In a few minutes about places of historical interest around the states and how they get to be so designated and also perhaps maybe some tips from from U R Us on some spots of people might include in their summer vacation plans, but before we get to those, I wonder if you could bring us up-to-date very quickly on the new headquarters as it were of the State Historical Society of you and others from your office spend some time at the legislature this past session working with lawmakers on where you'll be relocated when the Supreme Court takes over the building that you occupy now at where will you be at in and what will your quarters be like? Well, it's good to be with you today rich and appreciate the chance to talk about the Minnesota storical society and its program in Minnesota History and Adventures people can have with it.The recently-concluded 1985 legislature took a very important action in appropriating $5000000. For the new State History Center that will enable the old Miller Hospital site to be purchased. Those negotiations are underway now and we hope they reach a conclusion within a few weeks or sooner. And also that appropriation will enable the The architect to be chosen that we're down to six architects in a competition. From that what the winning architect will emerge and the remainder that appropriation or most of it will be utilized so that the working drawings the final plans for the History Center can be prepared in the Miller Hospital side is downtown in St. Paul hear Miller Hospital site many people I'm sure I know it is I do since some of my children were born there but to located if if you are standing on the steps of the Capitol looking to the cathedral just south of the freeway on the left hand side is a parking ramp in the Miller Hospital complex stands to the left of it. And when is it scheduled to be finished? That took courses rest to a great extent up on legislative action in the future. But I think the best guess we can make it. This point is it'll take three or four years since it has to go through a number of phases at the earliest. I think we'd be breaking ground sometime in 1986. So it'll be a little while yet to send project and well worth waiting for me to give out. Your phone number is here invite listeners to call us about a recent the completed developments that the historical society is undertaken and also places that people might want to consider including in their travel plans this summer around the state of Minnesota. If you're listening to us here in the Twin Cities, give us a call at 227-6000 - 2276 thousand in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. And if you're listening to us around the state of Minnesota call us toll-free at one 800-652-9700. That's 1 800. 6529700 and if you're listening to us in one of the adjoining States and planning to come to Minnesota on a vacation trip, I'll call us collect at 2 area code 612-227-6018 for the first call. What are some of the places just to die real quick list without getting into detail about each one that people might want to consider not only here in the Twin Cities, but around the state will let me just Begin by calling attention to a few of the major sites here in the Twin Cities. I suppose there's no better place to be get in the Fort Snelling where many of our early institution sprang from and there you will experience not only a fully restored to Old Fort Snelling life as it was lived in the 1820s with a living history program, but also a new History Center in which there is a fine film and Exhibits that portray not only the military. Life, but the civilian side of life at Fort Snelling on the Northwestern Frontier and the Ford was about as far as you could get on the Northwestern Frontier in the 1820s down in St. Paul. We have a 2 Splendid historic houses the Alexander Ramsey house Exchange in Walnut Street to the home of the first territorial governor. And the more recently restored James J Hill House at 240 Summit Avenue near the cathedral. The hill house is proving to be a great magnet for not only minnesotans who want to explore their history, but for visitors from outside the state moving up along the North Shore. There's an exciting project that's underway at Split Rock Lighthouse. Just north of Two Harbors where we will begin constructing a new interpretive Center there later this summer and that million-dollar Muse Liam will portray Minnesota's most famous lighthouse, but also tell the story of Minnesota Seacoast the shipwrecks the shipping the fishing and underwater archaeology in Lake Superior, which is still a tremendous challenge for underwater archaeologists. Then if you want to venture into the southwestern portion of the state beginning at St. Peter beginning at Le Sueur on the Saint Peter turning around the Big Bend at Mankato and moving up the Minnesota Valley. There's a whole array of historic places the mail house in Le Sueur Traverse des Sioux in St. Peter the lower Sioux agency near Redwood Falls upper Sioux agency near Granite Falls Jeffers petroglyphs Southwest of New Ulm Harkins General Store on Northwest of New Ulm and many of these sites. Relate to the history of the Dakota Sioux Indian people and the the Sioux war of 1862. One of one of our more tragic episodes in the state, but had a tremendous impact upon that area and you can go up to the Mille Lacs area where the Mille Lacs Indian museum that's about a hundred miles north of the Twin Cities portrays the life of the Sioux and then the Ojibwe or Chippewa Indians and we're proud of that museum because it really involves the Indian Community there in a major way and then I cannot leave out that one of your favorite places Rich The Charles A Lindbergh house and interpretive Center