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NHPRC Basic Project Grant

You're all invited to a party so save the date: May 11, 2057! That's when the sealed time capsule that is part of the records of the Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission will be opened. Just in time to plan for the state's May 11, 2058 bicentennial!

Time Capsule ribbon This month we're highlighting the records of the Commission, which was created by legislation in 2005 to plan, promote, and oversee events and activities recognizing Minnesota's 150th anniversary of statehood and to achieve broad participation of the people of Minnesota, visitors, local communities, institutions and organizations across the state.


Finding Aid Statistics

The Minnesota Historical Society was awarded a Basic Project grant by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) that is significantly supporting public access to its backlogged acquisitions of government records and manuscripts collections.

Learn more about how the NHPRC helps preserve and promote access to records of historical value.


Time Capsule seal Documenting the Commission's work, the files include minutes; files of the executive director, chairperson, and Minnesota Historical Society liaison; event and grant files; published records and reports, including the commission's final report, news releases, clippings, and the sesquicentennial master plan; cookbook submissions; Minnesota, Hail to Thee galley proofs; journals signed at events and the State Fair; videos of Statehood Day (May 11, 2008), Statehood Ceremony (May 18, 2008), and Minnesota: Real or Imagined, a look at Minnesota's future produced by the commission; related materials documenting celebrations throughout the state; and, of course, the intriguing sealed time capsule.

Time Capsule

What better place to store it then in our climate controlled, secure stacks? And with our detailed records of the capsule's exact location it will be easy to retrieve for the bicentennial celebration in 2058 (the red, white, and blue ribbon also is a little hard to miss amongst the standard brown and grey boxes).



New and Revised Finding Aids - April 2012

Name/Abstract File No.
Administration Department: An Inventory of Its Drive to Excellence Program Records gr00564
Record of this state government reform initiative (2005-2010) that focused on serving citizens better by increasing quality in government, increasing customer service in government and reducing costs in government.
Ah-Gwah-Ching Nursing Home: An Inventory of Its Records gr00095
Records documenting the administration of the Ah-Gwah-Ching Nursing Home, a state institution for geriatric patients located in Cass County near Walker, Minnesota. Opened in 1962 [Laws 1961 c618], the nursing home is housed in the buildings of the former Ah-Gwah-Ching Sanatorium (Minnesota State Sanatorium).
Beltrami County: Auditor: An Inventory of Its Tax Lists/Assessment Rolls gr00463
Tax lists and assessment rolls for the civil subdivisions of Beltrami County, recording the assessed value of (sample years 1920-1922, 1930-1932, 1940-1942, 1950-1952, 1960-1962, 1969-1972, 1980-1981, 1990-1991) and taxes levied and paid on (1876-1878, 1880-1911, and sample years 1920-1922, 1930-1932, 1940-1942, 1950-1952, 1960-1962, 1969-1972, 1980-1981, 1990-1991) taxable real and personal property. The only records present for 1940-1942 are those for the City of Bemidji.
Big Stone County: Auditor: An Inventory of Its Tax Lists gr00562
Tax lists for the civil subdivisions of Big Stone County, recording the taxes paid on real and personal property for the years 1875-1901 and subsequent sample years 1910-1911, 1920-1921, 1931, 1941, 1950-1951, 1960-1961, 1970, 1980-1981, and 1990.
Big Stone County: District Court: An Inventory of Its Real Estate Tax Judgement Books gr00563
Record of real estate found to be tax delinquent; includes names of owners, description of the property, year(s) for which taxes are delinquent, total tax and penalty, costs, and the total amount of judgement.
Conservation Department: An Inventory of Its Miscellaneous Records cons027
Assorted reports, correspondence, testimony transcripts, speeches, maps, circulars, indexes, and related materials mainly documenting aspects of departmental administration.
Duluth, Minnesota, Miscellaneous Newspapers Collection: An Inventory of Titles on the Duluth, Minnesota, Miscellaneous Newspaper Microfilm lb00004
Miscellaneous titles and issues of newspapers published in Duluth, Minnesota, between 1869 and 1977.
Garden Club of Ramsey County: An Inventory of Its Records 00637
Constitutions and bylaws, minutes, correspondence, membership directories, events and program files, newspaper clippings, committee reports, histories, and financial records of a garden club located in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Governor: An Inventory of Its Proclamations gr00486
Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, 1860 Proclamations and executive orders, primarily executive office copies of those issued during 1901-1978. Includes printed copies and some miscellaneous typescripts for the years 1850-1927 and occasional later years, primarily for holidays and other celebratory occasions, and indexes for the years 1901-1965 and 1977-1978. Of particular interest are proclamations declaring the creation of new or partitioned counties, 1895-1912.

