Capitol Mall Walking Tour

Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN

Dates: 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.

State Capitol Art Treasures Hunt

Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 7, 2009, Nov. 8, 2009, Nov. 14, 2009, Nov. 15, 2009, Nov. 21, 2009, Nov. 22, 2009, Nov. 28, 2009, Nov. 29, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 6, 2009, Dec. 12, 2009, Dec. 13, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009, Dec. 20, 2009, Dec. 26, 2009, Dec. 27, 2009, Jan. 2, 2010, Jan. 3, 2010, Feb. 6, 2010, Feb. 7, 2010, Feb. 13, 2010, Feb. 14, 2010, Feb. 20, 2010, Feb. 21, 2010, Feb. 27, 2010, Feb. 28, 2010, March 6, 2010, March 7, 2010, March 13, 2010, March 14, 2010, March 20, 2010, March 21, 2010, March 27, 2010, March 28, 2010, April 3, 2010, April 4, 2010, April 10, 2010, April 11, 2010, April 17, 2010, April 18, 2010, April 24, 2010, April 25, 2010, May 1, 2010, May 2, 2010, May 8, 2010, May 9, 2010, May 15, 2010, May 16, 2010, May 22, 2010, May 23, 2010, May 29, 2010, May 30, 2010, June 5, 2010, June 6, 2010, June 12, 2010, June 13, 2010, June 19, 2010, June 20, 2010, June 26, 2010, June 27, 2010

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday

Fee: $2 per booklet.

Go on a 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, get Capitol architect Cass Gilbert's signature and become Junior Art Historians. The booklet is available at the Capitol's Information Desk.

I'm New Here: Introducing the Library

Minnesota Historical Society Library, St. Paul

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: 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.

Annie's Kitchen: Put Up Your Christmas Pudding

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 7, 2009

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Fee: $25; $3 discount for MHS members.

Reservations: required, call 651-296-8760

Learn how to make a traditional boiled Christmas plum pudding. Participants will explore Victorian pudding techniques, tour the Ramsey House, learn about 1870s servants' lives, enjoy a morning snack of plum pudding and coffee, and take home a recipe and pudding mold. Not recommended for children under 14 years of age.

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Washburn A Mill Tour

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Nov. 7, 2009, Nov. 21, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009, Jan. 9, 2010, Jan. 23, 2010, Feb. 13, 2010, Feb. 27, 2010

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.

History Forum: Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 7, 2009

Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Fee: Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online

Envisioning a world guided by the traditional Lakota values of fortitude, generosity, kinship and wisdom, Crazy Horse, the quietly charismatic warrior and Sitting Bull, the fiercely eloquent holy man, inspired their people to resist U.S. government tyranny and defied America to live up to its promises of sovereignty and freedom for all.

Explore Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull's quest for American Indian autonomy with Donald Fixico, Native scholar, historical advisor to the PBS series "We Shall Remain" and Distinguished Foundation Professor of History at Arizona State University.

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Art Gallery Open House

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 8, 2009

Time: 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

Celebrate the opening of the new exhibit "Hazel Thorson Stoick Stoeckeler: A Retrospective" with an evening event featuring the artist. Join Stoeckeler at 4 p.m. for a short gallery talk and poetry reading by Elizabeth Weber, Stoeckeler's collaborator on the recently published book "Porthole Views of the World," a collection of watercolors by Stoeckeler accompanied by poems written by Weber. The book will be available for purchase, and both Stoeckeler and Weber will be available to sign copies of the book. The current exhibit spans Stoeckeler’s career, from pieces in the Society's collection dating to the 1930s to watercolors that document her more recent trips around the globe. The exhibit runs October 10 through January 17.

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Hill House Parlor Concerts: 24th Season

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 9, 2009, Feb. 1, 2010, Feb. 8, 2010, May 3, 2010, May 10, 2010

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Fee: $17; $15 for MHS members or Schubert Club subscribers. Three concert series: $50, $45.

The Hill House Chamber Players begin their 24th season with concerts performed in the restored art gallery of the James J. Hill House. Complimentary refreshments are served during intermission and admission includes a tour of the Hill House following the performance. The Players are Rees Allison, piano; Julie Ayer, violin; Thomas Turner, viola; Tanya Remenikova, cello; and Jeffrey Van, guitar.

The November concerts will include Georg Phillipp Telemann, Don Quixote Suite, Overture No. 10 in G "Burlesque de Quixote"; Antonin Dvorak, Terzetto, in C major Opus 74, for two violins and viola; Michael Dougherty, Viola Zombie; and Brahms, Viola Quintet No. 2, Opus 111, in G major. Guest artists include Catherine Schubilske on violin, Nathalie Cruden on viola and Craig Johnson, narrator.

The February concerts will include G. Puccini, Crysanthemum; Turina, Fandanguillo; Franz Joseph Haydn, Piano Trio, Hob XV, No. 26; and Felix Mendelsohnn, Quartet No. 2, Opus 13, in A major. The Guest artist is Catherine Schubilske on violin.

The May concerts will include Astor Piazzolla, Tango Selections; Marcello, Sonata in E minor for Viola and Piano; Jeffrey Van, Fantasma de Falla for guitar and string trio; and Gabriel Faure, Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Opus 15.

The Schubert Club is a local classical music organization dating back to the 19th century that provides use of rare instruments in its collection for these concerts.

Sorry, library passes are not valid for this program.

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Book signing with Bette Hammel & Karen Melvin, Legendary Homes of Lk Mtka

Wayzata Library, Wayzata MN

Dates: Nov. 9, 2009

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Bette Jones Hammel and photographer Karen Melvin for a book signing of their new book Legendary Homes of Lake Minnetonka.

The book is a stunningly photographed volume that invites readers inside thirty historic and architecturally significant homes on beautiful Lake Minnetonka. They have chosen the most interesting houses-both architecturally and historically-and painstakingly scouted out the best vantage points, both inside and out, to provide a personal tour of these spectacular homes. Portrayed in elegant detail are interiors of renovated Victorian cottages and rustic cabins, as well as those of houses designed by modernist masters like William Lescaze and Philip Johnson. Photographer Karen Melvin takes viewers through the front door, showing living rooms furnished with Mies van der Rohe couches and chairs designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and walls adorned with works by Robert Motherwell and Damien Hirst. Author Bette Jones Hammel relates the homes’ histories of ownership and details the many renovations they have seen over time, renovations that have attempted to retain the homes’ character and extend their lifespan.

Bette Jones Hammel is an architectural journalist who has written for Architecture Minnesota, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Midwest Home, and Architectural Record. Karen Melvin is an interiors and architecture photographer whose work has appeared in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, and Women’s Day.

Books will be available for sale at the event. For more information call 952-847-6150.

Seniors in Mind: The Amazing Dr. Franklin with Shawn Hoffman

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 10, 2009

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Fee: Free. Does not include $8 senior admission to museum galleries.

In conjunction with the History Center’s new exhibit Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, actor Shawn Hoffman portrays this remarkable man who was one of the most influential Americans of any generation. Mr. Franklin will demonstrate the general principles of static electricity and expound on his inventions, theories and his commitment to public service. Dr. David J. Rhees, Executive Director of The Bakken Museum, will provide a special introduction to this electrifying program.

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.

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Beacon Lighting to Commemorate the Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors MN

Dates: Nov. 10, 2009

Time: Noon 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 from noon to 6 p.m. 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.

History Lounge: The 1950s Sitcom - Guide to American Life

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 10, 2009

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Classic 1950s sitcoms showcased new ways to "be American," fighting the Cold War as the laugh track played. Discover how the makers of shows like "Life with Riley," "The Honeymooners" and "Father Knows Best" responded to anti-Communist political pressures and influenced the "Greatest Generation" as well as 21st-century ideals.

With pop culture historian Melissa Williams of the University of Minnesota.

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Talk and signing with Mitch Omer, author of Damn Good Food

Common Good Books, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 10, 2009

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Mitch Omer for a talk and book signing of his new book Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell’s Kitchen.

The author reveals the recipes that have made his restaurant a pleasure seeker’s destination, including inventions like his tart, ethereal Lemon-Ricotta Hotcakes, dark, wild Bison Sausage Bread; and sweet, creamy Mahnomin Porridge. There are recipes inspired by places and people, including the author’s own close-knit family, reworked and made his own. His dad’s caramel rolls and coleslaw, locally raised-bison burgers smeared with his mom’s mustard, and his own famous homemade peanut butter. These dishes have the hungry and eager queued up out the doors of Hell’s Kitchen, often for hours, and now you can make them at home.

Mitch Omer is the chef-owner of Hell’s Kitchen in Minneapolis and Duluth.

For more information call 651-225-8989.

Minnesota's Greatest Generation: Preserving Family History

Stearns History Museum, St. Cloud MN

Dates: Nov. 11, 2009

Time: 9 a.m.

Fee: Free

Bob Herskovitz, outreach conservator for the Minnesota Historical Society, will lead a workshop on protecting and preserving different types of memorabilia, how to organize family papers, photos and other family treasures, and how to create a successful oral history of your family. Participants are encouraged to bring items about which they have preservation questions that can be transported safely. Co-sponsored by the Stearns County Historical Society. For more information, call 320-253-8424.

Held at the Stearns History Museum, 235 33rd Avenue S, Saint Cloud, MN 56301

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Reading, discussion and signing with Kevin Kling, author of Kevin Kling's Holiday Inn

Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Nov. 12, 2009

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Kevin Kling for a reading, discussion and signing of his new book Kevin Kling’s Holiday Inn.

The book is a romp through a yearful of holidays and a life-time of gathering material. A wiener dog with an amazing capacity for destruction impresses the whole family and contributes to their collection of favorite disastrous Christmas stories. A Choctaw and a nun go trick-or-treating on Halloween. A boy makes a frightening decision every year when he chooses which classmate gets the “Be Mine” Valentine. Kevin takes his mom to a Fourth of July demolition derby-and then he takes an epic trip around the bases at a ball game on Memorial Day. From tomfoolery with his brother in the backseat of their dad’s car through his carefully considered instructions for ice fishing, Kling never loses the spirit of his story or holds back on its humor.

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on public radio. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. He is the author of The Dog Says How. He lives in Minneapolis.