Little Falls a story, you know, well and one of the most popular of our historic places, it's a nice place to visit Russia. We have a number of callers on the line waiting to ask you a question. So let's go to the first one right now Russell Fridley is listening for you. Yes, thank you. My name is John Coffey. I am in MPR subscriber. I would like to come in on one July 4th, then share the roast Pig and it was an extremely nice experience restoration burned and that was my question. When it burned I believe there was no real Armor security system of the core anything else on it since I work for honey while I know they sell a very good or very good security system which includes fire detection is on and I wonder if the new restored, then tossing and all the other facilities are some fire alarm at Setter answer. Thank you, very good question and continual problem for historic sites related located in remote areas at Fort Snelling. We did learn that lesson in a rather painful way and we do have built into the re reconstruction or restoration of the commandant house, which happens to be the oldest surviving building in Minnesota. We do have an excellent fire alarm and detection system. Also, I think we have a very good plan worked out among the various fire departments that serve that area st. Paul Minneapolis Fort Snelling as to other sites. I would say if they're located in areas that have a regular firefighting service. We're in reasonably good shape and we do have a plan for each of the sites. But when you get out into an area say like the Harkin store, which is about 9 miles from New Ulm. You do have to depend to a great extent up on a self-sufficient plan and that's her. That's a risk. That's always present. Okay. Thanks for your question. Let's take another call get afternoon. We listening for your question. Hello, go ahead. I grew up in a little Falls. and I keep hearing interesting stories about excavations North of city at the French fur trading post comforter King and I've also heard of some exploratory excavations at Blanchard Dam sauce of little significance or the extent of the discovery glad to send you information on both of those sites in Greater detail. You're very accurate in your description of both the places and I think that dramatizes the fact that Little Falls has really emerged as having a wealth of historic places around it in various periods of the development of Minnesota the Fort Duquesne site, which is located very near the junction the Mississippi in the little Elk River North of Little Falls. He is one of the two or three known French for post sites in Minnesota and Douglas Burke and aren't very talented archaeologist is the person who discovered that site and he has continued to Examine it and excavated very carefully. It's a marvelous place to visit because it's been beautifully preserved with no no serious intrusions into the side. I think we'll hear more about it. Unfortunately, the opposite is true at the Blanchard dam site or the Pikes Fort site, which was really inundated by water some 40 or 50 years ago. When the Blanchard dam was built that is located Upstream from the Lindbergh house over a mile mile-and-a-half and during the low water situation last summer duck Burke was able to ReDiscover that site it's about the six feet under water and he actually could go in there and conduct some excavations and there's no doubt that that is Pikes for it. It's significant because it is an early penetration of the Minnesota country by the United States back in 18 V. Pike was sent out by Jefferson to really establish American Authority in this area. Not so much against the Indian tribes, but against the British who still dominated it. So that's an extremely important site. The problem is how do you preserve you can preserve a side under water? But how do you interpret it? Is that a danger? Are there still are there other historical sites of value in Minnesota that are being is Hazard sites. In other parts of this country people maliciously or perhaps just for lack of knowledge her or doing things to a site that that is destroying its value. I would say that's that continues to be a major problem rich people for some very good intentions who want to learn about a site without some professional guidance by an archaeologist can go in and seriously disrupt the side. Some people with more malicious intent or commercial intent go into a site on a treasure-hunting bases in wow. That's a lot of fun at does great damage to our historical record and it's something we continually fight and I think we're making a little progress toward but there's been a great the toll in archaeological sites and especially in Indian burial mounds over the last several decades. This gentleman may want to to write to you I live for others to would like to write to the Historical Society. What's your address? You would write to me rust Fridley, Minnesota Historical Society 690 Cedar Cedar Street, St. Paul. 55101 at 690 Cedar Street Saint Paul 55101 we have other colors on the line, but I'm going to give out the phone number so that if you'd like to call Russell Fridley who is director of the Minnesota historical society and ask him a question about current projects or where to go to see something interesting about Minnesota's past. You can call us if you're in the Twin Cities right now at 227-6207 6000 and around the state of Minnesota one 800-652-9700. That's a toll-free watch line one 806-522-9700. Let's take another call. Good afternoon. You're on the air Society sponsors. We went through the Hill Mansion when it first opened up and I understand you've been working on the 10th. But join a tour to see the Fall colors around Lake Pepin and it was an all-day thing and very well