Includes digital content.
Sanford H. Hudson: An Inventory of His Papers 01047
Biographical information, correspondence, and financial papers of a prominent Benson, Swift County (Minn.) attorney, businessman, and banker who was active in city and county political and civic affairs and was a leader in the development of west central Minnesota. Sanford Hudson's papers relate primarily to his business, urban and rural real estate, banking interests, and investments in Minnesota and other states. There is also some correspondence pertaining to legal cases and family financial matters. Includes papers of Irving M. Hudson, the son of Sanford and Lorena McLaren Hudson.
Ralph J. Keller: An Inventory of His World War II Correspondence 01046
Primarily letters sent home by a Ramsey County man to his family in the St. Paul area while serving in the United States Signal Corps during World War II from stateside camps and from deployments in New Guinea and the Philippines. The collection also includes biographical material, genealogical data on the Keller family, some photographs, and some post-war correspondence and papers. Much of the material is in 3-ring binders.
League of Women Voters of St. Paul: An Inventory of Its Records 00217
Historical information, bylaws, minutes, correspondence files, annual reports, financial and membership records, league publications, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and program-related files of a local League of Women Voters chapter organized in November 1919.
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources: An Inventory of Its Project Files gr00560
Files containing periodic and final reports (some published), budgets, work programs, correspondence and internal memos for projects funded by the LCMR.
Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources: An Inventory of Its Minutes and Agenda Packets gr00559
Minutes and agenda packets of the Commission, its Executive Committee, and various other committees and task forces covering such topics as forestry, goals and objectives, legislative review, water, land and recreation, minerals, soil, and energy. Also documentation of commission tours to various areas of the state.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, Miscellaneous Newspapers Collection: An Inventory of Titles on the Minneapolis, Minnesota, Miscellaneous Newspaper Microfilm lb00006
Miscellaneous titles and issues of newspapers published in Minneapolis, Minnesota, between 1860 and 1989.
Charles Henry Mix: An Inventory of His Papers 01045
Red River Valley Old Settlers Association certificateCollection contains correspondence, diaries, memoranda book, photographs, appointment certificates, membership certificates, and other miscellaneous papers documenting Mix's role as Indian agent, Civil War soldier, land speculator, and member of the Knights Templar and Ancient and Free Accepted Masons.
Pine County: Probate Court: An Inventory of Its Probate Case Files gr00566
Probate case file numbers 1-1634.
Ramsey County: St. Paul: School Records: Independent School District No. 625: An Inventory of Its Censuses gr00565
Annual district-wide censuses, by pupil name, of school-age children in the portions of St. Paul and environs served by the St. Paul Public Schools, presumably compiled from the original censuses taken for each individual school.
State Capitol Commissioners Board: An Inventory of Its Records sccb
Biennial reports, minutes, correspondence, financial records, bids and contracts, printed materials, and miscellany relating to construction of the Minnesota State Capitol Building.
Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission: An Inventory of Its Records gr00567
Time CapsuleRecords documenting the work of the Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission.

Includes digital content.
Stillwater State Prison: An Inventory of Its Case Files (Discharged Inmate Files gr00206
Correspondence, reports, administrative forms, and related papers documenting the incarceration, parole, and discharge of prisoners at the Minnesota state prison. A prisoner's file may include the admittance record; correspondence with the sentencing court and with relatives; record of the inmate's work, discipline, and other activities while in prison; physician's reports; correspondence with criminal justice agencies in other states; photograph (in later files); and parole reports. Recent files tend to be more fully documented than earlier files.
Emily Ann Staples Tuttle: An Inventory of Her Papers 01048
Portrait of Emily Ann Staples TuttleCampaign, and pre- and post-legislative activity files documenting Tuttle's political activities, especially as a member of the Minnesota State Senate (1977-1980), and a candidate for the nomination for lieutenant governor with Mike Hatch (1990). Also includes correspondence and reports of numerous boards, committees, and organizations on which Tuttle served. Tuttle was involved in, among others, issues concerning education, arts, gender equality, a United Way adoption bill.

Includes digital content.
Woman's Christian Temperance Union Of Minnesota: An Inventory of Its Records 00106
Records related to a state-wide women's organization focused primarily on raising public awareness of the personal and social problems brought about by the consumption of alcoholic beverages, and on the advocacy of individual abstinence and prohibition. Includes records of district and local unions (chapters).

New and Revised Catalog Records - March 2012

Name/Abstract
Battle of Birch Coulee: Ground plan of the corral.
Hand-drawn plan of the Battle of Birch Coulee made by an unidentified participant at an unknown time.
Big Stone County (Minn.). Auditor. Town and school officers record.
Record documenting town officers, school officers, and tax levies.
Big Stone County (Minn.). Auditor. School District Record.
Includes school district number where changes were made, date of change, name of petitioner, description of change, as well as a plat of the school district portraying changes.
Davis, E. Page. E. Page Davis papers.
The collection relates to promotion of and emigration to Minnesota and the Red River Valley. Two items (1871) relate to the Northwestern Colonization and Free Homestead Company of New York where E. Page Davis was General Agent. Two items (undated, 1872) relate to the Red River Colony of Minnesota based in New York of which Davis was also General Agent.
Little, Matthew. Files relating to the Minneapolis NAACP.
Files of Matthew Little as head of the Minneapolis office of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Includes information about Minneapolis school desegregation, the Sumner Field Homes in north Minneapolis, the purchase of WCCO-TV and WCCO radio by CBS Inc., and the Roy Wilkins Memorial in St. Paul.
Thomas, John, comp. Hotel Saint Paul Collection.
Photocopy of a guest register with signatures and comments made by celebrities including politicians, musicians, entertainers, and sports figures; a 1910 newspaper story about the opening of the hotel; a calendar of historic events and significant guests associated with the hotel; an annotated typescript history of the hotel; a bell staff financial record book; photographs and picture postcards; and news clippings.

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