This event is part of the Talk of the Stacks reading series through the Minneapolis Public Library. Books will be available for purchase at the event. For more information call 612-630-6170.

Screening and Reception: 'The Ritchie Boys'

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 12, 2009

Time: 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Fee: Free

In observance of Veterans Day and the 60th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Minnesota History Center present a screening of "The Ritchie Boys," the little-known story of young men who fled Nazi Germany and returned to Europe as soldiers in U.S. uniforms. Trained in intelligence and psychological warfare at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, they fought their own war as interrogators, soldiers and researchers. Determined, bright and inventive, they used their firsthand understanding of the psychology and the language of the enemy to save lives and help win the war.

"Ritchie Boys" Walter Schwartz and Guy Stern will present comments after the film, as they commemorate the victims of World War II and the brave deeds of our veterans. The History Center’s newest exhibit, "Minnesota’s Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War, The Boom" will be available for viewing as part of this event.

World War II History Roundtable: The Sorge Spy Ring: The Dr. Harold C. Deutsch Lecture

Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 12, 2009

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $5, free for students.

Join Donald Goldstein, author of numerous books on World War II, for a lecture about the Sorge spy ring. In 1941 Russian spy, Richard Sorge, often credited as one of the best spies in world history, provided information about the German "Barbarossa" offensive. This information led Russia to transfer large numbers of troops from Siberia to the Moscow front where they stopped the offensive and launched a massive counterattack that became Germany’s first major defeat in World War II.

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Minneapolis Riverfront Then and Now, 1858 and 2008

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Opening: November 12, 2009

Closing: March 28, 2010

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; Also July and August, Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fee: Free

Photographer Jerry Mathiason and Mill City Museum embarked on a project during the state sesquicentennial in 2008 to document change on the Minneapolis riverfront, selecting historic photos from the state's early years (1850s-1860s) and taking photographs of the contemporary landscape from the same vantage points. The pairs of then and now photographs reveal the dramatic changes to the city during its first 150 years, including the disappearance of St. Anthony Falls, changes in transportation, bridge collapses past and present, the growth of a small village into a major city, and continually evolving uses of the Mississippi River.

The exhibit is supported by a grant from the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board.

Annie's Kitchen: Perfect Pies

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Fee: $25; $3 discount for MHS members.

Reservations: required, call 651-296-8760

Learn Victorian pastry techniques for pies, tour the Ramsey House, hear how Thanksgiving was celebrated more than a century ago, enjoy a snack of fresh-baked pie and coffee, and take home an apple pie ready to bake. Participants should bring their own pie pan. Two classes are offered, one starting at 9:30 a.m. and a second at 1:30 p.m. Not recommended for children under 14 years of age.

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IMAGE Art Show

North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009, Nov. 15, 2009, Nov. 16, 2009, Nov. 17, 2009, Nov. 18, 2009, Nov. 19, 2009

Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fee: Free

The North West Company Fur Post and the Pine Center for the Arts are co-hosting the 23rd annual IMAGE Art Show at the North West Company Fur Post visitor center. IMAGE is a celebration of artists in Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties. A judging panel will select a first, second and third place winner in each of 8 categories, plus there will be a Best of Show and People's Choice award. Some of the categories are oil, watercolor, sculpture and ceramic.

Ingebretsen's MHS Press Author Day

Ingebretsen's, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009

Time: 10:00 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Here is your chance to meet MHS Press authors Peg Meier, author of Too Hot, Went to Lake: Seasonal Photos from Minnesota's Past and Bring Warm Clothes: Letters and Photos from Minnesota's Past, and Rae Eighmey, co-author of Potluck Paradise: Favorite Fare from Church and Community Cookbooks, from 10:00 to Noon.

Take a lunch break and then meet Ann Gillespe-Lewis, author of Swedes in Minnesota, and Ann Burckhardt, author of Hot Dish Heaven: Classic Casseroles from Midwest Kitchens from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

They will all be signing books for holiday gifts. For more information call 612-729-9333.

Listening to the Past: Brownie Girl Scout Workshop

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009, Jan. 9, 2010, Feb. 13, 2010

Time: 10:30 to noon

Fee: $10 girls, $5 adults

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015

Explore the exhibit "Open House: If These Walls Could Talk" with a museum guide and discover the stories of the families who lived in one house in St. Paul's East Side for more than 118 years. Play games that the children who lived in the house played. Learn about Minnesota women who have made a difference and act out their stories using puppets you make and take home. This workshop completes the requirements for the Brownie Girl Scout Listening to the Past badge. Price includes admission to all History Center museum galleries.

Workshops must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Additions or group cancellations must be made at least two weeks prior to scheduled visit. Prepayment required.

Intermediate Genealogy

Minnesota Historical Society Library, St. Paul

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009

Time: 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Fee: $32, $28 for MHS and MGS members

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3300 or register online

The Intermediate Genealogy Series, offered by the Minnesota Genealogical Society, continues with a two-part class on using land records.

At 10 a.m. participants in the class "History and Records of Government Distribution of Land" will learn about the records created by Colonial, State and Federal governments to map and distribute land to settlers. The class will cover where to locate these records and what they might contain.

The second class begins at 11:30 a.m. with "Finding Your Ancestors in Deed - it is not Taxing." Much of your ancestors’ family history can be discovered through analysis of land records like deeds, wills, and bills of sale. Also, learn to use tax records and courthouse indexes.

This class is taught by Tom Rice, a professional genealogy researcher, lecturer, teacher and writer.

Family Storytime

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009, Dec. 12, 2009, Jan. 16, 2010, Feb. 20, 2010

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; free for MHS members.

Museum storytellers will share classic tales, teach songs and lead a simple book-making project for recording the steps that wheat goes through from the field to the table. Families can also try grinding wheat into flour and taste freshly baked bread. The 30-minute program for preschoolers and their families will feature a reading and project based on "Winter is the Warmest Season" by author and illustrator Lauren Stringer.

Capitol Civil War Tour

Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009

Time: 1 to 2:30 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 the role Minnesota had in the war and why the Capitol is decorated and memorialized with Civil War artifacts, paintings and memorials. During the tour a visitor will be dressed and outfitted as a new Union Army with reproduction accoutrements. During the tour, the group will learn about an ongoing restoration project to preserve Civil War battle flags and see statues of famous officers from the state. A reproduction cavalry shell jacket worn by Knute Nelson, one of six state governors that saw action in the Civil War, will be on display.

Reading and signing with Kevin Kling, author of Kevin Kling's Holiday Inn

Northfield Arts Guild, Northfield MN

Dates: Nov. 14, 2009

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Kevin Kling for a reading and signing of his new book Kevin Kling’s Holiday Inn.

The book is a romp through a yearful of holidays and a life-time of gathering material. A wiener dog with an amazing capacity for destruction impresses the whole family and contributes to their collection of favorite disastrous Christmas stories. A Choctaw and a nun go trick-or-treating on Halloween. A boy makes a frightening decision every year when he chooses which classmate gets the “Be Mine” Valentine. Kevin takes his mom to a Fourth of July demolition derby-and then he takes an epic trip around the bases at a ball game on Memorial Day. From tomfoolery with his brother in the backseat of their dad’s car through his carefully considered instructions for ice fishing, Kling never loses the spirit of his story or holds back on its humor.

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on public radio. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. He is the author of The Dog Says How. He lives in Minneapolis.

For more information call 507-645-8877.

Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund Listening Sessions: Rochester

Rochester Community and Technical College, Rochester MN

Dates: Nov. 16, 2009

Time: 5 to 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

The Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Minnesota Humanities Center will host a listening sessions to obtain public input for a 10-year plan and 25-year framework for the use of funds made available through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF) at Rochester Community and Technical College, Heinz Center, 851 30th Ave. S.E., Rochester. The constitutional amendment, approved by voters in November 2008, added a provision to Minnesota’s constitution that provides for an increase in the sales tax to support outdoor heritage, clean water, parks and trails, as well as arts, history and cultural heritage.

Upcoming sessions will be held on Nov. 17 in the Twin Cities at a location yet to be determined and Nov. 18 in at Southwest Minnesota State University, Charter Hall, 1501 State St. S., Marshall. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. An online survey will also be available at www.ACHFMinnesota.org.

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Reading and signing with Kevin Kling, author of Kevin Kling's Holiday Inn

Swedenborgian Church, St Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 17, 2009

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Kevin Kling for a reading and book signing of his new book Kevin Kling’s Holiday Inn.

The book is a romp through a yearful of holidays and a life-time of gathering material. A wiener dog with an amazing capacity for destruction impresses the whole family and contributes to their collection of favorite disastrous Christmas stories. A Choctaw and a nun go trick-or-treating on Halloween. A boy makes a frightening decision every year when he chooses which classmate gets the “Be Mine” Valentine. Kevin takes his mom to a Fourth of July demolition derby-and then he takes an epic trip around the bases at a ball game on Memorial Day. From tomfoolery with his brother in the backseat of their dad’s car through his carefully considered instructions for ice fishing, Kling never loses the spirit of his story or holds back on its humor.

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on public radio. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. He is the author of The Dog Says How. He lives in Minneapolis.

This event is sponsored by Common Good Books. For more information call 651-225-8989.

Talk and signing with Cary Griffith, author of Opening Goliath

Inver Hills Community College Bookstore, Inver Grove Heights MN

Dates: Nov. 18, 2009

Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Cary Griffith for a talk and signing of his new book Opening Goliath: Danger and Discovery in Caving.

Narrow passages, twisting upward or dropping precipitously. Huge vaults filled with fantastic shapes. Tunnels twined in tangled mazes. Over centuries, underground rivers can carve holes and rooms in solid rock; drips of water build walls of stone. Natural caves shape another world beneath our feet. Dangerous and beautiful, these places remain unknown—until someone decides to investigate.

Adventure writer Cary Griffith recounts riveting and life-threatening tales of exploration in the limestone caves of southwestern Minnesota and the man-made caves of St. Paul. He intertwines two incidents, showing the dangers experienced by both groups---one highly prepared and experienced and the other tragically ill equipped. With equal parts of suspense and caution, Opening Goliath never leaves readers alone in the dark.

Cary J Griffith, who specializes in writing about the outdoors, is the author of Lost in the Wild: Danger and Survival in the North Woods.

For more information call 651-450-8534.