planned and we stopped and had lunch at a Historic Hotel and saw the sites that you probably never would and I think we took a wrong turn and went for a prion the hills and look down on Lake Pepin and in Europe, it would just bring people in from miles around because it's such a spectacular experience and then we all part of Little House on the Prairie, but I have the concern about the Indian mounds around Minnetonka, you know, I'm one of the community and I thought if there were a display Mound that showed people what was inside and why they were built and how they were cited that maybe it would be an educator. Thing and then hopefully people would leave the other Mounds alone if they could see what a typical Indian Mound included. I'd like your comment. Thank you for your comment on that tour you took with us and I share your enthusiasm for that view of Lake Pepin that that's a spectacular sight and well worth the drive down to Lake Pepin in Frontenac State Park. You have a good suggestion there as to how to cause people to be more sensitive to our Indian Mound Heritage. And that's when I'll pass on to archaeologist. It may well be that we can do more with a graphic. Recreation of a mile and then trying to verbalize the problem and and lecture people so helpful suggestion. Are there other tours this man spoke of the one going down to Lake Pepin other other chores that they store call Society sponsors. Yes, the Historical Society I think was the first to cultural organization in Minnesota to sponsor tours and we have seven or eight going each year several in Minnesota some across the United States and two or three in various parts of the world and if our listeners are interested right now for further information. Okay, very good. It is almost 18 minutes past 12 and our guest today is Russell Fridley who is director of the State Historical Society. If you have a question for him, give us a call in the Twin Cities at 2 to 7. 6000 is the number to 276 thousand. If you listening to us around the state of Minnesota outside, the Metropolitan Twin Cities, call us toll-free. One 800-652-9700. Let's take another call. Good afternoon your on the air. Musical instrument Collections, and if if not, is there any procedure that can be an issue to start a collection like that? I'll hang up and listen to your answering the statist Oracle said he has a very limited musical instrument collection and it is not one of our strengths in our Museum collections. I hasten to add we do have many strengths that is not one of them, but we are fortunate in Minnesota to have an outstanding musical instrument collection still in private hands owned by Bill Kugler in Roseville. And I don't think I'd be betraying any secrets if I said that he is in the Goshi ation with the one of the art museums in Minnesota to preserve that collection. And I think that will become into the public Arena within the next Years and it is it is not only significant in its death. But also it's a variety of countries represented. Not only Western Civilization that many many civilizations around the globe. Is he planning, you know de to exhibit that on his own or how how would people see that when it comes to pass a bill or has had a program of exhibiting the collection himself and aiming his his the Tories he conducts to school groups, but he's discontinued that because of age and some ill health in recent years. Okay. Let's take another call. Good afternoon your on the air. Hi, I'm from Saint Paul. And I was wondering if the Historical Society wouldn't take a less active role in building a new Museum and try and promote a variety of community organizations to build smaller facilities looking at a particular area kind of brokering think they could you get better mileage from your money. Well, I can assure you that weed we talked about that and we've looked at that question very seriously over the last couple of decades seems to me we should do both and we have in Minnesota very active network of County Historical societies and local historical groups. We have three or four of our staff members constantly working with those groups, which number almost 300 around the state they would include some ethnic and specialized historical societies also, but in order to keep your Grass Roots Network strong, I think it's essential that you have a strong State organization. And I think we're fortunate in Minnesota is as in many Midwestern states like Wisconsin that when the Minnesota storical Society was set up it was given the Statewide Mission actually was given a Emission because it's 9 years older than the state and you do need I believe this Central collection the central Professional Organization to give some direction and tone to the overall historical effort. So we believe in doing both and I think we'll continue to do that. Ok, lots of colors waiting to ask you a question. So let's go and take another call right now. Good afternoon. You're on the air condition of senior citizens. Is this a toy that's open to anyone or is it time for senior citizens only stores are open to anyone. Our members do receive a discount. So depending on the cost and length of the tour. It may be in your interest to join the Historical Society, but that's not a requirement anyone interested. Who subscribes to the Torme go are all of these tours day trips know some of the chores go into rather like the missions around the globe. One one that I had the pleasure of going on 1982 went to the People's Republic of China and that was three weeks, but I would say at least half of them are one or two day trips can't but the ones around Minnesota themselves would be for the most part day trips day trips or two day trips. Okay. Alright. Let's take another call. Good