, Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 2, 2009, Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 senior and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore life in a 19th-century fur post with demonstrations of historic handcrafts. On Oct. 10, 1804 John Sayer recorded in his journal "Took a Pike of 37lb Weight in our Net, the largest I ever yet saw." Learn to make a net like the one Sayer used. Fish size not guaranteed. See more events in this series City of Mendota Walking Tour Sibley House Historic Site, Mendota MN Dates: July 18, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009 Time: 10:30 a.m.; meet at Dupuis House Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 651-452-1596 Take a 90-minute guided walk through historic downtown Mendota. View original landmarks in one of the oldest towns in the state, see historical photographs and hear how the town evolved from its beginning as an early 19th-century fur trading center. After the tour, light refreshments will be served at the home of Sibley's clerk, Hypolite Dupuis. Children's Programs: Dakota Indian Games Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: July 18, 2009, July 19, 2009, Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 16, 2009, Sept. 19, 2009, Sept. 20, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. In this program, children will play games from the past such as double ball, bone and pin, and the awl and moccasin games. See more events in this series The Great Minnesota Pie Extravaganza Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: July 18, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Celebrate generations of pies and pie makers in an educational, entertaining and tastefully delicious afternoon. Join master pie maker and historian Joan Solberg as she describes the pie as a cultural phenomena and a social centerpiece. Sample pies made from historic recipes and compare them to modern pies and create your own pie. Guest Baker: Summer Baking with Pat Sinclair Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 18, 2009 Time: 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17. Admission is free for MHS members. Join guest baker Pat Sinclair for 30-minute demonstrations about baking with summer fruit. Sinclair will share tips and secrets about baking while demonstrating the preparation of a basic butter cake frosted with strawberry whipped cream and buttery shortcake topped with fresh berries. After each demonstration Sinclair will sign copies of her cookbook, "Baking Basics and Beyond," which will be available for purchase. Arrive early to the Mill City's Farmer's Market for food-related programs about "Ice Cream and Cake," from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. See more events in this series Naked Eye Astronomy: Night Time Observing Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: July 18, 2009 Time: 9 to 11 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This program introduces visitors to astronomy by teaching constellation identification, how to tell time, navigate long distances and tell stories. Visitors will make a sky ruler and learn how to use it to navigate the night sky. Old-Time Music Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: July 19, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Enjoy an afternoon of music performed by Arnie and Marilyn Anderson. Step back in time at the Harkin Store, where a piece of 19th century remains preserved. Visit the general store, play checkers and relax on the front porch. Young Nor'Westers Day Camp North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: July 20, 2009, July 21, 2009, July 22, 2009, July 23, 2009, July 24, 2009 Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee: $200, $175 for MHS members Reservations: required, register online Experience the adventures of an 1804 voyageur by signing on with the North West Company during a weeklong Young Nor'westers Day Camp. Canoe along the Snake River where the voyageurs transported trade goods into the world of the Ojibwe. Explore the natural landscape surrounding the trading post and Ojibwe encampment at the historic site during a week of fun-filled activities. Dress in a voyageur sash, play 19th century games, create traditional Ojibwe crafts and become part of the story that is Minnesota's fur trade history. The camp is for children ages 8 to 12. Baa Moo Oink Farm Day Camp Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: July 21, 2009, July 22, 2009, July 23, 2009 Time: 9:30 a.m. to noon Fee: $100, $80 for MHS members Reservations: required, register online Younger campers are invited to spend a three-day adventure learning about farm animals including pigs, sheep, cows, oxen, horses and chickens. Campers will identify animals, investigate sounds and compete in an animal calling contest, make animals puppets, tend and herd animals, travel by animal-pulled wagons and discover how farm animals were used. Campers should wear sturdy shoes, and dress for the weather. A camp hat, water bottle and snacks will be provided. This camp is for children in grades K though 3 and grade 3 graduates. 9 Nights of Music: Eelpout Stringers and Pre-Show Fun for Families Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 21, 2009 Time: 4 to 6 p.m., 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Head out early to the Nine Nights of Music free outdoor performance. Starting at 4 p.m. activities will include ring games, mimicry, movement and foolishness. Folklorist Bob Walser will lead traditional games enjoyed by pioneer families and recent immigrants to Minnesota. Alabama Gal, Dinah's Dead! and Akidoso will get you moving and keep you laughing. You can also get crafty and make a dashing Eelpout bolo-tie (to wear on the dance floor) or a Minnesota fish mobile. Then at 6:30 Karl "Gill" Burke, Craig "Bullhead" Evans, Nick "Fin" Rowse and Loyd "Keeper" Mitchell play the happiest music you ever heard. They like to play the stuff that gets your toes a-tappin' and croon ballads with lyrics that touch your soul. Families are encouraged to join in and dance some reels and Irish jigs and enjoy the company of these lovable old fogies. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series History Pub Crawls: Summit Hill Special Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 22, 2009, Aug. 19, 2009 Time: 7 to 9 p.m. (trolley departs at 7 p.m.) Fee: $25, $20 MHS members. Reservations: required, register online Follow routes where streetcars ran and gentility reigned in St. Paul’s Summit Hill district —- historic home to Catholic bishops, industrial magnates and the city’s most celebrated African-American neighborhood. Enjoy stops at some of the area’s finest drinking establishments, and revel in the rich and varied stories behind Summit Hill’s famous Victorian facades. A trolley will take participants to the various watering holes. Ages 21 and up only. Drink purchases are not included in the tour price. Drink specials will be available at participating locations. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/pubcrawls. See more events in this series Mill City Live: Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 23, 2009 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $5 museum admission from 4 to 9 p.m. includes concert; free for MHS members. Caroline Smith is a native of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. She began a weekly residence at the 400 Bar in 2006 and released her debut CD "Backyard Tent Set" with her band The Good Night Sleeps in 2008. Set in the museum's dramatic open air Ruin Courtyard, "Mill City Live" features six great evenings of outdoor music by some of the best local artists. Performances take place each Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., with food and drink available for purchase from D’Amico Catering. Price includes admission to the museum from 4 to 9 p.m. In case of rain, Mill City Live goes on indoors! See more events in this series Living History Day Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Little Falls MN Dates: July 25, 2009, Sept. 5, 2009, Oct. 3, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Experience the Lindbergh farm as it was during the 1900s through the 1930s. Meet tenant farmers and workers employed by the Lindbergh family from 1906 to 1918 and a WPA worker from the 1930s and hear inside stories about the Lindbergh family, including tales of C.A.'s "radical" politics, what it was like to be of German descent in Minnesota during WWI and life in Little Falls at the time. Geology Discovery Day Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: July 25, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore the geological wonders of Southwestern Minnesota in a special geology exhibit. Learn about Sioux Quartzite and other important rocks of the area. A short driving tour of local sites will be available at 1 and 4 p.m. The 2 p.m. Adventures in Nature program will focus on Blue Stem Model. Civil War Walking Tour Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: July 25, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. More than 24,000 troops trained for the Civil War at Fort Snelling, including the famous 1st Minnesota Regiment, which played a vital role in the victory at Gettysburg. In 1862-3, the regiment was also called upon to fight against the Dakota in Minnesota. After five weeks, the Dakota were defeated, resulting in the tragic internment of over 1,600 Dakota in the river flats below the fort. This special walking tour will focus on the fort from 1858 to 1865, including the role President Lincoln played in the trials of the Dakota, and a walk down to the memorial located where the Dakota were held over the deadly winter of 1862-63. This tour does not include admission to Historic Fort Snelling. Children's Weekend Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: July 25, 2009, July 26, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Go back in time to enjoy the Forest History Center's 1900 logging camp with special activities designed to engage children ages 4-12 years old. Logging camp tours include stamping logs, petting horses, Paul Bunyan's Fishing for Bears game, making cookies and pies, counting beans, spitting raisins and "prune on a spoon" racing from the bunkhouse to the outhouse. Kids earn wooden nickels for every task they perform. Nickels can be redeemed in the visitor center's wooden nickel store. Children's Programs: Clay Pot Creations Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: July 25, 2009, July 26, 2009, Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. During this program, children will use clay to make traditional American Indian coil or pinch pots. See more events in this series Summer Music at Kelley Farm: Ross Sutter and Laura MacKenzie Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: July 25, 2009 Time: 6:30 p.m., concert starts at 7 p.m. Fee: Free Ross Sutter and Laura MacKenzie specialize in Scottish music and family programs, which include Irish, Scottish and English song games. His sweet baritone voice is accompanied by her performance on a dazzling array of wind-powered instruments. Concerts are held on the front porch of the historic farm house. Visitors can bring picnics, blankets and chairs to set up on the lawn. Drinks and snacks will be for sale. Sponsored by the Friends of the Kelley Farm. See more events in this series Christmas in July Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: July 26, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Celebrate a Scottish Christmas in the middle of July at the Harkin Store, where a piece of 19th century remains preserved. Visit the general store, play checkers and relax on the front porch. Upper Post Walking Tour Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: July 26, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009 Time: Noon Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 612-726-1171 Fort Snelling served as an induction and training center during World War II with more than 300,000 members of Minnesota’s Greatest Generation beginning their military life there from 1941-1945. The fort also trained several special groups, including military police, railroad engineers and Japanese-American translators at the Military Intelligence Language School. Start in the Visitor Center where a World War II map shows the fort extending to include the National Cemetery. Then follow a guide on a two-mile loop to the Upper Post, where many World War II-era buildings still stand, including the old barracks, headquarters and other structures that were a part of the biggest military base in Minnesota. Does not include admission to Historic Fort Snelling. See related events. 