The Homecoming: A Victorian Christmas at the Ramsey House

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 18, 2009, Nov. 19, 2009, Nov. 20, 2009, Nov. 21, 2009, Nov. 22, 2009, Nov. 25, 2009, Nov. 27, 2009, Nov. 28, 2009, Nov. 29, 2009, Dec. 2, 2009, Dec. 3, 2009, Dec. 4, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 6, 2009, Dec. 9, 2009, Dec. 10, 2009, Dec. 11, 2009, Dec. 12, 2009, Dec. 13, 2009, Dec. 16, 2009, Dec. 17, 2009, Dec. 18, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009, Dec. 20, 2009, Dec. 23, 2009, Dec. 26, 2009, Dec. 27, 2009, Dec. 30, 2009, Dec. 31, 2009, Jan. 2, 2010, Jan. 3, 2010

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays; noon to 3 p.m. Sundays

Fee: $9 adults; $7 seniors and college students; $6 children age 4-17; $2 discount for MHS members.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-296-8760

Tour one of the nation's premier Victorian-era mansions decorated for the holidays. A guide will lead visitors through the parlor, where a 12-foot Christmas tree will be trimmed with blown glass ornaments. View original Ramsey family heirlooms including the dining room table set for 1875 Christmas dinner with Mrs. Ramsey's Havilland china and hear stories about the Ramsey's from family letters and diaries. Music will be playing on the 1875 Steinway piano. Meet Annie, the Ramseys' longtime cook and sample cookies fresh from the wood-burning stove. Visit the Carriage House for hot cider and shop for unique Victorian gifts. Tours start every 30 minutes.

Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund Listening Sessions: Marshall

Southwest Minnesota State University, Marshall MN

Dates: Nov. 18, 2009

Time: 5 to 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

The Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Minnesota Humanities Center will host a listening session to obtain public input for a 10-year plan and 25-year framework for the use of funds made available through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF) at Southwest State University, Charter Hall, 1501 State St. S., Marshall, on Nov. 18. The constitutional amendment, approved by voters in November 2008, added a provision to Minnesota’s constitution that provides for an increase in the sales tax to support outdoor heritage, clean water, parks and trails, as well as arts, history and cultural heritage. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. An online survey will also be available at www.ACHFMinnesota.org.

See more events in this series

Reading and signing with Kevin Kling, author of Kevin Kling's Holdiay Inn

The Book Mark bookstore at Gustavus Adolphus College, St Peter MN

Dates: Nov. 20, 2009

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Kevin Kling for a reading and signing of his new book Kevin Kling’s Holiday Inn.

The book is a romp through a yearful of holidays and a life-time of gathering material. A wiener dog with an amazing capacity for destruction impresses the whole family and contributes to their collection of favorite disastrous Christmas stories. A Choctaw and a nun go trick-or-treating on Halloween. A boy makes a frightening decision every year when he chooses which classmate gets the “Be Mine” Valentine. Kevin takes his mom to a Fourth of July demolition derby-and then he takes an epic trip around the bases at a ball game on Memorial Day. From tomfoolery with his brother in the backseat of their dad’s car through his carefully considered instructions for ice fishing, Kling never loses the spirit of his story or holds back on its humor.

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on public radio. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. He is the author of The Dog Says How. He lives in Minneapolis.

The event will take place in Bjorling Hall on campus. For more information call 507-933-7587.

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. Taught by Mille Lacs Band Member Kirstie Davis.

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.

Book signing with Betty Vos Hemstad, author of Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters

Book World - Willmar, Willmar MN

Dates: Nov. 21, 2009

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Betty Vos Hemstad for a signing of her book Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters: Hiking Through the Seasons.

Travelers in the Boundary Waters find much to draw the eye, not least of which is a profusion of wildflowers at every turn. For the unstudied hiker, what better way to meet these plants than with a friend to guide your vision and understanding? The author’s unique collection of stunning, full-color photographs, taken over a twenty-year span, offers views of 120 regional flowers shown throughout their life cycles. This guide is organized by season and then by color. The author’s practical and personable descriptions spotlight each plant’s features and offer tidbits about common names, historic uses, and favorite locations.

Longtime nature photographer and BWCA community organizer, Betty Vos Hemstad spends her summers on the Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota.

For more information call 320-214-0555.

Create A Victorian Boxwood Tree

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 21, 2009

Time: Two classes are offered: 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3 p.m.

Fee: $55; $10 discount for MHS and Minnesota State Horticultural Society members.

Reservations: required, call 651-643-3601 ext. 211

Instructor and floral designer Ardith Beveridge will lead participants in creating a Victorian decorated boxwood tree using evergreens, a foam form, ornaments and ribbons. Participants will work on a 12-inch tree. Bring a pair of gloves and clippers. The class includes hot cider, cookies and a short house tour to view the Ramseys' preparations for Christmas in the 1872 mansion. Co-sponsored by the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.

Folk Art: Junior Girl Scout Workshop

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 21, 2009, Jan. 16, 2010, Feb. 20, 2010

Time: 1 to 3:30 p.m

Fee: $12 girls, $5 adults

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015

What do images and artifacts tell us about the past? In this workshop, explore the "Minnesota’s Greatest Generation" exhibit and examine historic photographs, objects and toys to discover what it was like to grow up during the Great Depression. Learn the art of storytelling and perform a short skit from the golden age of radio. Create and decorate a vintage style hat made from recycled materials. This workshop fulfills the requirements for the Folk Arts badge. Price includes admission to all History Center museum galleries.

Workshops must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Additions or group cancellations must be made at least two weeks prior to scheduled visit. Prepayment required.

Family Day: Railroads

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Nov. 21, 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; free for MHS members.

Enjoy railroad-themed activities while learning about how railroads and Minneapolis grew up together. Build a paper boxcar like the 1879 St. Paul and Pacific boxcar on display in the museum’s Rail Corridor; taste foods from historical railroad dining cars in a cooking demo by Rae Katherine Eighmey, an award winning writer and cook; listen to storytelling about working the rails at the Minneapolis mills; take a mini building tour to see the remaining railroad features in the Washburn A Mill; go on a scavenger hunt to learn more about trains in Minneapolis history; use blocks to build a roman arch like those on Minneapolis’ Stone Arch Bridge; use the wooden trains, trucks, and boats of the "To Market to Market" exhibit to discover how wheat goes from field to table.

Cass Gilbert’s 150th Birthday Celebration

Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 21, 2009

Time: 2 to 4 p.m.

Fee: Free

Reservations: required, call 651-296-2881

Take a 90-minute tour of the State Capitol focusing on the life and work of architect Cass Gilbert in honor of his 150th birthday. Learn about the architectural details used in the contsturction of the Capitol as well as other works he completed including the U.S. Supreme Court. An exhibit featuring 50 years of Gilbert's work will be on display in the north corridor through Nov. 30. Following the tour, enjoy refreshments and birthday cake served in the Capitol’s restored Rathskeller. Tours are free but must be reserved.

The 150th Birthday Celebration for Cass Gilbert is sponsored by the Cass Gilbert Society and hosted by the State Capitol Historic Site.

Book signing with Mitch Omer, author of Damn Good Food

Costco, St. Louis Park MN

Dates: Nov. 21, 2009

Time: Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Fee: Costco membership

Join Mitch Omer for a book signing of his new book Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell’s Kitchen.

The author reveals the recipes that have made his restaurant a pleasure seeker’s destination, including inventions like his tart, ethereal Lemon-Ricotta Hotcakes, dark, wild Bison Sausage Bread; and sweet, creamy Mahnomin Porridge. There are recipes inspired by places and people, including the author’s own close-knit family, reworked and made his own. His dad’s caramel rolls and coleslaw, locally raised-bison burgers smeared with his mom’s mustard, and his own famous homemade peanut butter. These dishes have the hungry and eager queued up out the doors of Hell’s Kitchen, often for hours, and now you can make them at home.

Mitch Omer is the chef-owner of Hell’s Kitchen in Minneapolis and Duluth.

For more information call the store at 763-582-9602 or 9603.

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.

The barn is full of grain; the root cellar is packed with potatoes, rutabagas and carrots; the shed is stacked high with chopped wood and dried beans; and the house is filled with aromas suggesting a harvest celebration. Discover how farmers prepared for winter a 150 years ago. A costumed interpreter will lead a 75-minute guided tour of the farm and trails, highlighting the results of the fall harvest and the winter preparations. Dress for outdoor weather. Warm refreshments will follow the tour.

Talk and signing with Michael Norman, author of The Nearly Departed

Rochester Public Library, Rochester MN

Dates: Nov. 22, 2009

Time: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

Just in time for Halloween - join Michael Norman for a book signing of his new book The Nearly Departed: Minnesota Ghost Stories and Legends.

Everyone loves a good ghost story. They have existed as long as humans have been telling tales. Perhaps they rise from our curiosity about what happens to us and our loved ones after death, perhaps they explain phenomena that we do not understand, or maybe, just maybe, the dead do walk the earth.

The author does not attempt to prove or disprove the existence of ghosts but instead allows readers to make up their minds. His tales feature people’s strange and paranormal experiences in quite ordinary places, including homes, theaters, B-and-B’s, and restaurants. He has uncovered almost three dozen stories of legitimate Minnesota eeriness to thrill readers. He interviewed local storytellers and combed newspapers to document legends involving supernatural and strange occurrences. Following old and fresh leads, he gathered stories from all over the state. Beware: these stories do not have conclusive endings, since they remain mysteries to this day. But perhaps that’s best. An ending would just take the fun out of it.

Michael Norman is a retired associate professor of journalism and mass communications at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He has assembled and co-written five collections of American ghost stories, including Haunted Wisconsin, Haunted Heartland, and Historic Haunted America.

This event is part of the Yaggy Colby lecture series sponsored by the Olmsted County Historical Society. For more information call 507-285-8000.

Exhibit Preview/Breakfast for Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 27, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. to Noon

Fee: $18, $5 children ages 6-17, free for children ages 5 and under.

Members are invited to see the new History Center exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of Better World" before the exhibit opens to the general public. The preview also includes a light breakfast and a presentation of "On Being Healthy, Wealthy and Wise: by Benjamin Franklin" at 10 a.m. in the 3M Auditorium.

Members should return their RSVP cards by Nov. 17.