afternoon question. Yes, I'm calling from St.Paul. I'm interested in the makeup of memberships for Minnesota historical society as a different categories. And would you go into detail about me? Yes, I'll be glad to do that and appreciate the question. We do have several categories of memberships ranging from Individual members $20 up to life members $500 but in between we have a family membership which includes an additional subscription to our magazine for Young People magazine called Roots as well as Minnesota History, which every regular member receives are our quarterly magazine. We have a supporting member at $50 associate member $100 and a life member at $500 and then we have another schedule for corporate members. Who are your members? What do you know about them? We are studying that problem Rich. We need to know more about other members, but I can give you I can give you some profile since we inaugurated the senior citizens membership, which I forgot to mention that's $15 annually and student memberships. Also, we do know that about 15% of our members are 65 and older Ramsey County and Hennepin County comprise about two-thirds of our membership there but evenly divided say 1/3 each and the rest of the state would comprise the other third we have about eight thousand members and I'm glad to say our membership is growing. It's an area we feel we need to develop more intensively because we're continually confronted with people who say why didn't you tell us about this membership? 25 minutes past 12 noon Our Guest is Russell Fridley who is director of the State Historical Society, and if you try to call us a few minutes ago and got a busy signal a couple of lines have opened up to 276 thousand is the number to call in the Twin Cities area, and if you're listening to us around Minnesota, but outside the metro area call us toll-free at 1 800-652-9700. Let's take another call. Good afternoon. You're on the air. I'm calling from Stillwater. And I'm very interested in trying to tape some oral history regarding the thoughts and experiences of elderly people won't be around too much longer, but my results have not been very good. I'm wondering if these charcoal Society could provide some instruction and help to those of us who would like to polish up our skills and in getting this sort of information. I'll hang up and listen to your comment. We'd be very happy to to give you some assistance on your oral history plan. That's a new mode of collecting history and interpreting history that can be a lot of fun and exciting, but I appreciate your frustration with it. We have four or five the talented people on our staff who would be glad to assist you. And if you would drop me a line, I'd be glad to put you in touch with any one of them. Let me just say from my rather limited experience with oral history that I found where you sometimes. have disappointing results comes not from the person you're interviewing but from your own preparation and it's well to view oral history is a two-way street the interviewee, but also the interviewer and I think one of the bits of advice that we would give you as you should do some background reading not only about the person you're interviewing but the. In which they lived as well as The the specialized area in which you're talking with them. So that's about the best I can do under the circumstances, but I do think it's an important part be prepared before you undertake the interview. Okay, let's take another call or good afternoon. We're listening for your question. And I have recently visited the site up at Grand Portage. And I think it's run by the park service up there and I was wondering if the Historical Society ever had intentions to getting involved with that side up there and I was also wondering if they have any other fruit rate sites in Minnesota. The answer to both questions is yes, but the first one on Grand Portage is a qualified. Yes. The Historical Society has been involved at Grand Portage for a long time first in the calling attention to its significance back in the 1920s and 30s through the writings of Grace Lee nude who was on our staff and who wrote about the boys you're in the fur trade as well as other staff members like Willoughby Babcock who conducted some of the first archaeological excavations at Grand Portage and then the society was deeply involved in the 1950s in the campaign to make it a National Monument a unit of the National Park Service in effort. That was successful. The question has been raised by the Reagan Administration the department of interior. What are the state would be interested in acquiring Grand Portage National Monument that has not come to us in any official way and I'm sure that's something our board with one look long and hard at it does give us a little uneasiness to sense that some of the units of the national park system may be cut loose because we think Grand Portage is the most significant fur trade site can the national park system and it also commands a beautiful location. I just mentioned that because it's been the topic of some discussion. But we we also have an organization and Allied organization called the friends of Grand Portage by the Thousand members who work very hard under a Minneapolis attorney and former president of Minnesota Historical Society Curtis Roy who try to rally public interest in Grand Portage and that might be an organization you'd like to join and keep you in closer touch with what's happening at Grand Portage. One of our callers if I could just intersperse here Rich Show asked that we give the telephone number of the Historical Society. Area code +612-296-274-7296 to 747 Wright had two questions, and I just address the first one that forgot what the second one