9 Nights of Music: Cajun Hot Soles Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: July 28, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Rhythmic two-steps, waltzes and narrative songs filled will passionate themes of love, heartache and humorous tales describe the soulful music of the Louisiana bayous. Since it's inception in 1998, the 6-piece Cajun Hot Soles have performed steadily at festivals and events throughout the state of Minnesota as well as traveled south to study with Cajun master musicians. The ensemble will have you swaying on the dance floor with visions of spicy gumbo and shrimp jambalaya. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series Victorian Girl Day Academy Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN Dates: July 29, 2009, July 30, 2009 Time: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fee: $80; $75 for MHS members. Reservations: required, register online A two-day summer camp for younger girls who want to experience Victorian fashion, table manners, crafts and parlor dancing. Girls are encouraged to wear their own dress-up clothes or "princess" outfits. Campers will take tours of the mansion house each day to learn more about the lives of young Laura and Anita Furness, the Ramsey grand-daughters, they'll keep a diary and create a take-home scrapbook. Open to girls ages 7 to 9. Session 1: July 27 and 28 Session 2: July 29 and 30 Mill City Live: Charanga Tropical Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: July 30, 2009 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $5 museum admission from 4 to 9 p.m. includes concert; free for MHS members. Charanga Tropical is a nine-piece salsa orchestra with instrumentation that dates back to the roots of Cuban music: three violins, flute and a sizzling Latin rhythm section. The band repertoire features rarely heard danzones and a spicy variety of modern son, salsa, cha cha cha, and timba. The group is comprised of master musicians from Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States, including bandleader Douglas Little (flute) Damian Rodríguez (percussion) and Viviana Pintado (piano, vocals). Their collective accomplishments include international tours, platinum recordings, doctorate degrees, and multiple Latin Grammy nominations. Set in the museum's dramatic open air Ruin Courtyard, "Mill City Live" features six great evenings of outdoor music by some of the best local artists. Performances take place each Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., with food and drink available for purchase from D’Amico Catering. Price includes admission to the museum from 4 to 9 p.m. In case of rain, Mill City Live goes on indoors! See more events in this series Grandparents' Day Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: July 31, 2009, Aug. 26, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Grandparents admitted free with a paid grandchild. Explore the 19th-century Kelley Farm and reminisce about Grandma’s pies, Grandpa’s first car, the family dog and all the experiences of a working farm. Ride the horse-drawn trolley along the trails, sip lemonade and hear stories. Grandparents are admitted free with a paying grandchild. Minnesota Film Premier: “In the Shadow of David Thompson” North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: July 31, 2009 Time: 7 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 senior and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. David Thompson was an English-Canadian fur trader, surveyor and map-maker who became a partner with the North West Company. In the late 1700s and early 1800s he mapped the water routes around Lake Superior. Filmmaker George Sibley features the life of Thompson in his new documentary "In the Shadow of David Thompson." View the film and meet the filmmaker at this evening event. Butterflies are Free Family Day Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: Aug. 1, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: Free Experience the butterflies of Jeffers Petroglyphs in this free event offering hands-on activities and walking tours. Go on a butterfly hunt at 1 and 4 p.m. and join in a guided walking tour of the prairie and carvings at 2 and 3 p.m. Historic Craft Series: Tinsmithing North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: Aug. 1, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $50, $45 MHS members. Reservations: required, call 320-629-6356 or register online In the early 19th century plates, cups and bowls were made of tin, an inexpensive and durable material that could be easily crafted into hundreds of everyday items. This one-day workshop includes basic instruction on using hand tools, forming stakes, swedges and hand-operated machines used in a well-equipped 19th-century tin shop. Each student will be shown how to do basic layout work, cutting, forming, assembling and soldering. Participants will leave with at least one completed project. See more events in this series Children's Programs: Tipi Life Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: Aug. 1, 2009, Aug. 2, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. In this special program, children will learn about customs, construction and items found in a tipi, then try setting up a small tipi. See more events in this series Children's Day Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Little Falls MN Dates: Aug. 1, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, free for children age 17 and under and MHS members. Adults and children are encouraged to relive the childhood experienced by Charles Lindbergh at his boyhood home in Little Falls more than 100 years ago. During the day, visitors can enjoy children’s games and activities from the turn of the century. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. artist David Geister will lead a workshop on how to paint plates incorporating images of birds, flowers and bees that were found on plates and bowls of the period. Guests can also tour Lindbergh’s boyhood home, sit in the replica cockpit of the Spirit of St. Louis and experience hands-on exhibits in the Visitor Center. West Newton Day Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: Aug. 2, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Enjoy pictures of the town of West Newton in years past. Visitors are encouraged to bring pictures and stories of West Newton. 9 Nights of Music: Charmin Michelle Swing Band Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 4, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fee: Free This charismatic song stylist, backed by her classy five-piece band, has the all the grace and grooves of past legendary ladies of jazz. She has performed at festivals throughout Europe and the U.S. and delivers taste and understatement, swing and savoir-faire. The special extended evening is a tribute to the History Center’s Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Project. Make the scene in your vintage 40's era threads--then model and win prizes in a fashion show during the 7:30 pm intermission. And most importantly, brush up on your swing with instructors from Tapestry Folkdance Center. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series See related events. Minnesota, Lincoln and the U.S. Civil War: An Evening with Ed Bearss Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 4, 2009 Time: 7 p.m. Fee: Free Join Ed Bearss, former chief historian of the National Park Service, for an exclusive evening lecture about Minnesota’s important role in the Union’s victory in the U.S. Civil War. Bearss, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of World War II, is a military historian and author known for his work on the American Civil War and World War II eras and is a popular tour guide of historic battlefields. He served as Chief Historian of the National Park Service from 1981 to 1994. Bearss has won numerous honors including the Bruce Catton Award and the Harry S. Truman Award for Meritorious Service in the field of Civil War History. This exclusive lecture is one of many events being held during the 2009 nationwide commemoration of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. For more information visit www.mnhs.org/lincoln. Mill City Live: First Communion Afterparty Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Aug. 6, 2009 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $5 museum admission from 4 to 9 p.m. includes concert; free for MHS members. First Communion Afterparty is a seven-piece neo-psychedelic band from Minneapolis, whose debut CD Sorry for All the Mondays and to Those Who Can’t Sing was named best local rock album of 2008 by Mpls St. Paul magazine. Set in the museum's dramatic open air Ruin Courtyard, "Mill City Live" features six great evenings of outdoor music by some of the best local artists. Performances take place each Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., with food and drink available for purchase from D’Amico Catering. Price includes admission to the museum from 4 to 9 p.m. In case of rain, Mill City Live goes on indoors! See more events in this series Loom Beading Workshop Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN Dates: Aug. 8, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fee: $25, $20 MHS members. Additional supply fee of $10. Reservations: required, call 320-532-3632 Learn loom beading techniques and design in this one-day workshop lead by Ruth Garbow. Loom designs are free form designs that can be used for headbands, belts or attached to material or buckskin. An adult must accompany children under 18. Pastries and refreshments provided along with a light lunch. Animals of the Minnesota River Valley Day Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: Aug. 8, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. Learn about common animals of the Minnesota River Valley by touching pelts and making plaster animal tracks. At 2 p.m. join in the Children's Program and learn how to track animals, then take a hike to look for signs of animals. Take a "Footprints in History" walking tour at 11 a.m., 1 and 4 p.m. Historic Fort Snelling: Craft Program Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 8, 2009 Time: 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Fee: Free Join in a free craft activity that helps participants learn about Minnesota’s role in the Civil War. This hour-long program is offered as part of Historic Fort Snelling’s Civil War Weekend (regular admission applies). Space for the craft program is limited, but any child under 16 may register in person from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. for a chance to win a free American Girl doll. Craft sessions are held at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. The drawing will be held at 4:30 p.m. See more events in this series DIY: Tiny Circus Show and Workshop Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 8, 2009 Time: 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fee: $20, $15 MHS members. Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online As seen in movies like "Coraline" and "Wallace and Gromit," stop motion animation can tell colorful and lively stories. Stop motion animation can also become a tool to tell family stories and more. Explore the storytelling potential of stop motion animation with Carlos Ferguson, who develops short animations with a group of collaborators collectively known as the Tiny Circus. This hands-on, half day workshop will introduce the basics of the process as everyone contributes to the development of an animated sequence. Participants will leave with a basic understanding of the software and techniques of stop motion animation and a fun souvenir of the animation created during the workshop. Formerly known as Creative Keepsakes, the DIY series explores timeless techniques that save dollars and stretch the family budget, and teaches new ways to preserve family memories. See more events in this series Storytelling: "Mike the Baker" Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Aug. 8, 2009 Time: 1 and 2 p.m. Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17. Admission is free for MHS members. Join award-winning storyteller Mike Mann for an afternoon of stories about his days as a baker. Mike uses bakery tools to tell stories and lead sing songs about working in a bakery. He brings a big rolling pin, a 4-foot whisk, a giant muffin pan and a huge mixing bowl, and invites children to join the Bakery Bowl Band. After the stories audience members can enjoy a baked treat in the museum’s Baking Lab. Arrive early for baked goods and related events at the Mill City Farmer’s Market as part of its "Wine, Bread and Cheese" day. Civil War Weekend Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 8, 2009, Aug. 9, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Travel back to the Civil War era and experience 19th-century life at the frontier fort. More than 24,000 Minnesota soldiers fought in battles across the country. In Minnesota in 1862-63, volunteers were also called upon to fight against the Dakota, who went to war as the result of food shortages and broken promises of treaty payments. Special tours focus on the U.S.-Dakota War and include a visit to the memorial where many Dakota were held. Other activities throughout the weekend include costumed staff, artifact displays, weapon firing demonstrations, Civil War reenactors, crafts and dance. Wild Flower Safari Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: Aug. 8, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Experience the beauty and science of nature with a Forest History Center naturalist. Walk the trails, take pictures, and learn about Minnesota’s native forest plants and trees. Old Times Game Day Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: Aug. 9, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Before Game Boys, X-men and text messaging there were marbles, jacks, pick-up sticks, graces (hoop toss) and hoop rolling, checkers and dominoes. Have fun the old-fashioned way and win candy prizes. Ice Cream Social Comstock House, Moorhead MN Dates: Aug. 9, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $4 adults, $2 MHS members; free for children age 5 and under. Visit the Comstock House for its annual ice cream social and house tours. Enjoy a variety of ice cream desserts and take a guided tour of the Victorian house. The Comstock house showcases the life and times of the Comstock family in the 1880s. Children's Day Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Aug. 11, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Enjoy a late summer Children’s Day filled with typical games and chores that focus on getting field work done before schools starts. Children and their families can help train the young oxen, pull weeds in the garden and feed the livestock. Then they can play games and pump water for a cool refreshing sip. Live music and horse-drawn trolley rides along the nature trails will be available throughout the afternoon. 9 Nights of Music: Jantri Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 11, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Expect the unexpected from Jantri (a Sanskrit word meaning instrument) where every song is a journey. The five-piece ensemble blends Hindustani classical, Bangla-folk and western jazz and blues music. What emerges is organically new and is an exciting, danceable mélange of style, mood and texture that reflects east/west culture. Learn some traditional East Indian dance moves courtesy of Tapestry Folkdance Center. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series Mill City Live: Butanes Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Aug. 13, 2009 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Fee: $5 museum admission from 4 to 9 p.m. includes concert; free for MHS members. These veterans of the local blues and R and B scene were named by City Pages "Best Blues Band" in 2009 for the fifth consecutive year. Formed by Curtis Obeda in 1983, the Butanes have gigged regularly at the Cabooze and the 400 Bar, and have backed many well-known blues artists in town and on the road. They recently recorded two acclaimed CD's with 1960s Goldwax soul singer Willie Walker, who is a frequent special guest at the Butanes regular Wednesday night gig at Minneapolis Eagles #34. Set in the museum's dramatic open air Ruin Courtyard, "Mill City Live" features six great evenings of outdoor music by some of the best local artists. Performances take place each Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., with food and drink available for purchase from D’Amico Catering. Price includes admission to the museum from 4 to 9 p.m. In case of rain, Mill City Live goes on indoors! See more events in this series Made in America: American Indian Technology Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore American Indian technology through demonstrations and hands-on activities. At 1 p.m., watch a flint knapper create stone tools and try making an arrowhead. Learn about the travois during the 2 p.m. "Adventures in Nature" program. At 4 p.m. use clay to make traditional American Indian coil or pinch pots. Military Day Camp Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009, Sept. 12, 2009, Sept. 19, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $45, $40 for MHS members. Reservations: required, register online Join the 5th Regiment for an afternoon of learning about the lives of soldiers during the 1820s at Fort Snelling. Campers will "enlist," have a soldier’s lunch, march and drill, practice loading a cannon, and watch musket and cannon firings. Space is limited to 12. This camp is for ages 8 to 13. Four sessions are available through fall: Session 1: June 6 Session 2: August 15 Session 3: September 12 Session 4: September 19 Story Time Tour James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009, Aug. 18, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. Fee: $5, $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 Take a tour of the James J. Hill House while enjoying popular turn-of-the-century children's stories. Listen to "Rapunzel" on the terrace, "Puss in Boots" in the library, and more. This one-hour program is designed for pre-school through first-grade children accompanied by an adult. DIY: Preserving Produce Art and Architecture, Minneapolis Dates: Aug. 15, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to noon Fee: $20, $15 MHS members. Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online The final program of this series focuses on preserving produce. The lure of ripe produce at markets, farm shares and gardens leaves many kitchens overrun with tomatoes, berries and more by August. Chef Nick Schneider will demonstrate an array of traditional techniques to preserve fruit and vegetables to last through fall and winter. He’ll also demonstrate innovative recipes that highlight preserved foodstuffs and share some samples along the way. Formerly known as Creative Keepsakes, the DIY series explores timeless techniques that save dollars and stretch the family budget, and teaches new ways to preserve family memories. This program is being held at Art and Architecture, 3338 University Ave., Minneapolis. It is offered in conjunction with the Minnesota's Greatest Generation Project. See more events in this series See related events. Wild Edibles Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Learn how to identify nature's edible plants, how to harvest them responsibly and ways to prepare them. Then sample the delicacies and learn the cook's secret recipes. Participants will take a guided nature hike to harvest leafy greens in June and summer berries and fruit in August. Pickle It Day Historic Forestville, Preston MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. State park vehicle permit required. Participants in this program will assist the gardener in picking the fattest, plumpest and most beautiful garden vegetables including peppers, cucumbers, beets, onions, cabbage and other heirloom varieties, all traditionally found in Thomas Meighen’s garden. The vegetables will be cleaned and processed using 19th-century pickling methods for food preservation. Children’s Day North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. During the heyday of the fur trade skills, such as hunting and sewing clothes and moccasins, were essential. Children's activities of the era helped hone those skills, but youngsters also played games. Visitors can make voyageur pouches, make a Stick Game and join in a game of "Cat and Mouse." National Relaxation Day at the Hill House James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009 Time: 4:30 p.m. tour, 5:30 p.m. relaxation class Fee: $12, $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 