Christmas at the Folsom House

Folsom House Historic Site, Taylors Falls MN

Dates: Nov. 27, 2009, Nov. 28, 2009, Nov. 29, 2009

Time: 1 to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday

Fee: $3 adults; $1 children ages 6 to 12.

Take special holiday tours of the historic home in Taylors Falls' Angel Hill district, a New England-style village. The home of lumber baron W.H.C. Folsom features beautiful St. Croix River views. Tours are part of Taylors Falls annual Lighting Festival.

Franklin Family Days

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 27, 2009, Nov. 28, 2009, Nov. 29, 2009

Time: Noon 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.

Tour the new exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World" and discover hands-on activities, music and performances all about Franklin's electrifying past.

Craft Activities, daily, noon to 4 p.m.: Make a 2010 Almanack using a replica Franklin common press, a set of pipe-cleaner spectacles, and a printer’s cap from folded newspaper.

Exhibit Activities, daily noon to 4 p.m.: Join a museum interpreter in the "Electricity Party" area for "circle shocks," a static shock transferred around a ring of joined hands, and demonstrations of how lightning works with "Franklin's Bells" and the "Thunder House."

Dance Party, daily 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.: Join costumed instructors Jane Peck and Judith Eisner of "Dance Revels Moving History" for a dance party and lesson in colonial-era dance moves.

Meet Ben Franklin, Friday, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Meet Ben Franklin as portrayed by actors Christopher Lowell and Shawn Hoffman. Ask Franklin about his life and what made him tick.

Ben Franklin: 'Still, Healthy Wealthy and Wise,' Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m.: Head to the 3M Auditorium as actor Christopher Lowell performs a special theatrical presentation complete with audience Q & A.

Musical Experiments, Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m.: Douglas R. Ewart and the Inventions use a variety of objects including skis, tennis rackets, vinyl records and CDs to create music for this unique performances. Plus, learn about Franklin's own invention called a glass armonica, a musical instrument made of glass bowls.

Colonial Music Jam, Sunday, 2 p.m.: Join musician Judith Eisner as she leads the "Moving History Ensemble" in a classical music performance using instruments from Franklin's day.

See related events.

Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Opening: November 27, 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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members.

You know about Benjamin Franklin’s famous experiment with a kite, a key and some lightning, but did you also know about his rebellious youth? That he pioneered wind surfing and invented swim fins? That he helped found the nation’s first hospital, was an environmentalist and charted the Gulf Stream to assist in ocean travel? In many ways Benjamin Franklin is the founding father nobody knows – misunderstood because of the sheer breadth and diversity of his accomplishments. Discover the many ways Franklin has affected our world today in the new exhibit, “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World,” on display at the Minnesota History Center, Nov 27, 2009-July 4, 2010.

See related events.

Inventive Women: Portraits of Scientists and Engineers from the University of Minnesota

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Opening: November 27, 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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for children age 5 and under and MHS members.

View photographs of women faculty at the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology, taken by Nancy G. Johnson, a fine-art photographer who works at the Institute. Johnson, who has exhibited at galleries around Minnesota, notes "In a college that houses 395 faculty, only 39 are women. There are so many problems to solve, so many things that need to be invented. Benjamin Franklin said, 'Energy and persistence conquer all things.' It will take all of us – men and women – to come up with the ideas and solutions to help our world flourish."

This exhibit is offered in conjunction with "Ben Franklin: In Search of a Better World" on view concurrently at the Minnesota History Center.

See related events.

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, why Lindbergh Sr. left politics, 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. Hot apple cider and cookies will be available.

Horse Drawn Carriage Rides

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Nov. 28, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009

Time: 1 to 5 p.m.; rides leave every 15 minutes

Fee: $12, $10 for MHS members

Reservations: recommended, call 651-296-8760

Take a trip back to the 1870s to celebrate the holidays with a spin in a horse-drawn carriage around scenic Historic Irvine Park. Bring a camera, volunteers will be available to take your photo. Rides last 15 minutes.

Exhibit Reception, 'Inventive Women'

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 1, 2009

Time: 5 to 8 p.m.

Fee: Free

Meet Nancy G. Johnson, photographer for the exhibit "Inventive Women: Portraits of Scientists and Engineers from the University of Minnesota" and learn about the women scientists featured. Johnson will respond to audience questions.

This exhibit is offered in conjunction with "Ben Franklin: In Search of a Better World" on view concurrently at the Minnesota History Center. For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/benfranklin.

See related events.

Finessing Story Structure, A Documentary Workshop

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 1, 2009

Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Fee: $15, 12 for MHS members

Reservations: required, email info@thestoryboard.org or register online

During this workshop, offered in partnership with The Storyboard, writer and producer Susan Marks will help aspiring documentarians build strong story lines. Participants will learn to organize footage around a story and create a "paper edit," a text outline of the documentary’s "script."

Book signing with Peg Meier, author of Bring Warm Clothes & Too Hot, Went to Lake

Coon Rapids Senior Center, Coon Rapids MN

Dates: Dec. 2, 2009

Time: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Peg Meier for a signing of her new reissued books Too Hot, Went to Lake: Seasonal Photos from Minnesota’s Past and Bring Warm Clothes: Letters and Photos from Minnesota's Past.

Boys with a sprinkler, nuns at a ball game, proud hunters with their quarry – this collection of more than three hundred pictures dating from the earliest cameras to the mid-twentieth century offers a trip back in time in Too Hot, Went to Lake. The author shares excerpts collected from diaries and letters that allow Minnesotans of ages past to comment on pine tree vistas, harvest bounty, and the weather, always the weather.

Bring Warm Clothes is a celebration of everyday lives of Minnesotans through the centuries-those who paused here on their way to someplace else, and those who made the state their home. The stories and more emerge from select diary and journal entries, from published accounts and business records- the experiences of ordinary Minnesotans. Matched with drawings and photographs that capture a way of life at a particular moment, these impressions offer a telling history of the state in the words of its people.

Peg Meier is an award-winning former reporter for the Star Tribune. She is the author of Coffee Made Her Insane and The Last of the Tearoom Ladies.

For more information call 763-767-6518.

A Little Steinway Music

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 3, 2009, Dec. 4, 2009

Time: 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Fee: $17; $2 discount for MHS members

Reservations: required, call 651-296-8760

Enjoy a musical comedy performed in the Ramseys' elegant parlor decorated for the holidays. The play is an original short story produced by Walking Boxes theatre group and inspired by Victorian life, with dramatic readings and music played on the 1872 Steinway piano. A first floor tour of the house is included. Not recommended for children under 6.

Reading and signing with Kevin Kling, author of Kevin Kling's Holiday Inn

Magers and Quinn Booksellers, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Dec. 3, 2009

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Kevin Kling for a reading and signing of his new book Kevin Kling’s Holiday Inn.

The book is a romp through a yearful of holidays and a life-time of gathering material. A wiener dog with an amazing capacity for destruction impresses the whole family and contributes to their collection of favorite disastrous Christmas stories. A Choctaw and a nun go trick-or-treating on Halloween. A boy makes a frightening decision every year when he chooses which classmate gets the “Be Mine” Valentine. Kevin takes his mom to a Fourth of July demolition derby-and then he takes an epic trip around the bases at a ball game on Memorial Day. From tomfoolery with his brother in the backseat of their dad’s car through his carefully considered instructions for ice fishing, Kling never loses the spirit of his story or holds back on its humor.

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on public radio. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. He is the author of The Dog Says How. He lives in Minneapolis.

For more information call 612-822-4611.

Film Screening: 'Betty Mystique'

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Dec. 3, 2009

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join author and filmmaker Susan Marks for an evening celebrating the life and times of Betty Crocker. Marks will screen her short film "The Betty Mystique," answer questions about Betty Crocker and sign copies of her books (including "Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America’s First Lady of Food" and the new "Historic Photos of Minnesota.") Marks' books will be available for purchase in the museum store.

Mill City Museum is located within the National Historic Landmark Washburn A Mill complex, the birthplace of the company that created Betty Crocker in 1921. Susan Marks is a writer and documentary filmmaker. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history, as well as a master’s degree in liberal studies, with a focus on American

studies, history, and film—from the University of Minnesota.

Book signing with Layne Kennedy & Greg Breining, A Hard-Water World

St. Olaf College Bookstore, Northfield MN

Dates: Dec. 3, 2009

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join photographer Layne Kennedy and author Greg Breining for a signing of their book A Hard-Water World:Ice Fishing and Why We Do It.

Striking storytelling photographs and engaging essays capture the quirky world of ice fishing-its natural beauty and solitary subzero vigils, along with its oddball practices and practitioners. They take you to fun-filled if bizarre festivals that include Door County WI and to Leech Lake in Minnesota. Travel to a frozen lake in the Boundary Waters, to ice cities that form and disband overnight, and to the Volga River near Moscow, shadowed by the KGB.

Layne Kennedy’s photographs have been published in National Geographic Traveler, Sports Illustrated, Life, Newsweek, Smithsonian, and other magazines. Greg Breining writes frequently about the outdoors for national magazines and newspapers.

For more information call 507-786-3048.

Christmas at the Folsom House

Folsom House Historic Site, Taylors Falls MN

Dates: Dec. 4, 2009, Dec. 5, 2009, Dec. 6, 2009

Time: 1 to 5 p.m.

Fee: $3; $1 for children ages 6 to 12.

Make your way through the historic Folsom House during a special holiday "open house." The home is located in Taylors Falls' Angel Hill district, a New England-style village. The home of lumber baron W.H.C. Folsom features beautiful St. Croix River views.

Book signing with Betty Vos Hemstad, author of Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters

St. Olaf College Bookstore, Northfield MN

Dates: Dec. 4, 2009

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Betty Vos Hemstad for a signing of her book Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters: Hiking Through the Seasons.

Travelers in the Boundary Waters find much to draw the eye, not least of which is a profusion of wildflowers at every turn. For the unstudied hiker, what better way to meet these plants than with a friend to guide your vision and understanding? The author’s unique collection of stunning, full-color photographs, taken over a twenty-year span, offers views of 120 regional flowers shown throughout their life cycles. This guide is organized by season and then by color. The author’s practical and personable descriptions spotlight each plant’s features and offer tidbits about common names, historic uses, and favorite locations.

