Fiscal year 1999 was a time of transition, marking the end of James E. Sperry's twenty-nine years as the superintendent of the Society and the appointment of Samuel J. Wegner as his successor. The State Historical Board and the staff of the Society, with the help of citizens and legislators, spent this year looking back at where the Society has been and making plans to move ahead, while responding to the challenges of its mission, ". . . identifying, interpreting, preserving and promoting the heritage of North Dakota and its people."

LOOKING BACK

Community Conversations

The State Historical Society hosted a series of "Community Conversations" throughout the state in late 1998 to seek advice from the public before developing plans for the twenty-first century. Agency representatives visited with more than two hundred North Dakotans statewide about their ideas and concerns in meetings held in Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot, Wahpeton, West Fargo, and Williston. Community representatives included local museum and historic site officials, Society volunteers, Friends groups, chambers of commerce, convention and visitor bureaus, educators, legislators, city officials and the general public.

The conversations helped to identify several themes for the Society to consider in its future plans, including:

MEETING THE CHALLENGES

Sharing Artifacts Around the Globe

This summer, the Hessian State Museum in Darmstadt, Germany, became the first European museum to display North Dakota Indian artifacts when it borrowed twenty-nine Indian Lakota and Sitting Bull artifacts from the collections of the State Historical Society for the Sitting Bull and the Lakota exhibition, which ran June 13-October 17.

The exhibition included artifacts from museums throughout the United States and Europe to illustrate the culture of the Lakota people and the significance of Sitting Bull, the Lakota Sioux spiritual leader. The Hessian State Museum covered all expenses including shipping, insurance, security and travel expenses for Society curators Mark Halvorson and Jenny Yearous, who accompanied the artifacts to and from Germany.

History Alive! Programs Expanded

Two new History Alive! historical characters were introduced at the Chateau de Mores and Fort Buford State Historic Sites. Visitors enjoyed meeting Madame de Mores, portrayed by Karen Nelson, Dickinson State University. The historic figure of Captain Grant Marsh, a master steamboat pilot, reminisced about his life on the Missouri River at Fort Buford. Marsh was portrayed by Arch Ellwein of Sidney, Montana.

Returning characters included fur trade entrepreneur Antoine Gingras, who shared his tales of life during the 1860s along the Red River at Gingras State Historic Site. Gingras was portrayed by Virgil Benoit, University of North Dakota (UND). At the Chateau, the Marquis de Mores was portrayed by Mark Klemetsrud, University of Nebraska in Lincoln. History comes alive during the dialogues which are based on letters, diaries, and other historic doc-uments, many from the archives of the State Historical Society.

Media Contacts

Through cooperation with the media-television, radio, and newspapers-staff members provided interviews and information for stories that gave the public a good look at the Society's collections, programs, and events. In November 1998 during the Sunday evening late news show, Cliff Naylor, of the NBC Television affiliate station KFYR in Bismarck, premiered a weekly television series, North Dakota History Moment, which featured agency staff in 28 of the 35 segments that aired statewide through June 1999. Staff and agency sites were also featured in several episodes of Naylor's other weekly television series, Off the Beaten Path. The extensive media coverage of agency events and activities was comparable to more than $225,000 in advertising dollars.

Archeological Field School at Menoken

The public had the opportunity to watch archeological fieldwork in progress and be among the first to learn about new discoveries at the Menoken Indian Village State Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark. On-site tours were given between June 8 and July 16, and the site remained open to the public throughout the summer's work. Interpretive exhibits are under development and will be expanded periodically as research continues until May 2001.

These developments are the result of a $180,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the North Dakota Department of Transportation, made available through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century (TEA-21).

The village, thought to be one of the earliest village sites near the Missouri River, is believed to date to about 900 years ago. The project has been a collaborative effort between the Society, the PaleoCultural Research Group, and the University of Missouri.

"Time Travelers: Ask an Expert" Provides Answers

The public brought fossils, quilts, and unidentified whatchamacallits to experts from the State Historical Society and the North Dakota Geological Survey to get help in identifying their treasures. "Time Travelers" programs were offered at the North Dakota Heritage Center and at the Chateau de Mores State Historic Site Interpretive Center in Medora during the winter months. Participants received information about their objects, as well as tips on how to document and preserve them.

History Conference Examines a Sense of Place

"What is This Place North Dakota? Environment and Identity on the Northern Plains" was the topic of the 1998 North Dakota History Conference held at the North Dakota Heritage Center September 25-27. The conference emphasized interagency cooperation, with support provided by the North Dakota Humanities Council, North Dakota Geological Survey, and the North Dakota Departments of Game and Fish, Parks and Recreation, and Tourism. New this year were a series of outdoor recreational tours and topics.