Celebrate National Relaxation Day with a special Hill House tour focusing on relaxation during the Gilded Age, followed by a relaxation class led by life coach Beth Freschi. The tour will highlight the many ways the Hill family relaxed including going to Pleasant Lake on their North Oaks farm, attending concerts, theater and the opera, or spending a quiet evening in their 36,000-square-foot home on Summit Avenue. James J. Hill enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles, Mary Hill liked to knit and both were avid readers. After the tour, visitors will gather in the elegant Drawing Room where Freschi will lead an hour-long class using modern day relaxation techniques. The class will begin with deep breathing, followed by a muscle relaxation exercise, guided imagery and meditation. This is a popular event, reservations are strongly recommended. Summer Music at Kelley Farm: Great River Community Band Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Aug. 15, 2009 Time: 6:30 p.m., concert starts at 7 p.m. Fee: Free The 35 musicians in this band are from local communities including Monticello, St. Michael, Albertville, Elk River, Rogers, Buffalo, Big Lake and Becker. Enjoy a 60 minute set of traditional and original compositions, marches, jazz, popular and Broadway music. Concerts are held on the front porch of the historic farm house. Visitors can bring picnics, blankets and chairs to set up on the lawn. Drinks and snacks will be for sale. Sponsored by the Friends of the Kelley Farm. See more events in this series Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post Fun Run Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN Dates: Aug. 16, 2009 Time: 9 to 11 a.m. Fee: Free Join museum staff and community members in this annual event held the same day as the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe's 43rd Annual Pow-Wow. Take a brief walk around the pow-wow grounds and earn a free gift courtesy of the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post. The run is held at the pow-wow grounds located on the west side of Lake Mille Lacs off U.S. Highway 169, two miles north of Grand Casino Mille Lacs, 14 miles north of Onamia, seven miles south of Garrison. Music with "The Misfits" Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: Aug. 16, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Enjoy an afternoon of music with "The Misfits" (formerly "3 Flats and a Spare"). Step back in time at the Harkin Store, where a piece of the 19th century is preserved. Visit the general store, play checkers and relax on the front porch. 9 Nights of Music: Yid Vicious Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 18, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Formed in 1995 in Madison, Wisconsin, this seven-piece group draws mainly on traditional secular Yiddish music, but also incorporates new ideas into an organic, ever-evolving art form. Klezmer music is all about celebration, so join the good fun. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series Movies on the Barn Historic Forestville, Preston MN Dates: Aug. 21, 2009 Time: 8 to 9 p.m. Fee: Free Take a seat in front of the old barn at dusk to view some of the short films submitted to the Moving Pictures Film Festival. These films highlight Minnesota's Greatest Generation, the group of people who grew up during the Great Depression, came of age during World War II and participated in the post war boom years. Bring flashlights, blankets and lawn chairs. See related events. The Useful Art of Pickling Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. The useful art of pickling provided families with a variety of foods throughout the long winter months 150 years ago. Visitors will discover sweet and sour pickles and other varieties that were popular with the Kelleys and families like them. For $2 per jar, visitors can make their own refrigerator pickles to take home. Horse-drawn trolley rides along the nature trail will be available throughout the afternoon. Historic Craft Series: Glass Bead Making North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: Aug. 22, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $50, $45 for members. Reservations: required, call 320-629-6356 or register online Beads were commonly traded throughout North America in the 18th and 19th centuries for use to adorn clothing and everyday items. This workshop will explore the beauty of layering glass to make beads similar to the ones traded at the site more than 200 years ago. Participants can also experiment and come up with their own creations. See more events in this series Traditions of the Trading Post: Wild Rice Processing North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009, Aug. 29, 2009, Aug. 30, 2009 Time: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 senior and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore life in a 19th-century fur post with demonstrations of historic handcrafts. Learn about wild rice which was also called folle avoine, manomin, and zizania aquatica by the many different people who relied on this abundant food supply. Discover how wild rice made this region vital to the Ojibwe and the fur traders, and learn the steps involved in the harvesting and processing of wild rice including parching, treading and winnowing rice. See more events in this series Minnesota Music and Country Storytelling Weekend Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: Aug. 22, 2009, Aug. 23, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Visitors in the logging camp will celebrate generations of lumberjack music and old time story telling. Historic Craft Series: Glass Bead Making North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: Aug. 22, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $50, $45 for members. Reservations: required, call 320-629-6356 or register online Beads were commonly traded throughout North America in the 18th and 19th centuries for use to adorn clothing and everyday items. This workshop will explore the beauty of layering glass to make beads similar to the ones traded at the site more than 200 years ago. Participants can also experiment and come up with their own creations. See more events in this series Quilting, Spinning and Weaving Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: Aug. 23, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Alexander Harkin raised sheep in West Newton in the 1870s before he became the owner of the store. Learn about the sheep and wool industry in the 19th century and view spinning, weaving and quilt displays. Native Words, Native Warriors Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Closing: August 23, 2009 Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. American Indian “code talkers” in World War I and II used their native languages to transmit secret tactical messages over telephone or radio signals. These encoded messages proved undecipherable by the enemy and helped the United States achieve victory. This Smithsonian travelling exhibit uses graphic panels and oral histories by veterans themselves to describe code, battlefield experiences and the sharp turnaround many experienced from being punished for speaking their native language to using it to serve their country. Art Explorers: Paint your Portrait James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 25, 2009 Time: 1 p.m. Fee: $6, $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 Young artists and their families are invited to explore art in the Hill House, focusing on the current exhibit, "Minnesota Prints and Printmakers," and the many portraits found throughout the house. Following the tour, children will have the opportunity to create their own portraits, which will be arranged into a show for participants to appreciate before bringing their completed pieces home. The tour is designed for children ages 7-12, accompanied by an adult. All supplies are included with admission. See related events. 9 Nights of Music: Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Aug. 25, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fee: Free Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs bring a taste of "Carnival" to 9 Nights. Paul began his musical career in Trinidad as a singer and bongo artist. He and his band are widely known throughout the Midwest for their toe-tapping Calypso melodies which include rumba, bolero, cha cha and reggae. Bring a lawn chair, and pack a picnic or purchase food from the Café Minnesota terrace grill. Come early and take advantage of free admission to the museum galleries and stores from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays. Nine Nights of Music is sponsored by Tapestry Folkdance Center and Minnesota Public Radio. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/9nights. See more events in this series Real Horse Power Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: Aug. 29, 2009, Aug. 30, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Draft horses and oxen provided the power for Minnesota's logging industry long before mechanized equipment was introduced. This event features horses at work demonstrating traditional tasks such as skidding, cross hauling and loading with the A-frame jammer. See draft horses up close and talk to the teamsters. Bring your camera! Plants of the Prairie Day Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: Aug. 29, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. Discover the common prairie plants that are found in the area by viewing a display and taking a prairie hike. Join in the Children's Program at 2 p.m. and learn to make cordage out of plant fibers. A "Footprints in History" guided walking tour is offered at 11 a.m., 1 and 4 p.m. Children's Programs: Cordage Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: Aug. 30, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. Learn how American Indians crafted this hand-made rope and string using a variety of plants. Try making your own cordage from native plant fiber. See more events in this series Old School Days Harkin Store, New Ulm MN Dates: Aug. 30, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $3 adults, $2 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Enjoy a photo tour of old school houses in Nicollet County. Step back in time at the Harkin Store, where a piece of the 19th century is preserved. Visit the general store, play checkers and relax on the front porch. Pioneer Threshing Weekend Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009, Sept. 7, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Monday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Celebrate Labor Day Weekend by helping the farm staff as they bring grain bundles in from the fields, thresh the grain in an 1856 horse-powered Cox and Roberts threshing machine, one of only a handful in operation today, bag up the grain and rake away the straw. This event will showcase changes in farming technology during the mid-19th century and will include a discussion of social tensions that resulted from these changes. Horse-drawn trolley rides along the nature trail will be available throughout the afternoon. Prairie Animal