was all my goodness. I usually write these down. I thought it had to do with Grand Portage it as well, but it has it is totally slipped my mind. Well, perhaps perhaps you can give us a ring back again. If there is an open Line, let's go to another call right now. Good afternoon. We're listening for your question. There's power plants by Historical Society. Spell off the Griggs Livingston Burbank house on Summit Avenue next to the University Club in St. Paul II late as a person that does monitoring and lobbing of legislation in the state legislature. It seems that the Historical Society has to every biennium beg for money from the legislature in order for it to survive. And I know in years past for example, you've asked for positions like for oral tape people historic, you know to record historic people or early but that position is never funded. So if you could please comment on those two questions, I'd be much obliged to you very good very good questions and their questions that arise frequently the one on the grapes house because it's been closed the Livingston Griggs house at 420 Summit Avenue. I know is a topic of a keen interest to Saint Paul lights and and people who would like to visit that lovely home. We we have no plans to sell off the Livingston Greg's house. We are aware that the University Club next door has recently undergone new ownership and has been purchased by John Rupp and mr. Rupp has asked for a meeting which were glad to give over the next two weeks to see whether there might not be an opportunity to reopen the Livingston Greg's house in some kind of a common effort with the University Club, and we look forward to that discussion. The the Griggs house relates to your second question and that it was one of the victims of the budget cuts between 1980 and 1983, and we've never had adequate funding. Even though some of the funding has been private to conduct the program at the Greg's house as to the necessity for the Historical Society having to go to the legislature to beg for money. I think that's very true. But I think any organization that is partially dependent or fully dependent upon public funds should I accept that responsibility and cheerfully so it's a highly competitive Arena you have to justify your case. And I think overall the historical studies has been well treated, but I'd have to admit that the last two for five years during a difficult Financial climate has required us to make some very tough decisions and I regret the Livingston Greg's house. So I got caught in that retrenchment when you say just a very quick question when you say that it would cost too much to open that house in to conduct a program. There is made I'm naive but why can't you simply open it up? Perhaps hire a person part-time to to at least to keep the house open and and have us as as as low energy input tour as possible. I don't know how you do that with tape recorders or whatnot. Is that is that something that you can do in a situation like that? I think we're going to have to do more of that rich as far as relying on volunteer efforts. So I think more and more cultural organizations are being driven that way but the the problem with that historic house and most historic houses is that you didn't you need to do some my restoration and Rehabilitation first before you can even open it and it needs a resuscitate and heating plant. You need certain a certain level of climate control temperature and humidity controls and then people using a house as a public institution compared to a private residence where it out much more quickly. So we have to work through those problems and raise the money really to prepare the house for the public before we can open it and I think once we get to that point to your thoughts a good one to develop a Cadre of volunteers, which we've done at many sites Fort Snelling being one of the most successful examples. Okay, let's take another call or good afternoon. You're on the air History Center opens up. Will there be space for large objects like William Crooks and some farm equipment that sort of thing very definitely one of the frustrations we have with the old historical building, which is a great building in many ways, but not as a museum. One of the frustrations is that we're so limited in the scale of objects and Exhibits that we can exhibit and I can assure you the William Cook cruxes first on our list and get you may know it's on exhibit. At the Lake Superior Museum of Transportation in Duluth, but it's only on loan. We'd love to bring it back to Saint Paul to the new History Center. What is it? Oh, I'm sorry. The William Crooks is the first locomotive in Minnesota that ran between st. Paul and st. Anthony and not only is the locomotive in tag but the original train consisting of a coal car and two Freight cars and a caboose all very well-preserved. Okay. Let's take another call or good afternoon. We listening for your question. Contra video I have two questions when the first pretends to historical research according to the Orioles history in our family. My great-grandfather owned the land that is now in ataska state park and I was made to sell it to the government, and I wondered if you could tell me where I could check that the record of that sale and if it exists and the second question I have is I hear a lot about wonderful caves in St. Paul that one can visit or even test conducted tours of and I'm curious to take that if you could tell me something about all right, let me take the Itasca State Park question first there would be a number of sources where you could excuse me where you can find that information. I would the first to direct you to our Research Center at 1500 Mississippi Street about three miles north of St. Paul. Just