Everett Albers, director of the North Dakota Humanities Council, received the Heritage Profile Honor Award from the Society for his achievements in the field of history and the humanities, and Dr. Terry Shoptaugh, archivist for the Northwest Minnesota Historical Center at Moorhead State University, received the Editor's Award for his 1997 article in North Dakota History, "'You Have Been Kind Enough to Assist Me': Herman Stern's Personal Crusade to Help German Jews, 1932-1941."

Workshops Encourage Teachers to Explore

Lewis and Clark and the Missouri River were the focus of the 1999 teacher workshop, "On the Road with North Dakota Studies: The Missouri River--From Earthlodge Villages to the Garrison Dam," held on June 21-23. Funded by the North Dakota Humanities Council, the course included a visit to the State Archives, presentations by UND archeologist Fred Schneider and NDSU historian Mark Harvey, and field trips to the Garrison Dam and the Three Affiliated Tribes Museum, which helped to coordinate the workshop.

Technology Extends the Society's Reach

School programs have received strong emphasis with a new focus on technology and visibility. The Society has begun an exciting collaboration with the Dakota Science Center in Grand Forks on the NatureShift! Linking Learning to Life program. The Center has hired two staff members, Tonya Moe and Nathan Austin, who are working at the Society to assist with program development and technology outreach. State-of-the-art computer equipment will make this program available across the state. Check the web site at www.natureshift.org and click on "Grandparent's Attic" and the "Nature Shift Cafe Menu" to see the work in progress!

With the use of the Interactive Video Network, Educational Programs Coordinator Linda Ehreth has established a statewide network for National History Day. Coordinators are in place in the eight regions of the state and have taken part in training sessions in preparation for the event, planned for February 25, 2000.

A free electronic discussion group has been developed as a cooperative venture between the State Historical Society and NDSU. The group is open to all museum, cultural, and historic preservation organizations and individuals interested in public history, museum work, and cultural and historic preservation in North Dakota. Check out the Internet at museum-work@listserv. nodak.edu.

www.state.nd.us/hist

Researchers Use the Web Site and Electronic Mail

Reference requests made to the State Archives and Historical Research Library increased again this year, up more than 13 percent over FY 1998. Correspondence increased 43 percent, largely due to increased use of e-mail. Although statistics are incomplete, the Society's web site was visited more than 70,000 times during FY 1999. Appreciation for the information on the web site was expressed by correspondents from such diverse locations as Tokyo, Japan, and Vasterhaninge, Sweden.

Book dealers, collectors and researchers nationwide used the State Historical Society's popular web site to bid on duplicates or titles that do not fit the collection guidelines for the State Archives at the agency's seventh annual book sale June 8-11. Many of the books, magazines, World War I posters, and government reports were auctioned off to visitors of the Society's web site. Sales totaled almost $10,000, or nearly double the previous year, thanks to a combination of Internet bidding and the availability of many Bureau of American Ethnology publications, a popular item with scholars and collectors.

Photographs and video from the State Historical Society of North Dakota collections appeared in a variety of publications and presentations, including in-state television, Department of Transportation interpretation, Department of Public Instruction publications, a film produced by the Pan-American Games, network television news, sound recordings, illustrations, and a number of publications and exhibits.

Disaster Preparedness

In response to the April 1997 Red River Valley flooding, the Curatorial and Exhibit Services Division completed an agency manual with procedures for responding to a disaster, sharing the lessons they learned assisting with flood recovery. They have also developed efficient emergency response carts for the North Dakota Heritage Center, and have shared the "how-to" of those carts with other agencies.

NOTING OUR SUCCESSES

Awards, Honors, and Museum Reaccreditation

The State Historical Society received important recognition this year when the American Association of Museums awarded the North Dakota Heritage Center, home of the State Historical Society, with the highest honor a museum can receive, reaccreditation.

Two sites were added to the National Register of Historic Places this year, both in northeastern North Dakota: the Roxy Theatre in Langdon and the former South Junior High School in Grand Forks. The Roxy was used continually from 1936 to early 1995 and was the scene of many community social activities. The Northern Lights Arts Council reopened the Roxy in 1998 to feature plays, recitals, and variety shows. The former South Junior High School, built in 1932, has undergone rehabilitation into forty-five affordable senior housing units and an indoor parking facility.