Discovery Day Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: Sept. 5, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Learn about common animals of the prairie by touching animal pelts and making plaster tracks during a program offered at 1, 2 and 4 p.m. Harvest Weekend Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009, Sept. 7, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday Fee: Admission includes entrance to both Historic Fort Snelling and Sibley House. $14 for adults, $11 for seniors, $8 for children ages 6-17. $5 for MHS members. In 19th century Minnesota, soldiers and families at Fort Snelling prepared for the long winter by putting up crops in the fall, preserving foods and storing extra supplies for the coming cold weather. At the American Fur Company headquarters across the river in Mendota, Henry Sibley, his family and employees prepared the same way. This special combined-site event offers visitors a chance to see, experience, and even taste historic foods from this time period. Events include historic games, crafts, and skits. A free shuttle will be available between each site courtesy of the Friends of the Sibley House. Harvest Weekend Sibley House Historic Site, Mendota MN Dates: Sept. 5, 2009, Sept. 6, 2009, Sept. 7, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday Fee: Admission includes entrance to both Historic Fort Snelling and Sibley House. $14 for adults, $11 for seniors, $8 for children ages 6-17. $5 for MHS members. Fall is the time for preparing for the long winter ahead. This was especially true in 19th century Minnesota, where the only route to warmer climates was the soon-to-be frozen Mississippi River. For soldiers and families at Fort Snelling, it was time for crops to be put up for the winter, extra supplies to be stored, and to prepare for the coming cold weather. At the American Fur Company headquarters across the river in Mendota, Henry Sibley and his family and employees were preparing for the same. This special combined-site event offers visitors a chance to see, experience, and even taste historic foods. Minnesota’s Wartime Kitchen Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Sept. 5, 2009 Time: Noon-4 p.m., hourly History Player performances Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17. Admission is free for MHS members. Step into the museum’s Baking Lab to see and taste how World War II affected cooking and baking on the home front. Visitors may enjoy a performance by History Player Ruth Andre Krause, who was a director of Pillbury’s Home Service department, a.k.a. Ann Pillsbury. Krause began her career with Pillsbury in 1946, just as Pillsbury began marketing convenience products initially developed for the troops to the general public. She will talk about the marketing of cake mixes, and will also relate stories about the first Bake-Off and other highlights of her years at Pillsbury, from 1946 until 1961. Between performances a Mill City Museum staff person will be baking from WWII-era cookbooks, and sharing with visitors the ways in which rationing affected the way Minnesota’s Greatest Generation cooked during the war years. See related events. By The Light of The Lantern Historic Forestville, Preston MN Dates: Sept. 5, 2009 Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children age 6-17; $1 discount for MHS Members. State park vehicle permit required. Experience Historic Forestville by lantern light during this evening event. Explore the site leisurely as farm laborers interact and unwind in the barn, women in the home discuss important topics such as voting rights, medicines are compounded in the general store, and an interpreter portraying store owner Thomas Meighen, finishes business in his office at the end of the day. The event features live music of the period. 'Minnesota on the Map:' Four Centuries of Maps from the Minnesota Historical Society Collection Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Closing: September 7, 2009 Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This exhibit features dozens of maps, atlases and artifacts from the Society’s collection, including an atlas from 1595, displayed along side current road, city and tourist maps. The Society’s extensive collection of early exploration and travel maps of North America includes document maps and atlases used by Europeans to understand the geography of the "new world" and illustrates how that understanding changed over time. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/mnmap. Minnesota Prints and Printmakers, 1900-1945 James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Closing: September 7, 2009 Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Sunday 1 to 3:30 p.m. Closed major holidays. Art gallery hours: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: Tours: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. View more than 50 prints by 40 artists that highlight Minnesota's rich history of printmaking from 1900 to 1945. It was during this period that both traditional printmaking methods of etching and engravings and new techniques and bold experimentation of color lithographs and screen prints flourished. Works include a 1910 etching by Mankato artist, Gilbert Fletcher of a boy fishing from the shore of Minnesota River alongside a whimsical, cubist inspired illustration by Floyd Brewer completed in 1945. Important traditional printmakers such as George Resler, Gustav Goetsch and Alexander Masley are joined with younger artists such as Henry Bukowski, Syd Fossum and Henry Holmstrom who excelled in printmaking through the support of the Depression-era Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. This exhibit is offered in conjunction with the new book "Minnesota Prints and Printmakers, 1900-1945" by Robert Crump published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. See related events. Intermediate Genealogy Minnesota Historical Society Library, St. Paul Dates: Sept. 12, 2009 Time: 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fee: $32 for non-members, $28 for MHS/MGS members Reservations: required, call 651-259-3300 or register online This series continues with a two-part class beginning at 10 a.m. with Church Records: Their Location and Value for Family Historians. Was your ancestor church-going? If so, with what church were they affiliated? Where might that church’s records be located? What might you expect to find of value in those records? The second class begins at 11:30 a.m. with Reconstructing Your Family’s Small U.S. Business: Accessible Records. It is commonly believed that small business records have generally failed to survive. However, in fact accessible records often have survived which will allow personal family historians to at least sketch out an ancestor’s small business. The classes will be taught by Harold Hinds, Ph.D., a Distinguished Research Professor of History at the University of Minnesota-Morris, Associate Editor of the Minnesota Genealogist and a columnist for the NGS NewsMagazine. He serves on the Board of the National Genealogical Society. Blacksmith for a Day Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Sept. 12, 2009, Sept. 26, 2009, Oct. 10, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $33; $30 for MHS members Reservations: required, call 612-726-1171 or register online Join the skilled tradesmen of the fort at blacksmithing. Select a project with the smith, work the forge, pound out the hot metal, and shape the iron using hammer and tongs as it was done two centuries ago. Bring the project home to impress family and friends. Children ages 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult. Groups of up to eight people can participate with advance reservations. From Mill to Museum: The Hidden History of the Washburn Complex, 1965-2003 Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Closing: September 13, 2009 Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Expanded Summer hours in July and August: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Fee: Free Dramatic images and words tell the story of the Washburn A Mill from the years it sat abandoned between 1965 and 2000. After General Mills shut down the mill in July 1965, this National Historic Landmark sat unused except for a few tenants, curiosity seekers, and homeless people. This exhibit will feature photos from the final years of flour milling, redevelopment plans by preservation pioneer Peter Nelson Hall, depictions of the abandoned mill by artist Mike Lynch, photographs by Matt Porath and Daniel Corrigan, words and photographs by JobyLynn Sassily-James who took shelter in the building during a period of homelessness in the 1990s, and studies by Tom Meyer, the architect of Mill City Museum. The Greatest Generation, Reliving the Journey: An Elderhostel Tour Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Sept. 15, 2009, Sept. 16, 2009, Sept. 17, 2009, Sept. 18, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday Fee: Cost and registration information is available at Elderhostel.org, "Reliving the Journey" Tour group participants will enjoy four days, three nights visiting St. Paul and the Minnesota History Center's interactive exhibition "Our Lives, Our Stories: Minnesota’s Greatest Generation." This travel opportunity, coordinated by Elderhostel, allows guests to relive monumental events and small but cherished moments that added up to the fascinating life arc of the Greatest Generation from the 1920s to today. Pick up a field phone aside an M-8 armored vehicle to hear personal combat stories, or check out classics of the silver screen from a theater balcony. Vivid childhood memories come to life in a 1930s Readers Theater. Minnesota veterans of the battlefield and homefront share their stories and discuss yours, and films and artifacts evoke memories of bygone eras. Two tour opportunities are available, June 16-19 and Sept. 15-18. For a complete schedule and information on tour cost, please visit the Elderhostel tour page. For more information visit http://www.mngreatestgeneration.org. Seniors in Mind: Potluck Paradise with Rae Katherine Eighmey and Debbie Miller Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Sept. 15, 2009 Time: 10:30 a.m. Fee: Free. Does not include $8 senior admission to museum galleries. Food historians Rae Katherine Eighmey and Debbie Miller combed through the Society’s collections looking at thousands of pages of cookbooks compiled by church and community groups around the Midwest. Take a journey of rediscovery with these two researchers as they share hilarious stories and the most popular recipes from these time-tested cookbooks. Food samples will be available. A book signing follows the program. Registration is required for groups of five or more. There is a 10-percent at the History Center’s Museum Stores. Café Minnesota will be open for lunch following the program. See more events in this series Starry Night, Prairie Night Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN Dates: Sept. 17, 2009, Sept. 18, 2009, Sept. 19, 2009 Time: 6 p.m. to midnight Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. View the petroglyphs when they are best