east of The 35e interstate off the Wheelock Parkway exit and there we have a huge collection of the public documents of Minnesota right from the beginning of Minnesota territory. Also, I think the Department of Natural Resources might very well have that information. They have a number of historical sketches of Itasca State Park, but that should not be a difficult Factor run down. And then on your second question, which was what which do you prefer chocolate? I miss that to think about this all the caves. How could I forget that? I'm not aware of any guided tours on a regular basis for caves in St. Paul, but there are several celebrated caves the most famous of which is Carver's cave if you know Indian mounds park below Dayton's Bluff along the Mississippi River the railroad right-of-way that cave was visited by British Explorer in 1766 Jonathan Carver and he wrote a very interesting account of it as he was moving through this region as a as a British traveler the cave is closed but it is identified and on occasion there are events there. And again, if you'd care to write me at the Historical Society, I'll put you in touch with Alan Woolworth who's on our staff and knows that situation intimately for those caves used for anything at all during the early days of Saint Paul or Carver's cave had a religious significance to the Dakota Indians and was the scene of many funerals and Carver attended the number of these over the long Winters 1766 67 and he describes that it also had some pictographs inside and a large pool of water which is still there. A number of the other caves in in later decades were used for storage. And as you know, I have provide the excellent natural humidity control. Okay, and again the 1st part 2 the ant your answer to our callers first question. There was the the records and documents division is at 1500. 1500 Mississippi Street, but if you care for telephone number the area to area code 61229 6 6980 and it's known as The Archives and manuscripts Division and they'll be very glad to respond to your inquiry. All right, let's take another call or good afternoon. You're on the air. How much is a family membership? Our family membership is $25. All right, thank you. Let's take another call. Good afternoon. We're listening for your question. Hello, OK and my second question was besides the grand for each other any other sites for trade sites on a very good question and I apologize for that lapse of memory. Yes, we talked about the discovery of the French proposed site north of Little Falls. And I think that one will emerge over the next few years to interpret the French. Grand Portage as you probably know really is associated with the British fur trade that Rose in the following the Takeover of North America from the French after the French and Indian War in 1763. So the Heyday of Grand Portage is Mark between about 1780. 18 three or four there is a very fine preservation of a wintering post. Just west of Pine City known as the Northwest Company Fur Post. It's well marked off I-35 as you approach Pine City and then you drive West about two miles and that has been discovered excavated restored and reconstructed as an example of a British group Trading Post where you gathered The Furs Over The Long Winter and then transported them to Grand Portage in the spring. So it gives you a second link in that very complicated early industry. We call the fur trade. Alright, let's take another call. Good afternoon. You're on the air like to find out if there is a listing out of the various facilities that are under the auspices of the Historical Society and also, Which ones are physically accessible and along with that on the various trips that you have available. If any of these are available for persons with disabilities. Yes, I'll be glad to send you that list if you would write me or or call me. As far as those available to handicapped persons persons with physical disabilities. We're working on that problem and I would say about 80% of the historic sites are now accessible to the handicap. We've had excellent cooperation from the Council on the handicapped. One of the more recent ones. I regret to say to become available to the handicap was the old historical building at 690 Cedar Street, but for the the new projects this is built right into the plan such as the restoration the hill house that's fully accessible the new interpretive Center Split Rock Lighthouse that will be available Fort Snelling is available. We do have a couple of sites. We're still working on other the Ramsey house would be one of these but I think we have that problem virtually near solution. Okay, and we should tell listeners. It will repeat the other full address of the Historical Society in the phone numbers. We've been giving out here at the end of the program just before 1 let's take another call or good afternoon. You're on the air. Farm America in Waseca, Minnesota, and I would like to know what the historical society is doing to help develop. This institution. America is the name of the Minnesota agricultural interpretive Center that was authorized by the first perfect Administration as a a pet project of Governor per page who has a great interest in Minnesota History and has been a strong supporter of this torkoal psy.d and it has continued to develop since that time. I rolled are I would say is an unofficial one, but a very active one in that we're meeting with them. Sometimes more than monthly at least monthly I serve on their advisory committee and we're working out a plan to interpret the story of Minnesota agriculture. So that the Kelley Farm near Elk River the Oliver H Kelley Farm, which is a historical society site interprets the early pre mechanized history of Agriculture as