Two local historical societies received Certificates of Commendation from the American Association for State and Local History for their outstanding work in the field of public history: the Steele County Historical Society and the Buffalo Historical Society in Cass County. The former was instrumental in assisting with the flood recovery efforts for the Grand Forks County Historical Society in 1997. The Buffalo Historical Society has restored the Old Stone Church in Buffalo, generating significant community support in the process.

Publications Feature Exhibits and Historic Sites

The Society published a thirty-page exhibit catalog to provide a permanent record of the beautiful exhibit, Sacred Beauty: Quillwork of Plains Women. Written by Mark Halvorson, curator of collections research, the text explains the history and process of quillwork, and the 37 photographs by Todd Strand capture forever the beautifully crafted objects. The American Library Association selected the catalog for its List of Notable Government Publications.

A special double issue of North Dakota History, the quarterly journal published by the State Historical Society, features articles and photographs relating to the Earth, Water, and Fire: North Dakota Clay exhibit that ran from February 1998 through August 1999 at the North Dakota Heritage Center. The spring/summer 1998 issue includes articles featuring geology, the classification of early pottery, innovative potters, and the history of the brickmaking factories that once dotted the prairie.

The Society also produced a bound copy of the text of the Building Blocks exhibit, written by Frank Vyzralek. Building Blocks examines the industrial uses of North Dakota clay, as part of the Earth, Water, and Fire exhibit.

Staff Awards and Changes

Photo Archivist Todd Strand was chosen by his colleagues to receive the 1999 Staff Award for Excellence. A talented photographer and artist in his own right, Strand has worked as the photo archivist in the State Archives and Historical Research Library Division since 1978.

The following staff members resigned during this fiscal year: Robin Thorstenson, Barbara Halvorson, Chris Dill, and Roiann Baird. Newly hired full-time staff were Allen Larson, Diane Rogness, Blair Newton, and Harlo Thon. Kathy Davison and Eileen Walsh were hired as half-time temporary employees.

Two graduate students, Alexis Radil (1998, University of Kansas) and Dana Schaar (1999, University of Colorado-Boulder) and three undergraduate students, Jackie Johnson (1999, NDSU) , Jarrod Herbers (1998, University of Mary) and Tracey Ellwein (1998, NDSU) gained experience and contributed to the Society through their work as interns in the summers of 1998 and 1999.

Outreach Fast Facts--FY '99

Preparing for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial

Agency preparations for the commemoration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial moved ahead significantly this year. The State Historical Society's budget for the 1999-2001 biennium includes a $931,000 appropriation from the Legislative Assembly for enhancements at three state historic sites relating to the Lewis and Clark Expedition era - Double Ditch Indian Village near Bismarck, Fort Clark near Washburn, and Fort Buford near Williston. This amount also includes funding for planning an updated Frontier Era exhibit in the North Dakota Heritage Center, traveling exhibits and educational programming, including teachers' workshops and expansion of the popular agency Suitcase Exhibits for North Dakota (SEND) Program.

Additional funding for enhancements at Fort Buford State Historic Site near Williston and Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site near Wahpeton came from $1,480,000 in TEA-21 grants for construction and improvement projects. The $1 million grant for Fort Buford will be used for construction of an interpretive center. The Williston community, including the Friends of Fort Union-Fort Buford, will provide a local match of $252,000. The visitor center will interpret the story of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers confluence area, including the history of Fort Buford and the journey of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which passed through North Dakota in 1804 and 1806.

The $480,000 grant for Fort Abercrombie, when combined with a 20 percent local match from state legislative funding and funds raised by the Friends of Fort Abercrombie, will finance a series of projects, including stabilizing and restoring the original log guardhouse and stabilizing and rehabilitating blockhouses that were reconstructed during a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project in 1939-40. Enhanced historical markers, signage, and interpretation will also be provided at the site.

If approved by the Legislative Assembly, work at Fort Abercrombie will be completed in late 2002, and at Fort Buford by the fall of 2003.

Plans are also well underway to add a Fort Clark interpretive wing to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn. Located southwest of Washburn, Fort Clark was named for explorer William Clark, and is one of the most important archeological sites in North Dakota. The Society is working closely with the North Dakota Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Foundation, which received a $800,000 TEA-21 grant for the expansion project. The Foundation is raising funds to provide a local match. The Fort Clark wing is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2001.

We invite you to support our mission of "identifying, interpreting, preserving and promoting the heritage of North Dakota and its people" by becoming a member of the State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation. You will receive quarterly issues of North Dakota History, the history journal full of interesting articles and captivating photographs, as well as the newsletter Plains Talk to keep you informed about all the programs, exhibits, and events sponsored by the State Historical Society. For more information, please write the SHSND Foundation at P.O. Box 1976, Bismarck, ND 58502, call (701) 222-1966 or e-mail hstlfdn@btigate.com.