Longtime nature photographer and BWCA community organizer, Betty Vos Hemstad spends her summers on the Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota.

For more information call 507-786-3048.

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. Visit with Santa Claus, listen to music and storytelling and enjoy hot apple cider and cookies. The museum gift shop will be open for holiday shopping. 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. Led by Mille Lacs Band Member Joyce Shingobe.

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.

Intermediate Genealogy

Minnesota Historical Society Library, St. Paul

Dates: Dec. 5, 2009

Time: 10 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Fee: $32, $28 for MHS and MGS members

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3300 or register online

The Intermediate Genealogy Series, offered by the Minnesota Genealogical Society, continues with a two-part class on locating and using military records and finding published genealogical material.

At 10 a.m. participants in the class "Military Records: What Did Great Grandfather Do in the War?" will learn how to use military sources. Participants will look at service, pension and land warrant records, among others.

The second class begins at 11:30 a.m. with "Finding Published Genealogical Materials." Participants will learn how to find books, articles and manuscripts online. For materials only found in libraries and archives, students will be introduced to online tools such as Google Books, WorldCat, NUCMC and MNLink, the Interlibrary loan tool for Minnesota. Plus, there will be a demonstration of Zotero, a powerful Firefox extension used to capture citations and web pages.

This class is taught by Tom Rice, a professional genealogy researcher, lecturer, teacher and writer.

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, groups begin every 30 minutes

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. The one-hour program moves through the elegant first floor spaces and then to the basement servant work areas. The script is based on letters and oral histories of people who worked for the Hill family during the first decade of the twentieth century.

Sorry, library passes are not valid for this program.

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; 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. Visitors can drop in and meet the finalists as they bake their award-winning cookies, learn more about the history of the recipes and why they are so good, and get baking tips for the holiday season. Visitors will also be able to sample each of the winning cookies.

The Star Tribune’s Taste section sponsors the annual Holiday Cookie Contest in which readers submit their favorite holiday cookie recipes. The winner and 5 runners-up will be announced in the December 3 Taste section.

A Radio Holiday: Songs, Stories, Singalong with Prudence Johnson and Dan Chouinard

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 5, 2009

Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Fee: $15, $10 MHS members

Enjoy a concert of classic holiday standards with local tunesmiths, Prudence Johnson and Dan Chouinard. In support of the History Center's new exhibit, Minnesota’s Greatest Generation: The Depression, The War & The Boom, Johnson and Chouinard share holiday interpretations of timeless standards of the 30s and 40s in voice and piano. Join in the fun and sing along.

Book signing with Mitch Omer, author of Damn Good Food

Northern Lights Books and Gifts, Duluth MN

Dates: Dec. 5, 2009

Time: 1 to 2:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Mitch Omer for a book signing of his new book Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell’s Kitchen.

The author reveals the recipes that have made his restaurant a pleasure seeker’s destination, including inventions like his tart, ethereal Lemon-Ricotta Hotcakes, dark, wild Bison Sausage Bread; and sweet, creamy Mahnomin Porridge. There are recipes inspired by places and people, including the author’s own close-knit family, reworked and made his own. His dad’s caramel rolls and coleslaw, locally raised-bison burgers smeared with his mom’s mustard, and his own famous homemade peanut butter. These dishes have the hungry and eager queued up out the doors of Hell’s Kitchen, often for hours, and now you can make them at home.

Mitch Omer is the chef-owner of Hell’s Kitchen in Minneapolis and Duluth.

For more information call 218-722-5267.

Book signing with Peg Meier, author of Bring Warm Clothes & Too Hot, Went to Lake

St. Olaf College Bookstore, Northfield MN

Dates: Dec. 5, 2009

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Peg Meier for a signing of her newly reissued books Too Hot, Went to Lake: Seasonal Photos from Minnesota’s Past and Bring Warm Clothes: Letters and photos from Minnesota's Past.

Boys with a sprinkler, nuns at a ball game, proud hunters with their quarry – this collection of more than three hundred pictures dating from the earliest cameras to the mid-twentieth century offers a trip back in time in Too Hot, Went to Lake. The author shares excerpts collected from diaries and letters that allow Minnesotans of ages past to comment on pine tree vistas, harvest bounty, and the weather, always the weather.

Bring Warm Clothes is a celebration of everyday lives of Minnesotans through the centuries-those who paused here on their way to someplace else, and those who made the state their home. The stories and more emerge from select diary and journal entries, from published accounts and business records- the experiences of ordinary Minnesotans. Matched with drawings and photographs that capture a way of life at a particular moment, these impressions offer a telling history of the state in the words of its people.

Peg Meier is an award-winning former reporter for the Star Tribune. She is the author of Coffee Made Her Insane and The Last of the Tearoom Ladies.

For more information call 507-786-3048.

History Lounge: The Inventive Mr. Jones

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 8, 2009

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Explore the complex life and mind of Minnesota inventor Frederick McKinley Jones, a self-taught engineer who tirelessly pursued innovations that would improve the lives of others. Jones pioneered new technology in areas ranging from communication and medical imaging to mobile refrigeration, eventually receiving 61 patents in his name. Join Society historian and educator Dwight Scott as he discusses how Jones faced down racial prejudice and his own demons to become one of the most accomplished inventors of the 20th century.

This program is held in conjunction with the History Center exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World." For more information visit http://www.mnhs.org/benfranklin.

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Recreating an Early Twin Cities Christmas

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 8, 2009

Time: 7 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.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

Historian James Neagbour presents his popular illustrated talk on the history of Christmas celebrations in the Twin Cities from 1850 to 1940. The one hour talk will include comparisons, some surprising, to traditions, decorations, gifts and the preparation of Christmas dinner today. Light refreshments (coffee, cider, Christmas cookies—including Mrs. Hill’s own shortbread recipe) and tours of the Hill House will follow. The 12’ balsam Christmas tree will be decorated with ornaments from the early 1900s, recreated by Neagbour and others.

Sorry, library passes are not valid for this program.

World War II History Roundtable: The 82nd Airborne Division in the Battle of the Bulge

Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 10, 2009

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $5, free for students.

The German counteroffensive in the Ardennes was not broken

at Bastogne, as popularly thought, but farther north. There, in the Salm

River Valley, the 82nd Airborne Division turned back the German main effort

and ended Hitler’s plans to turn the tide of war. Join Guy LoFaro, author of an upcoming book on the 82nd Airborne, and Division Veterans, for a lecture on the Battle of the Bulge.

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Reading & signing with Kevin Kling, author of Kevin Kling’s Holiday Inn

Birchbark Books Herbs and Native Arts, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Dec. 11, 2009

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Kevin Kling for a reading and signing of his new book Kevin Kling’s Holiday Inn.

The book is a romp through a yearful of holidays and a life-time of gathering material. A wiener dog with an amazing capacity for destruction impresses the whole family and contributes to their collection of favorite disastrous Christmas stories. A Choctaw and a nun go trick-or-treating on Halloween. A boy makes a frightening decision every year when he chooses which classmate gets the “Be Mine” Valentine. Kevin takes his mom to a Fourth of July demolition derby-and then he takes an epic trip around the bases at a ball game on Memorial Day. From tomfoolery with his brother in the backseat of their dad’s car through his carefully considered instructions for ice fishing, Kling never loses the spirit of his story or holds back on its humor.

Kevin Kling is a well-known playwright and storyteller, and his commentaries can be heard on public radio. His plays and adaptations have been performed around the world. He is the author of The Dog Says How. He lives in Minneapolis.

For more information call 612-374-4023.

Victorian Santa Claus

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 12, 2009

Time: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Fee: $9 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6 to 17, $3 children ages 5 and under; $2 discount for MHS members

Head to the Carriage House to meet a Victorian-era Santa Claus. At the top of each hour from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. listen in as Santa Claus reads from the 1823 poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Before and after the readings, children can make their own ornaments and tell Santa what they would like for Christmas. Parents are encouraged to bring a camera to take their own photos. Optional tour of the mansion included.

Book signing with Mitch Omer, author of Damn Good Food

Cooks of Crocus Hill-St. Paul, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 12, 2009

Time: 11:00 a.m.

Fee: Free

Join Mitch Omer for a book signing of his new book Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell’s Kitchen.

The author reveals the recipes that have made his restaurant a pleasure seeker’s destination, including inventions like his tart, ethereal Lemon-Ricotta Hotcakes, dark, wild Bison Sausage Bread; and sweet, creamy Mahnomin Porridge. There are recipes inspired by places and people, including the author’s own close-knit family, reworked and made his own. His dad’s caramel rolls and coleslaw, locally raised-bison burgers smeared with his mom’s mustard, and his own famous homemade peanut butter.

These dishes have the hungry and eager queued up out the doors of Hell’s Kitchen, often for hours, and now you can make them at home.

Mitch Omer is the chef-owner of Hell’s Kitchen in Minneapolis and Duluth.

For more information call 651-228-1333.

History Forum: Benjamin Franklin

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 12, 2009

Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Fee: Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online

Talented polymath Benjamin Franklin focused most of his long life and his prodigious energy on politics. Through his own experiences in America’s early political and civic life, Franklin acquired a deep insight into the ways human nature complicates government and developed a clear-eyed, still relevant concept of the imperative role citizens must play in maintaining liberty and democracy.

Explore Benjamin Franklin’s search for the keys to sustainable democracy with Lorraine Pangle, scholar of American political thought and ethics, author of "The Political Philosophy of Benjamin Franklin and Associate Professor of Government at the University of Texas-Austin."

Forum guests are encouraged to tour the new History Center exhibit "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World" before of after the lecture.

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The Doll’s Victorian Christmas

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 16, 2009

Time: Tours leave at 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m.

Fee: $10 adults; $9 seniors and children ages 17 and under. $2 discount for MHS members.

Reservations: required, call 651-296-8760

The Ramsey collection includes many dolls and a special dollhouse built for the youngest granddaughter, Laura Furness. Take a special child's tour that features stories of dolls, the mansion decorated for Christmas, and hot cider and cookies. Participants are encouraged to bring a doll and dress in holiday attire. A holiday craft activity will be available in the Carriage House.

An 'Eventually' Christmas: Holidays at the Mill

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Dec. 18, 2009, Dec. 19, 2009, Dec. 20, 2009, Dec. 26, 2009, Dec. 27, 2009

Time: 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 for children ages 6-17 and MHS members.

Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555

This unique theatrical event performed in the museum's Flour Tower elevator ride, features "The Ghost of Mill City Past" guiding an intimate look at the 1920 Washburn Crosby holiday party. The script is based on real stories taken from the pages of the company's employee newspaper. Scenes unfold on different floors of the mill and visitors will meet different characters along the way. Witness the rocky romance of Celia and Otto; meet marketing mastermind Benjamin S. Bull; experience the awesome sweeping power of Bill Smith; and learn the secret origin of the Washburn Crosby marketing slogan, "Eventually-Why Not Now?"

This piece is written by playwright Joseph Scrimshaw, directed by Laura Salveson, and stars a cast of professional Twin Cities' actors.

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. Along the way, discover how farm families and their animals coped with the shorter days and the colder temperatures. See what preparations were made for the holidays. Take a horse or oxen drawn bob-sled or wagon ride. Dress for outdoor weather. Warm refreshments follow.

Book signing with Mitch Omer, author of Damn Good Food

Magers and Quinn Booksellers, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Dec. 19, 2009

Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Fee: Free

Join Mitch Omer for a book signing of his new book Damn Good Food: 157 Recipes from Hell’s Kitchen.

The author reveals the recipes that have made his restaurant a pleasure seeker’s destination, including inventions like his tart, ethereal Lemon-Ricotta Hotcakes, dark, wild Bison Sausage Bread; and sweet, creamy Mahnomin Porridge. There are recipes inspired by places and people, including the author’s own close-knit family, reworked and made his own. His dad’s caramel rolls and coleslaw, locally raised-bison burgers smeared with his mom’s mustard, and his own famous homemade peanut butter. These dishes have the hungry and eager queued up out the doors of Hell’s Kitchen, often for hours, and now you can make them at home.

Mitch Omer is the chef-owner of Hell’s Kitchen in Minneapolis and Duluth.

For more information call 612-822-4611.

Victorian Christmas Stories

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 20, 2009, Dec. 27, 2009

Time: 6 p.m.

Fee: $10 adult, $8 seniors and college students, $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." The performers will discuss the rapid development of Christmas traditions—including Christmas literature—during the nineteenth century. Admission to the one-hour program includes light refreshments and tours of the Hill House, decorated for the holidays.

Sorry, library passes are not valid for this program.

LEGO® Model of the State Capitol

Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 21, 2009, Dec. 22, 2009, Dec. 23, 2009, Dec. 24, 2009, Dec. 26, 2009, Dec. 27, 2009, Dec. 28, 2009, Dec. 29, 2009, Dec. 30, 2009, Dec. 31, 2009, Jan. 2, 2010, Jan. 3, 2010

Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday

Fee: Free

See a monumental and detailed model of the Minnesota State Capitol made entirely of LEGO® bricks. Built by LEGO® Ambassador Roy Cook, the six foot long, five foot wide and three foot high model is made up of more than 70,000 bricks and took more than 150 hours to build. A LEGO® model of the Cathedral of Saint Paul also is on public display in the Ryan Room of the Cathedral of Saint Paul.

Guided tours of the actual State Capitol take place at the top of each hour.

Kwanzaa Celebration

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 27, 2009

Time: Noon 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 year's annual family celebration takes place on the second day of Kwanzaa and focuses on the principle, Kujichagulia, a Swahili word meaning self-determination. The day is jam-packed with events. From noon to 4 p.m. families can participate in the History HiJinx art activity making West African inspired door panels out of cardboard, raffia and textured material. At 12:15 and 1:45 p.m. "Auntie Beverly" will introduce folk heroes, cultural tricksters and old tales in special storytelling sessions. At 1 p.m. Kenna Sarge and Voice of Culture will showcase West African rhythms and at 2 p.m. the African Global Roots group will present a fashion show of African inspired American designs. At 3 p.m. the Tiyumba Dance Company will perform an energetic dancing, singing and drumming set. Plus, throughout the day, families can shop in the Kwanzaa Market Place, for unique artisan crafted items, many representing West African countries.

A Story Time Tour

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 29, 2009

Time: 10 a.m.

Fee: $5, $3 for MHS members

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

Take a special tour of the James J. Hill House designed for younger visitors while enjoying popular turn-of-the-century children's stories. Listen to well-known works such as "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and lesser-known stories like "Why Evergreens Never Lose Their Leaves." This one-hour program is designed for pre-school through 1st grade children accompanied by an adult.

Sorry, library passes are not valid for this program.

Art Explorers: Angels and Dragons

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 29, 2009

Time: 1 p.m.

Fee: $6, $4 for MHS members. Library passes not accepted for this event.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

Young artists and their families are invited to explore art in the Hill House, focusing on the many creatures found throughout the home, including cherubs, dragons and more. Following the tour, children will create their own artwork inspired by the creatures. The art work will be arranged into a show for participants to enjoy before bringing their completed artworks home. The tour is designed for children ages 7 to 12, accompanied by an adult. All supplies are included with admission.

Sorry, library passes are not valid for this program.

Farewell to 2009 Candlelight Tour

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Dec. 31, 2009

Time: Tours leave every 30 min. at 6:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m.

Fee: $10 adults, $9 seniors, college students and children ages 6-17, $8 children age 5 and under; $2 discount for MHs members.

Reservations: required, call 651-296-8760

Follow a path lit with luminaries to the historic site's front door and begin a candlelit evening tour of one of the country's premier Victorian homes. Guides dressed for a New Year’s Eve ball will lead visitors through the house. Sample cake and punch from Mrs. Ramsey's recipe and join in a sing along around the piano.

Storyboats

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Closing: December 31, 2009

Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m.; Also July and August, Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fee: Free

Building friendships and encouraging conversations is the goal of ceramic artist Anna Metcalfe's work. In "Storyboats" on display at Mill City Museum from Sept. 20 to Dec. 31, 2009, she explores personal interactions with the Mississippi River.

In June of 2009, Metcalfe joined rangers from the National Park Service, staff from Wilderness Inquiry and Dakota elder Alameda Rocha for an event on Boom Island in Minneapolis. After traveling in a canoe, the participants drew and wrote about their river memories on a paper template. Metcalfe then transferred the drawings and writings onto porcelain canoes specially designed for each of the stories.

A selection of the porcelain boats will be on display in the museum's Rail Corridor. The exhibit is free, but does not include museum admission of $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for children ages 6-17 and free for members of the Minnesota Historical Society.

The Pleasure of Your Call is Requested

Alexander Ramsey House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 1, 2010

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Fee: $9 adults, $7 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6 to 17; $3 for children ages 5 and under; $2 discount for MHS members.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-296-8760

Alexander Ramsey wrote in his journal, on Jan. 1, 1875: "Day was pleasant and wife had about 100 callers." Calls, or brief formal visits, were typical social behavior in the Victorian Age. Make your own call on the Ramsey House this New Year. Enjoy the Ramsey House's holiday décor while you hear more about the calling ritual, the etiquette and decorum expected of proper visitors, and see how Minnesotans celebrated New Year’s Day in the 19th century. After the tour visit the gift shop for a New Years Day sale.

Scratch vs. Mix: Which Brownie is Better?

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Jan. 3, 2010

Time: 2 p.m.

Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for MHS members.

See how history is revealed in food in the Baking Lab. Museum staff demonstrate making brownies from scratch versus a mix and share the history of the development of baking mixes. Visitors will be able to taste the results and vote on their favorite, learn home baking tips and take home a copy of the recipe.

Going Places: The Mystique of Mobility

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Closing: January 4, 2010

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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

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.

Split Rock Lighthouse Centennial Kick Off

Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors MN

Dates: Jan. 8, 2010

Time: 2 p.m.

Fee: Event is free; state park admission required.

Kick off Split Rock Lighthouse's 100th birthday at a special event to introduce art, collectibles, souvenirs and other items all designed to spotlight the centennial celebration and provide lasting mementos of the occasion. An original commemorative watercolor painting by artist Jim Povich will be unveiled and first edition posters will be available. Split Rock Lighthouse, built to guide ships in some of the world's most treacherous waters, opened in 1910. Special events and activities throughout 2010 will celebrate the lighthouse's centennial.

Ojibwe Winter Living Skills and Storytelling

Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN

Dates: Jan. 9, 2010, Jan. 10, 2010

Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday

Fee: $25; $20 MHS members and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members

Reservations: required, call 320-532-3632

Join museum staff to learn about essential skills the Ojibwe used to survive harsh winters. Topics include hunting and snaring, making and repairing warm clothing, preparing snow shoes and other hands on winter activities. Some activities will take place outdoors; dress accordingly. Preregistration required Jan. 10. Discount hotel rooms are available on Saturday night for all participants at Grand Casino Mille Lacs.

The Coldest Days on the Farm

Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN

Dates: Jan. 10, 2010

Time: 2 to 4 p.m.

Fee: $6, $4 MHS members; free for children ages 5 and under.

The coldest days of winter were the hardest for farmers and their families 150 years ago. Discover how farmers, their animals and other wildlife worked and survived the winter. Visitors can help clear fields, hike the trails, chop wood and feed the animals. Then warm up with refreshments at a bonfire and enjoy a discussion about winter clothing in the Visitor Center. Guests should dress for the weather.

World War II History Roundtable: Soviet Military Leadership in World War II

Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 14, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $5, free for students

Join Roger Reese, author of numerous books on World War II Soviet military history, along with Russian veterans, for a lecture on Soviet soldiers’ leadership. Reese will discuss how recruitment and training from platoon level up to Marshal of the Soviet Union, determined performance in battle despite the effects of Stalin’s terror purges on leadership cadres.

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Minneapolis in the 20th Century with Iric Nathanson

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Jan. 14, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Hear a free talk by author Iric Nathanson about the checkered history of Minneapolis based on his new book, "Minneapolis in the 20th Century: The Growth of an American City," published by MHS Press. Nathanson shines a light in dark corners of the city's past, exploring corruption that existed between the police department and city hall, brutal suppression of Depression-era unions and reports on anti-Semitism at midcentury. At the same time community leaders made a difference when racial violence exploded across the country, and concerned neighbors guided transportation policy from more and bigger highways to forward-looking light rail transit. By the end of the 20th century, the riverfront was transformed into a magnet for people wishing to live and play at the site where the city began to grow. Books will be available for purchase and Nathanson will sign copies.