well as the story of early farm organizations in Minnesota in this region and farmamerica increasingly will focus upon a pioneer farm and then the farm of the 1930s and bring it up to the 1950s dealing with the family farm the achievements of the family farm as well as the crisis. With the family farm today that day is a very large exciting project that is making progress near Waseca. They recently moved in a farm of the 1930s from an area south of Mankato and it's well worth seeing. Okay 15 minutes before 1 in our guest this afternoon is Russell Fridley. He's taking your calls about the historical interest in the state of Minnesota the Minnesota store closest ID and what it's doing in the places. You might want to visit this summer. Let's take another call good afternoon. You're on the air have a women's organization headed by a lady known as Millie yin-yang gignac who works for the spare univac company. And she's been a dynamic leader that organization and they sponsor a number of events throughout the year there an independent organization have their own membership but to work along with us on the variety of projects and they've been of immense value in the Restorations of the Ramsey and he'll houses. All right, let's take another cock and afternoon, you're on the air. Hi. I was wondering if there any Old Stagecoach lines that have been identified and are available to the public for hiking or biking racing like that. Thank you. Yes on that subject. I have to admit to I'm not very much knowledge. But I know that we have a number of articles that have been written through the years and published in our quarterly magazine Minnesota History and then Our Roots magazine and other Publications. So if you would direct a letter a call to me, I'd be glad to get that information to you. I would say that one of our sites the me and store down in Forestville state park near Preston, Minnesota and Fillmore County in the Southeast Corner, Minnesota would provide you with an excellent example of a Early General Store. That was also a stagecoach stop. And I know that our archives Nar fine Library can add to that information couple of lines have opened up since we last gave out the phone numbers and this will do that again to 276 thousand if you tried to get us and called from here in the Twin Cities, but got a busy signal better go to 276 thousand is the number you can try now or if you're listening around the state of Minnesota outside the metro area. Try one 800-652-9700. That's a toll-free line. And let's take another call. Good afternoon. You're on the air after noon a channel to m. And then given to man grants to land that would be between cheevers Tower and Central Avenue and I've always wondered about this and would I check through the Mississippi Historical Society or how does this sound possible to you soon as possible, but it's well worth checking in the in the research center on 1500 Mississippi Street would be an excellent place to start or in our library in the main building at 690 Cedar Street across from the capital. It sounds like a very interesting bit of your family history. What we often find is oral history while colorful and stimulating and the fun is not always accurate. So I would urge you to go to the record and check it out or you may find that that's a topic of an early dispute or or lawsuit those land. Possession questions are fascinating and the sometimes result in a major research project. So I wish you luck on that one. All right, let's take another call. Good afternoon. We're listening for your question calling from Minneapolis with a question for mr. Fridley. Does the Minnesota Historical Society have any ongoing collaborative efforts with other state the Historical Society? Yes, we do. We had a collaborative effort on an exhibit their relating to Germans in the midwest a couple of years ago. That was with the State Historical Society Wisconsin in Madison. Currently, we have an exciting exhibit with a State Historical Society. But with the a museum in Oslo Norway called the promise of America our newest exhibit and it's the story of Norwegian immigration to America from the Norwegian point of view and I would urge you to visit that and we do work with the various historical societies around the country. We are discussing with the Oregon Historical Society a couple of ideas. That is another State Historical Society deeply interested in the fur trade and we are trying to formulate a plan to Prepare an exhibit that would look at the fur trade to the the Far West and the Pacific Ocean. Also, we've worked with a number of Canadian museums the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. We had a joint to underwater archaeology program that stretched over about 12 years. We worked with the Manitoba historical society and old Ford William at Thunder Bay, which also doesn't outstanding job along with Grand Portage in interpreting the fur trade. We've had joint projects with that organization. So we're open to that and I think I think historical organizations are much more comfortable with the joint efforts than say 20 years ago when the tendency was probably for each to do their own thing. Let's take another call right now. Good afternoon. You're on the air. Action and I just wanted to say that the true except in St. Paul has an excellent keyboard instrument. Should I believe? Mr. Lee Mansion? I've been given and around the Twin Cities. Well, that's very good news. And I appreciate you appreciate you updating us on that. I was not aware that the Kugler collection had officially been given, but that's great news. OK in The Landmark Center courses here in downtown St. Paul. Let's take another call. Good afternoon. We listening for your question. And also