Spring 2014
FYI: Many locations give discounts to college students, so be sure to bring your ID with you. Also be sure to double-check the hours; all sites listed below are open during the winter months but most are not open seven days per week. Be sure that you are certain of the hours before you set out on a field trip. In the past some students have arrived at a location only to find it was not scheduled to be open that day.
MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1. Minnesota Historic Sites. Click on the map of Minnesota to view potential sites near you. Admission is approximately $7, some have free admission, like the State Capital Building. Many possibilities throughout Minnesota. (All are Pre-Approved)
Unfortunately, many of these historic sites are not open during the winter months. My research reveals the following are still options for this semester:
Minnesota History Center Museum, St. Paul. Visit the Minnesota Historical Society and see their museum and their library. *Note: if you plan to visit the History Center, you may prefer to focus your paper on the exhibits which are covered in our class materials. I'm not sure the Prohibition exhibit would be a strong choice for this assignment, in that case.
Alexander Ramsey House [May only be open for a group tour; call ahead.]
Forest History Center [May only be open for a group tour; call ahead.]
James J. Hill House For students visiting the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis or the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, you are required to read the sections pertaining to these topics in "Empires in Green" *This is an article that is located on D2L (Materials --> Content).
Mill City Museum
For students visiting the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis or the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, you are required to read the sections pertaining to these topics in "Empires in Green" *This is an article that is located on D2L (Materials --> Content).Split Rock Lighthouse (open but with more limited hours in the winter.)
LOCAL HISTORICAL SOCIETIES
List of all local historical societies. These will vary in terms of admission and offerings. (All societies with a museum are pre-approved, those without a museum need pre-approval.) Keep in mind that local historical societies, even those with a museum, might not provide enough material to generate a good paper. If you choose to visit one of these museums, be sure their exhibits CONNECT TO THE THEMES AND TOPICS IN THIS COURSE. You might wish to investigate first or ask Professor Janke.
Also be sure to confirm if a location is open in the winter months. Many are, but not all.
Look through this entire list, or click on these links for Metro Area Historical Societies:
* Anoka County Historical Society (a popular field trip, but exhibits vary. Be cautious! Be sure you can find something that connects to a topic covered in class. In past years, students have enjoyed visiting here but often have trouble when it comes to writing the paper. Discuss this with Prof. Janke if you'd like to visit here yet want to be mindful of how to prepare to write the paper.)
*Carver County Historical Society
*Hennepin History Museum, Minneapolis (may be challenging in terms of writing a paper, so plan ahead, but this is pre-approved.)
*Ramsey County Historical Society (The Gibbs Museum is not open during the winter months which means the remaining exhibits pose a greater challenge to you; investigate which exhibits are open before selecting this one.)
*White Bear Lake Area Historical Society
*Scott County Historical Society
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Historic Sites in the Metro Area. Click to see the following pages, too. Since these sites are not museums per se, you will likely have to do some additional research to complete your report. Most will have free admission. **Approval needed** and many are not open in the winter months. Be sure to check availability AND check with Prof. Janke before using one of these as a field trip location.
OTHER MISC. LOCATIONS
1. Minnesota Discovery Center, Chisholm. (Formerly "Ironworld.") Museum about life on the Iron Range. (pre-approved)
2. Pipestone Quarry, Pipestone. Be sure to think about what the pipes can tell you about changes in Native American society and religion. See this link from the National Park Service. Pre-approved.
3. Grand Portage National Monument. Be sure to visit the Heritage Center museum while you are there. Pre-Approved. (some aspects of this site are closed during the winter months; Heritage Center appears to be open. Double check before selecting this.)
4. American Swedish Institute. (pre-approved)