Winter Frolic

North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN

Dates: Jan. 16, 2010

Time: Noon to 4:30 p.m.

Fee: $8 adults; $6 seniors, $5 children; $2 discount for MHS members.

Toss a curling stone on the ice, play a round of snow snake, try snowshoeing along the nature trails and learn about winter travel during the fur trade. A highlight of the festival features dogsled rides provided by New Moonshine Huskies of Pine City (weather permitting). Afterwards, warm yourself by blazing fires and sip a cup of cocoa.

Hazel Thorson Stoick Stoeckeler: A Retrospective

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Closing: January 17, 2010

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.

Hazel Thorson Stoick Stoeckeler has enjoyed a long and exciting career as an artist, professor at the University of Minnesota and world traveler. This exhibit highlights her 60-year career beginning with pieces from the Society's collection dating to the 1930s and ending with a series of watercolors that document her trips around the globe. These 40 small, exquisite images are accompanied with poems written by Elizabeth Weber and published in a book titled, "Porthole Views of the World." The exhibit runs October 10 through January 17.

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History HiJinx: "I Have A Dream" Luminaries

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 18, 2010

Time: Noon 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.

Use colorful tissue paper and markers to write messages that reflect messages of mutual respect, tolerance and understanding and then make a collage by putting the opaque papers onto the luminary panels to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King. When assembled a candle will shed light on words to remember and live by.

Gaslight Tours

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 22, 2010, Jan. 23, 2010, Jan. 29, 2010, Jan. 30, 2010

Time: Tours leave at 6:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m.

Fee: $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members. $1 off with 2009 St. Paul Winter Carnival button. MELSA passes not accepted for this special program.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

These special evening tours will explore changes in technology that allowed activities to take place on dark winter evenings in the late 19th century. Cider will be served, organist Larry Wilson will perform on the restored pipe organ, and soprano Beverly Ferriere will sing popular songs of the era. Visitors will see lit gaslights and a gas fireplace from the 1890s, as well as the early carbon filament electric light bulbs that were just becoming popular when the Hill House was completed in 1891. Also included are a Winter Carnival display, the current art exhibit, and silver and clothing displays.

Art Treasures Hunt in the Capitol

Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 23, 2010, Jan. 24, 2010, Jan. 25, 2010, Jan. 26, 2010, Jan. 27, 2010, Jan. 28, 2010, Jan. 29, 2010, Jan. 30, 2010, Jan. 31, 2010

Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Weekdays; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; 1-4 p.m. Sunday

Fee: $2 brochure fee.

In the spirit of the Winter Carnival, visitors of all ages can go on a 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, get Capitol architect Cass Gilbert's signature and become Junior Art Historians. The booklet is available at the Capitol's Information Desk.

Global Hotdish Variety Show: T. Mychael Rambo Hosts

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 23, 2010

Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Fee: $12 adults, $5 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MHS member adult ticket only. Tickets include museum gallery admission.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015

This whimsical 90-minute variety show features multi-cultural, multi-generational artists performing and leading the crowd in music, dancing and sing-a-long entertainment. Host T. Mychael Rambo is joined by yo yo master Dazzling Dave; Aida Shahghasemi singing Persian lullabies; Bob Walser and family performing Appalachian jigs; the fur trade fashions and a capella harmonies of The Sons of the Voyaguer; pre-teen vocal sensation and Minnesota State Fair talent winner Julius Andrews IV; and Beth Gilleland's Geo Pop Quiz & Great State Trivia TidBits. Music provided by Los Jefes. Arrive early for pre-show entertainment in the History Center Rotunda at 1:30 p.m.

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Winter on the Hill

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 23, 2010, Jan. 24, 2010, Jan. 30, 2010, Jan. 31, 2010

Time: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturdays; 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sundays

Fee: $8 adults, $6 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17, free for MHS members. $1 discount with a Winter Carnival button.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

Celebrate Minnesota's outdoor and indoor activities during St. Paul's Winter Carnival at the turn of the 20th century. See a display of Winter Carnival memorabilia, Great Northern Railway Winter Carnival uniforms, snowshoes and a luxurious wolverine carriage blanket. House tours will be offered throughout the day and visitors can also join in making old-fashioned jigsaw puzzles and other indoor games.

Winter Carnival Weekend Puppet Show and History HiJinx Craft Activity

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 23, 2010, Jan. 24, 2010, Jan. 30, 2010, Jan. 31, 2010

Time: Noon 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.

Meet Minnesota legends King Boreas and Vulcanus Rex, performed by ZPuppets Rosenschnoz' Shari Aronson and Christopher Griffith, for a comic overview of their royal origins through puppets and storytelling in "Beyond Boreas! A Puppet Show of Frozen Follies and Mythical Meltdowns" at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. Families and children also can make a shimmering icicle crown and royal sceptor at a History HiJinx craft activity throughout the afternoon.

History Lounge: The Tireless Dr. Ripley

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 26, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Discover the work of Dr. Martha Ripley (1843-1912), a determined early advocate for women’s health and social equality who was once denounced on the floor of the Minnesota State Senate, but now has a plaque in her honor at the Capitol. One of the state’s first female physicians and a passionate suffragist, Dr. Ripley established Maternity Hospital of Minneapolis in 1886 and pioneered a new model for the medical profession’s treatment of single mothers. Join Ripley scholar and Regions Hospital medical librarian Mary Wittenbreer as she examines Ripley’s tireless campaign to change the way Minnesotans viewed women. This program is being held in connection with “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World.”

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Capitol Art and Artists Tour

Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 30, 2010

Time: 7 to 9 p.m.

Fee: $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and college students, $5 for children 6-17; $2 discount for MHS members and Winter Carnival button wearers.

Reservations: required, call 651-296-2881

During this guided tour, visitors will examine grand murals, powerful sculptures, exquisite decorations and the restored Rathskeller Cafe and view works by artists Kenyon Cox, Edwin Blashfield, John La Farge, Elmer Garnsey and others. They'll also hear stories about the artists, learn about the muralist movement in America (1890s-1910), which used allegory and symbolism in public building artwork, and see how the art, architecture and overall decorative plan harmonize to make the Capitol one of the premier public buildings in the United States.

History Forum: General George Marshall

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Jan. 30, 2010

Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Fee: Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online

A humble, but blunt and pragmatic planner, General George C. Marshall directed both the largest war-time army and the largest post-war recovery plan in U.S. history. After helping America win World War II, he sold us on the Marshall Plan to rebuild what had been destroyed, challenging the United States to lead in war and peace.

Explore General Marshall’s quest to repair a world devastated by war with U.S. foreign relations and military history scholar and author of George C. Marshall: Soldier-Statesman of the American Century, Mark A. Stoler, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Vermont.

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Scratch vs. Mix: Which Brownie is Better?

Mill City Museum, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Jan. 30, 2010, Feb. 6, 2010

Time: 1 p.m.

Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17; free for MHS members.

See how history is revealed in food in the Baking Lab. Museum staff demonstrate making brownies from scratch versus a mix and share the history of the development of baking mixes. Visitors will be able to taste the results and vote on their favorite, learn home baking tips and take home a copy of the recipe.

History of Hip: Yesterday's Tomorrow's

The Turf Club, St Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 2, 2010

Time: 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Fee: $6; $5 MHS members.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-259-3015 or register online

History of Hip returns with a look at yesteryear's sometimes terrifying and often hilarious predictions about our future. From robots to smart kitchens and high tech soldiers, historian Brian Horrigan and blogger Matt Novak (www.paleofuture.com) will highlight some of their favorite trends in science fiction of the past while they share their own thoughts about the future of this genre. Ages 21+ only.

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Candle Making Workshop

Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN

Dates: Feb. 6, 2010

Time: 10 a.m.-noon

Fee: $3 per pair of candles

Discover how keerosene lamplight was a great improvement over candlelight, especially for reading, writing letters or sewing in the evening. Visitors will make a pair of hand-dipped beeswax candles to take home. Reservations required;call 763-441-6896.

Intermediate Genealogy

Minnesota Historical Society Library, St. Paul

Dates: Feb. 6, 2010

Time: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Fee: $32 for two classes; $28 for MHS and MGS members.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3300 or register online

The Intermediate Genealogy Series, offered by the Minnesota Genealogical Society, continues with a two-part class on research in court records and in archives and record depositories. Court Records for Genealogists, from 10 to 11 a.m., shows how such records can provide a wealth of genealogical data for family histories and describes some of the more common record types, what data they may contain and how to access them. Genealogy Research in Libraries and Archives, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will focus on practical hints to maximize success during in-person and online visits to record repositories including preparations prior to a visit, setting of priorities for research and questions to ask the staff. The presenter's comments are based on his experience both as a researcher and as an archivist/librarian. The classes will be taught by Duane Swanson, curator of manuscripts for the Minnesota Historical Society.

Black History Month History HiJinx and Scavenger Hunt

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 6, 2010, Feb. 7, 2010, Feb. 13, 2010, Feb. 14, 2010, Feb. 20, 2010, Feb. 21, 2010, Feb. 27, 2010, Feb. 28, 2010

Time: Noon 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.

Explore the museum galleries and hunt for special cards to learn about African American men and women who made significant contributions to the state of Minnesota. Then use these images, as well as other collage materials, to create a “tunnel book," a three-dimensional souvenir popular in the 19th century used to document and recreate important places and historical events. A History Player portraying African American inventor Frederick McKinley Jones will give performances Sundays in February at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. in “MN150” exhibit.

DIY: History Lends a Helping Hand in the Kitchen

Fabulous Catering, Minneapolis MN

Dates: Feb. 6, 2010

Time: 3 to 5 p.m.

Fee: $20; $15 MHS members.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online

In partnership with Fabulous Catering and Gastro Non Grata, the Minnesota Historical Society presents three workshops that help you revive the domestic techniques of yesteryear in your home kitchens. Join brewmeisters from Northern Brewer to learn the ins and outs of homebrewing, and learn more about beer tasting and varieties with Rush River Brewing Company. Doug Hoverson, author of “Land of Amber Waters,” also will offer an overview of brewing in Minnesota over beer/cheese fondue that you help make. Programs also will be offered in March and April.

