The Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Genealogical Society

Interested in genealogy? Combine that with attending the world-famous Minnesota State Fair. The Minnesota Genealogical Society is sponsoring a booth in the Education Building from August 27 – September 7, 2026. It’s in Falcon Heights, adjacent to Saint Paul. Stop and see the volunteers from MGS and its partners. Ask questions, learn about additional help, […]

New preservation grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

One of my favorite blog topics was in an email press release today. “WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 22, 2026) —The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) today announced $41.4 million in grants for 81 humanities projects across the country. These include an online version of Noah Webster’s 1806 and 1828 dictionaries, a new permanent exhibition at […]

Law enforcement historical societies and museums

 I’ve attended a couple events sponsored by the Saint Paul Police Historical Society. I have collateral relatives who served their communities in law enforcement roles here in Minnesota. Does your family have a police officer or other law enforcement official in the past? Check for a police or sheriff historical society. Some offer a website, […]

Southern Minnesota genealogy research? Do you know about the Dalby Database?

Indexes, transcripts, and added knowledge are great to find in our family history endeavors. In Minnesota, we have a unique collection that fits that sentence. Do you know about the Dalby Database? Many years ago I discovered this as I was working on my Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota Cooks. My Great Grandfather, John Thomas Cook, […]

Beltrami County, Minnesota, History Center has added more library and archive space

“Emily Thabes, executive director of the Beltrami County Historical Society, said the addition is a great opportunity to repurpose museum space more effectively while expanding its collections.” The new wing in Bemidji honors longtime supporters and volunteers in its name, the Louis and Mary Lou Marchand Library. Read the full article from Minnesota Public Radio […]

Interviews with descendants of abolitionists who lived in Minnesota

“The Minnesota Digital Library recently added some oral history interviews with descendants of abolitionists who lived in Minnesota prior to the Civil War. They were shared by a new contributing organization called “Project Get Outdoors.” “Many of them were associated with the Underground Railroad. The long-term goal of this project is to work with local […]