CUTLINES

(L-R) Communications Director Rick Collin, Superintendent Samuel J. Wegner, and State Archivist Jerry Newborg participated in a "Community Conversation" held at the Richland County Historical Museum in Wahpeton on December 2. Historic Sites Division Director Merl Paaverud (not pictured) also represented the Society at the series of statewide meetings.

Karen Nelson as Madame de Mores.

More than 220,000 people from the U.S. and abroad visited the state historic sites, Pembina State Museum, and North Dakota Heritage Center this fiscal year. Almost 500 attended the reunion of the Fort Totten Indian School, held at the Fort Totten State Historic Site on June 11-12, 1999. Performing at the reunion is Reuben Fast Horse (right).

Dr. Thomas Isern, professor of history at North Dakota State University (NDSU), gave the keynote address on Friday evening. He put on a different hat to entertain the participants, performing his own music on Saturday afternoon at the 1998 North Dakota History Conference.

Kaylyn Gerenz, the winner of the 1998 poster contest for fourth graders, sponsored by the Society during Historic Preservation Week, is pictured here with SHSND Foundation Board President Barbara Lang, State Historical Board member Art Todd, her parents, Walter and Susan Gerenz, her teacher, Ruth Huovinen, and Superintendent Samuel J. Wegner.

The dramatic setting of the badlands near Marmarth served as the backdrop for exploring archeological and paleontological sites, one of three interdisciplinary "Heritage Outbound" programs offering outdoor heritage experiences for adults in the summer of 1998.

The State Archives received a major addition to the Nancy Hendrickson and John Christianson photograph collections, including an estimated 3,000 additional photographic negatives. John Christianson titled this photo "Me and the skunk."

More than 1,000 linear feet of records-four times the height of the state capitol building-were accessioned by the State Archives this fiscal year. Pictured above, Winifred DeLong was one of the volunteers who together contributed 134 hours to inventorying and organizing the 83 feet of Educational Standards and Practices Board Teachers' Certificate Files. The Heritage Volunteer program involves about 200 men, women, and children who contributed 10,927 hours this fiscal year.

Work continued on restoring property damaged in the flooding of the Red River in April 1997. Here, Lyons Auto Company in Grand Forks stands restored, funded in part by a $9,000 Historic Preservation Grant provided to the State Historical Society by the National Park Service. Constructed in 1929, the building has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.

Children from the second grade class at Pembina Grade School created this drawing of the Pembina State Museum in their thank-you note, following a tour of the facility. A photograph of the museum (right) shows their attention to detail.

Perfect for kids who love history and art, the Society's new 36-page coloring book features "Places to Go and People to Know at State Historic Sites." With informative text by Linda Ehreth, Claudia Pratt, and Ann Rathke, and original illustrations by Brian R. Austin, the coloring book covers eight historic sites across the state.

Samuel J. Wegner became superintendent of the State Historical Society on September 1, 1998.

Volunteers statewide helped to photograph more than 1,200 churches in the Picture North Dakota Churches! project, cosponsored with the Local History Council. Pictured here are volunteers Diane Laub (left) and Jeri Klungtvedt of Burleigh County.

More than 500 children and their parents attended Kids Night at the Museum, "Dinosaurs and Other Fossil Dudes," on January 8 at the North Dakota Heritage Center. (L-R) Kids of all ages enjoy the exhibits, including the skeletal remains of a Champsosaurus gigas, an underwater predator that lived 55 million years ago. Terry Lincoln, director of Bismarck's Dakota Zoo, keeps a watchful eye on a boa constrictor, one of several animals the zoo provided for viewing; the mosasaur bean toss game proved to be a big hit with the youngsters. The event was cosponsored with the North Dakota Geological Survey.

Children enjoy story times at the Former Governors' Mansion State Historic Site in summer programs cosponsored with the Bismarck Public Library. Here, children hear about "The Governor's Garden" and learn about planting their own gardens.

Fort Buford State Historic Site

Efforts have begun to preserve the twelve-foot-high bronze statue of Sakakawea and her baby Baptiste that has stood on the state capitol grounds in Bismarck since 1910. Above, conservator Kristin Cheronis conducts the assessment, which became the basis of the Society's grant application for long-range conservation of the statue, created by Leonard Crunelle. The project also includes creating a replica of the statue that will stand in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Copyright ©1999 State Historical Society of North Dakota. You are free to use information or non-copyrighted images from these pages for any non-commercial purpose. Any use of this information should credit the State Historical Society of North Dakota.