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Snow Day at Jeffers Petroglyphs

Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site, Comfrey MN

Dates: Feb. 9, 2010

Time: 1 to 4 p.m.

Fee: $4 ages 6 and up

Reservations: required, call 507-628-5591

Learn the science behind snow, read snow stories, play snowflake games, do snowflake art and (weather permitting) use snowshoes and make some tasty snow treats.

History Lounge: The Productive Dr. Borlaug

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 9, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: Free

Look inside the mind of the late Norman Borlaug, the University of Minnesota agronomist who found new ways to sustain the growing global population. Borlaug forged new paths in the fight against plant diseases at the root of Third World famines, setting off a “Green Revolution” that changed farming practices and the lives of millions around the globe. Borlaug won the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his work. Join University of Minnesota plant pathologist Brian Steffenson for an exploration of Borlaugh's historic work.

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World War II History Roundtable: The Role of Bombers Against Germany The Role of Bombers Against Germany

Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 11, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $5, free for students

Author Williamson Murray will be joined by Army Air Forces Veterans for a lecture on the European Theater air war. The presentation will cover early struggles to the strategic developments that ensured the destruction of the Luftwaffe and Nazi war industry. Also, hear about the large numbers of Fort Snelling inductees who became trained flyers and crews.

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Romance and Relaxation at the Hill House

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 12, 2010

Time: 6:30 p.m. tour; 7:30 relaxation class

Fee: $12; $10 MHS members. MELSA passes not accepted for this special event.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

Romance and relaxation are the topics of a special evening tour and meditation class. During the tour, learn about the long marriage of James J. and Mary T. Hill, hear stories of the four family weddings held in the house, and listen to excerpts of letters and oral histories of servants discussing their romantic adventures. Visitors will see the solid gold loving cup celebrating the Hills' 50th wedding anniversary and actual pieces of wedding cake from three of the daughters' weddings.

After the tour, gather in the Drawing Room where life coach Beth Freschi will lead an hour-long class on "Loving Kindness Meditation" techniques that calm the mind and body. The class will begin with deep breathing, followed by a muscle relaxation exercise, guided imagery and meditation. Freschi is a life coach with a masters degree in counseling psychology and more than 15 years experience in mental health. For more information, visit her web site at www.atimeforexpression.com.

Ojibwe Mitten Workshop

Mille Lacs Indian Museum and Trading Post, Onamia MN

Dates: Feb. 13, 2010, Feb. 14, 2010

Time: 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday

Fee: $50; $45 for MHS members and Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members. $20 supply fee for all participants.

Reservations: required, call 320-532-3632

Learn techniques of leather working at this two-day workshop and create a pair of Ojibwe-style mittens to take home. Adults must accompany children under age 18. Pastries and refreshments provided along with a light lunch. Preregistration required by Feb. 10. Discounted hotel rooms are available on Saturday night at Grand Casion Mille Lacs for participants.

Queen Charlotte’s Birthday Ball

North West Company Fur Post, Pine City MN

Dates: Feb. 13, 2010

Time: 6 to 9 p.m.

Fee: $35; $30 for MHS members

Reservations: required, call 320-629-6356

This evening of early 19th-century entertainment features a lively country dance, a favorite evening diversion of the era and a pastime frequently mentioned by Jane Austen. All dances will be taught and called at the ball, and visitors can enjoy refreshments. Period or semi-formal attire requested.

Victorian Poetry Slam

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 14, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $10 adults; $2 discount for MHS members. MELSA passes not accepted for this special event.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

Celebrate Valentine's Day with classic poems of the 19th-century in the elegant drawing room of the Hill House. Costumed actors Craig Johnson, Laura Salveson and Ann Daly will perform a wide range of beloved poems by Dickinson, Poe, Longfellow Browning and others dealing with love, romance, temperance, sports and war — even poems about James J. Hill. The one-hour program will be followed by light refreshments and tours of the home.

History HiJinx: Lincoln Stove Pipe Hats

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 15, 2010

Time: Noon 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.

Make a stove pipe top hat to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday by using black and copper paper with giant copper pennies for decoration.

Teddy Bear Story Time

James J. Hill House, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 16, 2010

Time: 10 a.m.

Fee: $5; $2 discount for MHS members. MELSA passes not accepted for this special event.

Reservations: recommended, call 651-297-2555

Young visitors are invited to bring their teddy bears to the Hill House in celebration of Presidents’ Day and the beloved toy named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president. An interactive tour of the house will be combined with favorite teddy bear stories. Teddy Roosevelt was one of several presidents that Mr. And Mrs. Hill knew personally and visited at the White House. This one-hour tour is designed for pre-school through first grade children accompanied by an adult.

History Forum: Margaret Sanger

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 20, 2010

Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Fee: Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online

As a public health nurse in the New York slums, Margaret Sanger worked with hundreds of mothers who wanted to ease their families’ path out of poverty by preventing unintended pregnancies, but had no safe way to do so. The experience inspired Sanger to launch a 50-year crusade to legalize birth control and sex education, altering American ideas about personal liberty along the way.

Explore Margaret Sanger’s battle for women’s reproductive freedom with Ellen Chesler, historian and author of the Sanger biography "Woman of Valor," and director of Hunter College’s Eleanor Roosevelt Initiative on Women and Public Policy at Roosevelt House.

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Looking Toward Spring on the Farm

Oliver H. Kelley Farm, Elk River MN

Dates: Feb. 21, 2010

Time: 2 to 4 p.m.

Fee: $6, $4 for MHS members, free for children ages 5 and under.

See how families prepared for spring by helping to clean up the barn, sorting through the remaining preserved foods and crocks, feeding the animals, and checking on seed stock and on equipment repairs. Refreshments will follow in the Visitor Center. Visitors should dress for the weather.

Trivia Smackdown

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 23, 2010, March 23, 2010, April 20, 2010

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Fee: Free

The History Center hosts Trivia Smackdown -- three nights of epic historical trivia contests, high-speed scavenger hunts in the museum, groups games that test your Minnesota history knowledge, prizes and more. Games begin at 6:30 p.m. The main event, presented by Trivia Mafia, starts at 7 p.m. Cash bar available. The Star Tribune has called Trivia Mafia’s events “the best Twin Cities’ trivia nights.”

Global Hotdish Variety Show: Pop Wagner Hosts

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: Feb. 27, 2010

Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Fee: $12 adults, $5 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MHS member adult ticket only. Tickets include museum gallery admission.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015

This whimsical 90-minute variety show features multi-cultural, multi-generational artists performing and leading the crowd in music, dancing and sing-a-long entertainment. Pop Wagner will host Mongolian foot juggling with Chimgee Haltarhuu and Anwar Hassouni; Ojibwe flute music with Darren Moose; Puppetry and French Cooking with Z Puppets Rosenschnaz; African American step dancing with DelaSouljah Steppers and a Geo Pop Quiz and Great State Trivia TidBits with Beth Gilleland. Music provided by Dan Newton and the Café Accordion Orchestra.



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History Forum: Frederick Douglass, In Search of A Better World

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: March 6, 2010

Time: 2 to 3:15 p.m.

Fee: Series subscription: $76; $54 MHS members, on sale September 1. Individual tickets: $14; $10 MHS members, on sale September 21, pending availability.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015 or register online

As a former slave who became one of America’s greatest social critics, Frederick Douglass spent a lifetime speaking truth to power. Motivated by a persistent faith in racial equality and a belief that ending slavery would save America’s soul, Douglass used the power of words to navigate the wilderness of pre-Civil War race relations, and helped guide the United States out of bondage.

Explore Frederick Douglass’ quest for a path to equality with David Blight, leading Douglass scholar, two-time PBS historical advisor, award-winning author of "Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory," and Class of 1954 Professor of History at Yale University.

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World War II History Roundtable: The New Guinea Campaign

Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN

Dates: March 11, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $5, free for students

The much overlooked campaign in the Southwest Pacific and New Guinea landing were part of the Allies’ successful island hopping strategy. Many of the troops who fought this war in the jungles were from the 32nd Infantry Division, a Wisconsin National Guard unit. Join James Campbell, author of Ghost Mountain Boys, with Southwest Pacific Campaign Veterans for a lecture about the campaign.

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Global Hotdish Variety Show: Ter Ger Xiong Hosts

Minnesota History Center, St. Paul MN

Dates: March 27, 2010

Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Fee: $12 adults, $5 children ages 6 to 17; $2 discount for MHS member adult ticket only. Tickets include museum gallery admission.

Reservations: required, call 651-259-3015

This whimsical 90-minute variety show features multi-cultural, multi-generational artists performing and leading the crowd in music, dancing and sing-a-long entertainment. Hmong commedian Tou Ger Xiong hosts Wacky Chickens with Lloyd Brandt and Rosie Cole; exquisite choreography with the School of India for Languages and Culture; Austrian Alphorn music with Steve Ecklund, Vicki Wheeler and Becky Jyrkas; dance with the Satin Dolls and a Geo Pop Quiz and Great State Trivia Tidbits with Beth Gilleland. Music provided by Cyril Paul and the Calypso Monarchs.

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World War II History Roundtable: The Invasion of Anzio

Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN

Dates: April 8, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $5, free for students

Author, H. Paul Jeffers will be joined by Veterans for a presentation on the Invasion of Anzio. Despite early success of the surprise landing in late January 1944, savage fighting soon developed on the narrow 15-mile-long Anzio Beachhead south of Rome. By the breakout four months later, the Allies had lost nearly 30,000 men.

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World War II History Roundtable: Air Operations in the CBI: The Hump, Air Commandos and Air Cargo

Historic Fort Snelling, St. Paul MN

Dates: May 13, 2010

Time: 7 p.m.

Fee: $5, free for students

Air support in the CBI Theater was crucial to maintain ground

operations; rugged and inhospitable terrain often made supply otherwise

impossible. Cargo flights from India and over the Himalayas ("The Hump")

kept China in the war and brought men, equipment and supplies into Burma

to defeat the Japanese. This lecture is presented by author and historian Al Lathrop, with Veterans of the China Burma India Theater.

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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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

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.

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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

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.

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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

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.

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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

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.

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.

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.

Closed Mondays except Monday holidays year round (open Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day).

Library:

Tuesday noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

Closed Monday, Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends, and major holidays including the day after Thanksgiving.

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.

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