I ran across a reference of an unpublished manuscript by bracelet at the Minnesota store beside a library in White Bear Lake and I would like to know how I can obtain a copy of that. Thank you. On the second question of how you obtain a copy of that just write me a letter and unless there's still some restriction placed on it as as a condition condition of guess there should be no problem. We'll be glad to make a copy and get it to you. Grace Lee Newton is a woman who was one of the remarkable generation that came to the Historical Society under soul and Jay Buck during and the right after World War one and it was Grace new to really really discovered for the public the story of the fur trade in Minnesota. And the number of her books the Voyager voyageurs Highway Rainy River Country have been published by the Minnesota historical society and they're still very much in Vogue in among our most popular Publications. She is still living in Connecticut and other than Rather serious site problems is enjoying good health and we're in touch with her from time to time 6 minutes before 1 and I think we have time enough to get all of the colors waiting on the air with her question. So let's take another one right now. Good afternoon. We listening for your question. Yes, sir. It is survey information, especially in places like the Mille Lacs area of the Iowa border and the Northwest angle. Also I'm interested if you could come in whether you have such things as family record endowment Arrangements were by a family can establishing a diamond with the society and police records that will be maintained their into the future and finally I'm interested in information on the Red Rock religious history. That's the area of Red Rock around. St. Paul Oh good questions and varied ones of the survey records. I assume are you referring to the records created by the early surveyors who often were the first government officials into an area to actually survey and locate and describe an area? They constitute a very large collection in the land records of the territory in the state and we do have a 8 I won't say in it virtually complete file. But much of the state would be well covered. Those are invaluable records for anyone who wants to get a glimpse of Minnesota before settlement during settlement prior to the Great Waves of immigration and those are available and we invite your use of them. They would be at the research center at 1500, Mississippi Street. I asked to family endowments were always willing to talk about endowments and arrangements and it it would be difficult to generalize. I think again in just a few brief moments as to what would or would not be possible. But that would be glad to talk to you on Red Rock The Red Rock was an early landmark of the Dakota Indians that is mentioned by some of the very earliest travelers to Minnesota and that rock as you may or may not know now resides in the on the front lawn of a Methodist Church in Dakota County. I cannot give you the precise location, but if you'll call me I'll be glad to provide it. Okay, and we'll give out your phone number here in just a couple of minutes. Let's take another call get afternoon. You're on the air. some views that I I have about I was I volunteer at Fort Snelling in the History Center and I was helping restore some artifacts some mainly metal artifacts down in the history and it came to my attention that mr. Fridley was more interested in preserving a lot of a manuscript materials and paper are then allocating money toward some of the archaeological artifact where there's only one circular archaeologist on the staff of half-time in Minnesota and all the artifacts that are metal. Especially the ones coming from the Fort Snelling. Blacksmith shop or sitting in boxes rusting and with no attention. I would agree with you that that the collection did not receive the highest priority, but I did not think it was abused or neglected and I do not think your statement is correct that there's only a half time archaeologist or a full time and a half time archaeologist in Minnesota. The field of Archaeology is divided in Minnesota and that may or may not be the most efficient way to pursue a state archaeological program. Some of it resides it with the state archaeologist at Hamline University some at the University of Minnesota and the Historic Site archaeology with the Minnesota Historical Society. So I don't think you can Quite compare the preservation of the manuscripts in the public records collection with archaeology, but I am glad to report that we do have more resources on that collection and it is being catalogued and well taken care of. Okay rush. I'm going to have to cut you off and I think collars for calling in or out of time. I want a very quickly give listeners who been waiting at both the Historical Society address. And phone number is the Minnesota Historical Society 690 Cedar Street Saint Paul 55101 and the area code 612-296-2747 and I assume rust at the people can call there and get information about the other places that we've been talking about all 7 days a week. Okay, very good. Thanks for being with us this afternoon and thanks to all of the colors and we'll have to have you back again real soon also want to thank Sarah Meyer who handled the phone traffic to Shafter. And Randy Johnson and Dave sleep the board operators time coming up on one. This is Minnesota Public Radio a member of supported service. And this is the news and information service of Minnesota Public Radio. Ksjn, 1330 Minneapolis-Saint Paul in 10 seconds will bring you a p network news a quick look at the forecast plenty of sunshine is forecast for the Twin Cities for this afternoon with a high around 80° the time right now is exactly one.