seen--at dusk. Enjoy a twilight prairie tour to learn about prairie animals at night (bring a flashlight.) Then lay out your blanket in the prairie, gaze up at the Minnesota sky and learn about constellations through stories from cultures around the globe. Bring your own telescope or use ours to view stars and planets. Quadriga Evening Viewing and Tour Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN Dates: Sept. 17, 2009, Sept. 18, 2009 Time: Tours leave at 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m. Fee: $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for children ages 6-17. $2 for MHS members. Reservations: required, call 651-296-2881 Join a 90-minute evening tour of the Capitol, and following the tour, climb to the rooftop for a rare view of the Quadriga – the golden horses on the Capitol roof - set against the backdrop of the Twin Cities night sky. Mill City Oktoberfest Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Sept. 19, 2009 Time: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fee: Free. Regular museum admission required for kolachi demonstration in the museum's Baking Lab. Celebrate Minnesota brewing past and present as Mill City Museum and the Mill City Farmer’s Market team up for Oktoberfest. Enjoy the tastes, smells, sights and sounds of Germany with activities inside the museum, outside in the Ruin Courtyard and in the farmer’s market area. Taste samples of beer and learn about the art of brewing from members of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. View a display of Minnesota brewing collectibles with the North Star Chapter of the American Breweriana Association. Watch German cooking demonstrations (Red Stag Supperclub) and sausage-making demonstrations (Kramarczuk’s Sausage Co.) in the Outdoor Café Kitchen, and taste and watch a demonstration of kolachi by Kramarczuk’s in the Baking Lab. Learn about the history of Minnesota brewing with Doug Hoverson, author of "Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota." Dance to the music of the Elk River German Band and The Squires Band. Enjoy the dancing, colorful costumes and clever antics of the Narren of New Ulm. Traditional German foods will be available for purchase in the Farmer’s Market. Schedule of Events FARMERS MARKET 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. BEER TASTING 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Chicago Mall, as supplies last COOKING DEMO 10 a.m., Outdoor Café Kitchen ELK RIVER GERMAN BAND 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., Chicago Mall THE SQUIRES BAND 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., Ruin Courtyard Beer Garden NARREN OF NEW ULM 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. BEER GARDEN 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ruin Courtyard MINNESOTA BREWERIANA DISPLAY 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rail Corridor DOUG HOVERSON, AUTHOR OF "LAND OF AMBER WATERS" Noon, Mill Commons KOLACHI DEMONSTRATION 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., Baking Lab Fall Gathering North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: Sept. 19, 2009, Sept. 20, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday Fee: $8 adults, $6 senior and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Come celebrate the season amidst the crisp air and bright fall colors. Experience the fall gathering of the Ojibwe, voyageurs, and traders preparing for the winter trading season and watch as they vie for the title of the best all around voyageur. Competitions will test strength, and cunning. Listen to traditional music, participate in children’s activities, discover camp life, and visit the historic merchants. A festive dance at 6:30 pm on Saturday will be a highlight of the weekend. Sweetgrass Basket Workshop Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN Dates: Sept. 19, 2009, Sept. 20, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Fee: $50, $45 for MHS members. Additional supply fee of $10. Reservations: required, call 320-532-3632 In this two-day workshop, learn the art of making a coil sweetgrass basket. Sweetgrass is a fragrant sacred herb used in ceremony and artworks by the Ojibwe. Taught by Joyce Shingobee, an artist, traditional dancer and former site manager at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Commissioner of Education for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Registration is required. Discount hotel rooms are available on Saturday night for all workshop participants at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. A minimum of five participants required. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pastries and refreshments provided along with a light lunch. Bread Baking at Fort Snelling Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Sept. 19, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee: $33; $30 for MHS members Reservations: required, call 612-726-1171 or register online The staff of Historic Fort Snelling often bakes bread, sharing samples with visitors. Learn the secrets of baking in a wood heated brick oven and iron bake kettle – what is now known as a dutch oven. Working with bakeshop interpreters, guests will use period recipes and ingredients to make a loaf or two to bring home, and take a special tour of the site as the bread bakes. Harvest Fun Day Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: Sept. 26, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. Experience harvest and learn about the kinds of vegetables grown by Dakota Indians. Join in the Children's Program at 2 p.m. and pick vegetables from the garden, then choose a pumpkin to decorate. A "Footprints in History" guided walking tour is offered at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Little House Camp Sampler - for Grownups! Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Sept. 26, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $49/45 MHS members. Reservations: required, call 612-726-1171 or register online Attention all adult recruits! Discover why Historic Fort Snelling day camps have been nominated the "Best Camps for Kids" by Nickelodeon.com in 2008 and why each year these camps fill-up fast. Experience the life described in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series books through popular activities from the Little House in the Big Fort Summer Camp program. Based in the 1840s officers quarters of Historic Fort Snelling, campers will sing songs, play games and make food and crafts that Wilder learned while growing up on the western frontier in the 19th century. This special 5-hour program is designed for adults to give them a taste of life from their favorite children’s books. Prairie Sugar Weekend Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Sept. 26, 2009, Sept. 27, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Join Kelley Farm staff in making a sweet treat, "prairie sugar," also known as sorghum molasses. During the Civil War, sugar supplies became scarce in the North and sorghum, previously used primarily for animal feed, became a sugar substitute. Participants will help strip leaves from the canes, press the canes through the horse-powered press to extract the juice and stir it as it boils into sweet, syrupy molasses. Then try fresh treats made from sorghum molasses, such as gingerbread and molasses candy. Children's Programs: Harvest Fun Lower Sioux Agency, Morton MN Dates: Sept. 27, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors, college students and adult group tours, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children under 6 and MHS members. Experience harvest at the Lower Sioux Agency by picking vegetables from the garden and selecting and decorating a pumpkin. See more events in this series Harvest Day Historic Forestville, Preston MN Dates: Oct. 3, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. State park vehicle permit required. Take part in activities and demonstrations of turn-of-the-century farm and harvest techniques including horse-drawn box wagon, grain fanning, quilting, apple cider pressing and much more. Tours of the store and kitchen are included, as well as a historic plow and implement display. Children will receive free pumpkins. Little House Sampler Day Program Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Oct. 3, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $45; $40 for MHS members Reservations: required, call 612-726-1171 or register online Experience the life described in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series books through our most popular activities from our Little House in the Big Fort Summer Camp program. Based in the 1840s officers quarters of Historic Fort Snelling, campers will sing songs, play games and make food and crafts that Wilder learned while growing up on the western frontier in the 19th century. This special 5-hour program is designed for ages 7 to 11. Downstairs, Upstairs: Hearth Cooking and Dinner at the Commandant's House Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Oct. 10, 2009 Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $55; $50 for MHS members. Reservations: required, call 612-726-1171 or register online Learn the techniques of cooking in an authentic 19-century open hearth and wall oven. Participants will help cook a full dinner similar to what Colonel Josiah Snelling and his wife Abigail would have eaten at Fort Snelling, then take a seat at the Commandant’s table to enjoy the meal. Space is limited. Children age 14-18 must be accompanied by an adult or have written parental permission. Intermediate Genealogy Minnesota Historical Society Library, St. Paul Dates: Oct. 10, 2009 Time: 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fee: $32 for non-members, $28 for MHS/MGS members Reservations: required, call 651-259-3300 or register online This series continues with a two-part class beginning at 10 a.m. with Beyond Vital Records: U.S. Newspapers as a Source of Family History. U.S. newspapers are an invaluable source for genealogical and family history information. This presentation will focus on the following: What might you expect to find? What are the limits of newspaper research? How can you locate and successfully use old newspapers? The second class begins at 11:30 a.m. with Successfully Gaming The National Archives From Home For Personal Family History Records. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the repository for the permanently valuable records of the U.S. Federal Government, is a vast treasure house of original records. This lecture introduces you to NARA’s basic concepts and reference sources, makes transparent how to locate and obtain many of NARA’s original records at Archives from home, and demonstrates the ways one group of ancestors interacted with the federal government. This class is taught by Harold Hinds, Ph.D., a Distinguished Research Professor of History at the University of Minnesota-Morris, Associate Editor of the Minnesota Genealogist and a columnist for the NGS NewsMagazine. He serves on the Board of the National Genealogical Society. Washburn A Mill Tour Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Oct. 10, 2009, Oct. 24, 2009, Nov. 7, 2009, Nov. 21, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009 Time: 1 p.m. Fee: $12 adults, $10 seniors and college students, $8 children ages 6-17 and MHS members. Tour includes museum admission. Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 Get an in-depth look at the historic Washburn A Mill complex and the award-winning Mill City Museum building. A museum interpreter will take visitors into the building's many nooks and crannies, highlighting the lives of the men and women who worked there, how the building functioned during its peak flour milling years and the many changes to the building over time. Also covered will be the challenges of preserving the 120-year-old, fire-damaged building; its art, architecture and interior design; and the St. Anthony Falls Historic District. Most Honorable Son: Film Screening Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Dates: Oct. 11, 2009 Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Fee: Free Born to Japanese parents in the Midwest, Ben Kuroki graduated from high school in 1936, anticipating a quiet life as a farmer until the bombing of Pearl Harbor drove him to enlist with the U.S. military. Told through rare and little-seen footage, as well as emotional recollections from Kuroki and his fellow airmen of the 8th and 20th Army Air Forces, the film follows his childhood through a distinguished military career and on to his long-overdue honoring with the Distinguished Service Medal in an August 2005 ceremony. Director Bill Kubota will join us for the screening, which honors all veterans with additional live programming elements. This event is co-sponsored by the Japanese American Citizens League. Shadows and Spirits of the State Capitol Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN Dates: Oct. 15, 2009, Oct. 16, 2009, Oct. 17, 2009, Oct. 22, 2009, Oct. 23, 2009, Oct. 24, 2009 Time: Tours leave at 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30 p.m. Fee: $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $7 for children ages 6-17. $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: required, call 651-296-2881 These popular annual tours allow visitors to see the Capitol in a historical setting with lighting similar to what existed when the building opened in 1905. As tour groups move through the shadowy and eerily lit rotunda, hallways and chambers, they will meet historical "spirits" including a night watchman, Civil War veteran, a woman suffragist, a dome foreman and an artist who decorated the Supreme Court chamber, who tell stories of the Capitol's early history. Tours are 60 minutes and leave every half hour. Medallion and Buckle Beading Workshop Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN Dates: Oct. 17, 2009, Oct. 18, 2009 Time: Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fee: $50, $45 MHS members; Additional supply fee of $15. Reservations: required, call 320-532-3632 Beaded medallions and belt buckles are common accessories in Ojibwe culture. In this two-day workshop learn beading techniques and create a bead work item to take home. Taught by Joyce Shingobee, an artist, traditional dancer and former site manager at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Commissioner of Education for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Registration is required. Discount hotel rooms are available on Saturday night for all workshop participants at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. A minimum of five participants required. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pastries and refreshments provided along with a light lunch. Apple Butter Making Day Historic Forestville, Preston MN Dates: Oct. 17, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee: $6 adults, $5 seniors and college students, $4 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. State park vehicle permit required. Join Historic Forestville staff for the traditional method of apple butter making. This autumn activity comes to life by making apple butter with a 20-gallon hand pounded copper kettle over open coals and flame. Guests will sample fresh homemade apple butter. Family Storytime Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Oct. 17, 2009, Nov. 14, 2009, Dec. 12, 2009 Time: 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17. Admission is free for MHS members. Museum storytellers will share classic tales, teach songs and lead a simple book-making project for recording the steps wheat goes through from the field to the table. Families can also try grinding wheat into flour and taste freshly baked bread. This 30-minute program for preschoolers and their families will feature children's books such as "The Little Red Hen," "Bread is for Eating," "Cook-a-Doodle-Doo," "Bakers Dozen" and "Bread Comes to Life." Mystery at the Fur Post North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Dates: Oct. 17, 2009 Time: 7 to 9 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children age 6-17. $2 discount for MHS members. Strange events seem to plague the Fur Post this time of year - a werewolf, a missing person, a ghostly bride - and you’ve always played the part of detective to question and accuse. However, this October all suspicion will fall on you. You are amongst the honored guests to join the Sedgewick family as they donate a priceless family heirloom to the museum. It promises to be a night of conversation, celebration and the tiniest sip of cyanide. It is up to you to prove your innocence by questioning the other suspects and finding the true culprit. RSVP…if you dare. Reader's Theatre: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Oct. 23, 2009, Oct. 24, 2009 Time: 8 p.m. Friday, 6:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday Fee: $10 per person $8 MHS members. Reservations: required, call 763-441-6896 Costumed actors will perform Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in the historic barn. Refreshments will be served. Not recommended for children under age 10. Visitors are encouraged to dress for the weather. Tea with Mrs. Snelling Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN Dates: Oct. 24, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $30; $25 for MHS members Reservations: required, call 612-726-1171 or register online You are invited for a rare opportunity to enjoy a gracious afternoon tea in the same manner as Mrs. Snelling would have served the ladies of the fort in 1827. Enjoy conversation tea and period cakes with the gracious Mrs. Snelling in the Federal-style parlor of the 1824 Commanding Officer’s House. After tea, learn a period country dance or etiquette of the early 19th century. The Minneapolis Horror: Tales from the Night Shift Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Oct. 26, 2009, Oct. 27, 2009, Oct. 28, 2009 Time: 6:30, 7, and 7:30 p.m. Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 children and MHS members. Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 Take an evening tour of the Washburn A Mill featuring costumed actors portraying the dangers of working the night shift and the horrific disasters that have befallen the mill over the years. Hear about the deadly 1878 mill explosion and the dangerous man-lift elevator. View the dramatic Ruin Courtyard and Minneapolis Riverfront at night from the 9th floor Observation Deck. Tours last approximately one hour and 15 minutes. Victorian Ghost Stories James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: Oct. 29, 2009, Oct. 30, 2009 Time: 6:30 and 8 p.m. Fee: $10 for adults; $8 for seniors; $2 off for MHS members Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 Enjoy an evening of Victorian-era ghost tales including "true" ghost stories, some of which took place in Summit Avenue mansions. Costumed actors Craig Johnson, Laura Salveson and Ann Daly present dramatic readings in the home's dimly lit parlor. The one-hour program includes works by Edgar Allan Poe, Edith Wharton and the Brothers Grimm, as well as lesser-known authors of the period. The program is not recommended for children under age 10. The presentation will be followed by a tour of the Hill House (included in admission) and hot cider will be served. Halloween Treats and Tours Comstock House, Moorhead MN Dates: Oct. 30, 2009 Time: 5 to 8 p.m. Fee: $4 for adults, $2 for MHS members. Free for children ages 5 and under. Reservations: recommended, call 218-291-4211 Enjoy Halloween tours, treats, stories, games and activities. Families are encouraged to dress in costume, and participate in a costume contest for adults and children. Prizes will be awarded in different categories. State Capitol Art Treasures Hunt Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN Dates: Nov. 7, 2009, Nov. 14, 2009, Nov. 21, 2009, Nov. 28, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 12, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009, Dec. 26, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee: $2 per booklet. This fun family activity lets visitors go on their own self-guided scavenger hunt to discover 12 beautiful and important decorations in the State Capitol building. Each self-guided booklet includes a set of 12 gold stars that are placed next to the corresponding photographs when the item is discovered. At the end of the hunt, visitors are awarded a gold state seal and become Junior Art Historians. The booklet is available at the Capitol's Information Desk. Beacon Lighting to Commemorate the Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors MN Dates: Nov. 10, 2009 Time: 12 to 6 p.m. Fee: $5 This annual event commemorates the 1975 sinking of the freighter, “Edmund Fitzgerald”. A film about the Fitzgerald will be shown in the Theater continuously throughout the afternoon and the lighthouse and the fog signal building will be open. The lighthouse will close temporarily at 4:30 and the names of the 29 lost crew members will be read to the tolling of a ship's bell. Following the ceremony, the beacon will be lit and the tower once again opened for visitors to tour. Capitol Civil War Tour Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN Dates: Nov. 14, 2009 Time: 1 to 3 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: required, call 651-296-2881 Discover why the Capitol is decorated and memorialized with Civil War artifacts, paintings and memorials and the role Minnesota had in the war. During the tour a visitor will be dressed and outfitted as a new Union Army recruit and all visitors will see tattered regimental flags, statues of famous officers from the state, a reproduction cavalry shell jacket worn by Gov. Knute Nelson as a young soldier, and vivid paintings commemorating Minnesota regiments involved in key campaigns and crucial battles that helped determined the outcome of the war. Puzzle Pouch Workshop Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN Dates: Nov. 21, 2009, Nov. 22, 2009 Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Fee: $50, $45 MHS members; Additional supply fee of $20. Reservations: required, call 320-532-3632 Learn techniques of working with leather in this two-day workshop. Create a secret leather pouch, also known as a puzzle pouch, to hide your treasures and amuse your friends. Registration is required. Discount hotel rooms are available on Saturday night for all workshop participants at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. A minimum of five participants required. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pastries and refreshments provided along with a light lunch. Harvest Bounty Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Nov. 22, 2009 Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Fee: $6 per person; $4 for MHS members; free for children age 5 and under. Discover what happens at the Kelley Farm during the winter. A costumed interpreter will lead a 75-minute guided tour of the farm, highlighting the results of the fall harvest and the winter preparations made just as they would have been 150 years ago. Dress for outdoor weather. Warm refreshments will follow the tour. A 1918 Christmas with the Lindberghs Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, Little Falls MN Dates: Nov. 28, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $7 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. After losing re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1917, Charles Lindbergh Sr. and his family spent their first Christmas in their Little Falls home in 1918. In this special program, living history characters will portray family members and hired workers readying the house for Christmas. Learn about the political and social landscape of Minnesota at the time, and discover how the Lindberghs viewed the war in Europe and their hopes for the new year of 1919. The program includes a 45-minute tour of the home and admission to the Visitor Center exhibits. Visitors receive a 10-percent discount on gift shop purchases. A Logging Camp Christmas Forest History Center, Grand Rapids MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009 Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6 to 17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Step back to the winter of 1900 and experience life as it might have been for north woods lumberjacks. See draft horses pulling sleighs, lumberjacks sawing wood and visit the cook shack where Christmas preparations are underway. Warm clothes and winter boots are advised. It is necessary to walk to the camp. Birch Bark Ornament Workshop Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 6, 2009 Time: Saturday noon to 4 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fee: $50, $45 MHS members; Additional supply fee of $10. Reservations: required, call 320-532-3632 Create ornaments from natural materials including birch bark during a two-day workshop. Registration is required. Discount hotel rooms are available on Saturday night for all workshop participants at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. A minimum of five participants required. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pastries and refreshments provided along with a light lunch. Holiday Treats and Tours Comstock House, Moorhead MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 6, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: $4 for adults, $2 for MHS members. Free for children ages 5 and under. Reservations: recommended, call 218-291-4211 Enjoy holiday tours, treats, stories, music, games and activities at the historic Comstock House. The Victorian-era house will be decorated for the holidays. Hill House Holidays James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 6, 2009, Dec. 12, 2009, Dec. 13, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009, Dec. 20, 2009, Dec. 26, 2009, Dec. 27, 2009 Time: 1 to 3:30 Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $6 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 The bustle and excitement of a Gilded Age Christmas is brought to life as costumed actors portray servants of the James J. Hill House preparing for the holidays during the first decade of the 20th century. The one-hour program moves through the elegant first floor spaces and then to the basement servant work areas. This program is sponsored in part by the Anna M. Heilmaier Charitable Foundation. Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest Winners Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN Dates: Dec. 5, 2009 Time: 1 to 4 p.m. Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17. Admission is free for MHS members. Get inspired for holiday baking when the finalists in the Star Tribune’s annual Taste Holiday Cookie Contest bake their winning recipes in the Mill City Museum Baking Lab. Christmas on the Farm Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN Dates: Dec. 19, 2009, Dec. 20, 2009 Time: 2 to 4 p.m. Fee: $6 per person; $4 for MHS members; free for children age 5 and under. Reservations: required, call 763-441-6896 Experience what Christmas was like on a 19th-century farm during a 75-minute hike along the trails leading to the farmstead and house. Discover how farm families and their animals coped with the shorter days and the colder temperatures. See what preparations were made for the holidays. Dress for outdoor weather. Warm refreshments follow. Victorian Christmas Stories James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN Dates: Dec. 20, 2009, Dec. 27, 2009 Time: 7 p.m. Fee: $10 adult, $8 seniors, $6 children age 17 and under; $2 discount for MHS members Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555 Costumed actors Craig Johnson and Kirby Bennett bring 19th-century Christmas traditions to life with warmth and humor in this readers theatre performance of holiday stories, including works by Mark Twain, Willa Cather, O. Henry’s "Gift of the Magi," and selections from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Admission to the one-hour program includes light refreshments and tours of the Hill House, decorated for the holidays. This program is sponsored in part by the Anna M. Heilmaier Charitable Foundation. MN150 Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Visit the "MN150" exhibit at the Minnesota History Center and experience the people, places and things that helped shape our great state, including such obvious choices as our own Prince Rogers Nelson of Minneapolis and other, lesser know figures, such as Bradford Parkinson, inventor of the now ubiquitous GPS system. While you’re here, take the interactive quiz and see just how Minnesota-smart you are. Presented by Best Buy. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/mn150. Grainland/Boxcar Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Grainland traces the journey of wheat and corn from farm to town to grain elevator. Children will enjoy climbing through a replica grain elevator where bins and chutes are replaced with steps and slides and curving nooks and crannies to explore. They can also hop into the vintage 1900 farmer's wagon loaded with grain for market or step into an authentic Soo Line boxcar. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/grainland. Going Places: The Mystique of Mobility Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. The American passion for mobility has shaped Minnesota. Travel back through time to celebrate the promise of the new, reflect on the consequences of the past, and debate and dream of ways of moving transportation into the 21st century. "Going Places," part of the Minnesota History Transportation Network, is funded in part by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Open House: If These Walls Could Talk Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This interactive exhibit will bring to life the adage "if these walls could talk" by using a single, existing house in the Railroad Island neighborhood on St. Paul's East Side as a window into the daily lives of people of the past. Stories of families, from the first German immigrants through the Italians, African Americans, and Hmong who succeeded them, are told through rooms representing different eras of the house. The exhibit depended on extensive collaboration with St. Paul's East Side residents and students. Fur Trade Beyond the Palisade North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN Hours: Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day: Thursday through Saturday, Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open holidays Schools and tour groups by appointment. Fee: $8 adults, $6 senior and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Explore life in an early 1800s fur trade wintering camp. Learn about the global economy of the time, the lives of workers in the fur trade, cross-cultural communications, women's roles and archeological tools used to uncover information about the fur trade. Discover why a hat was the driving force behind the earliest European exploration and settlement of the region. Then try on various hats, including a stovepipe top hat made of felt. View a 24 foot long north canoe loaded with merchandise typical of the time. And try lifting a pack typical of what a voyageur would have carried. Weather Permitting Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. Minnesotans do more than talk about the weather. They learn to cope with extreme temperatures, watch for signs of storms and generally enjoy the outdoors, whether boating on a summer's day, skiing down a hill or snowmobiling along trails through the forests. No matter the weather, it's always a nice day at the History Center when you visit the "Weather Permitting" exhibit. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/weather. Home Place Minnesota Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This 20-minute multi-media presentation uses voices, images and artifacts to bring to life a range of emotions about Minnesota as a home. Listen as Minnesota voices read from diaries, poetry and memoirs while photographic images and objects from the Society's collections help create a more complete story. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/homeplace. Minnesota's Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War, The Boom Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN Hours: Museum and Stores: Tuesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free admission 5 to 8 p.m.); Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Open Monday holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Library: Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members. This exhibit is the capstone of the Minnesota Historical Society’s Minnesota’s Greatest Generation project. It features more than 6,000 square feet of artifacts, interactive displays, and innovative multimedia experiences to reveal the lives and stories of the men and women who came of age during the Depression and World War II and who went on to create the phenomenal postwar boom. The exhibition relies substantially on first-person narratives drawn from oral history interviews, published memoirs, and reminiscences and letters in which a generation of Minnesotans narrates its own story, creating a fascinating collective autobiography in recorded interviews, images, film and audio. For more information visit http://www.mngreatestgeneration.org. See related events.