Anoka County Historical Society

OUR MISSION IS TO GATHER, PRESERVE AND SHARE THE STORIES OF ALL THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THAT ARE PART OF ANOKA COUNTY. (VALUES STATEMENT: THE ANOKA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS AN INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTABLE FOR PRESENTING AND CELEBRATING BOTH THE TOLD AND UNTOLD STORIES OF ANOKA COUNTY. WE INVITE PEOPLE TO JOIN US ON THIS JOURNEY TO IGNITE CURIOSITY ABOUT THE PAST AND TO UNDERSTAND OUR SHARED EXPERIENCES.)

ACHS STAFF GATHERED STORIES AND ARTIFACTS OF ANOKA COUNTY IN 2021 USING ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS OF SAFETY DURING THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WE WORKED TO FULFILL THE GRANT RECEIVED IN 2020 THROUGH THE MINNESOTA LEGACY FUNDS TO COLLECT AND CURATE GENERATIONAL STORIES OF EMPLOYEES WORKING AT FEDERAL CARTRIDGE COMPANY. WE ADDED STORIES TO OUR GHOSTS OF ANOKA WALKING TOUR, COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATION IN THE MCWATT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM TO GATHER AFRICAN AMERICAN STORIES, AND BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONNECTED WITH FEDERAL CARTRIDGE. WE ADDED MORE WEBSITE CONTENT AND ATTENDED THE FIRST-EVER "CONOCER LOS PARQUES" EVENT IN FRIDLEY. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WORKED ON A STORY GATHERING FORM TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN AID OF RECORDING FAMILY LEGACY STORIES. BETWEEN THE WEBSITE AND IN-PERSON VISITORS, ACHS INCREASED IT'S PUBLIC REACH FROM 14K TO 25K IN 2021. ACHS STAFF CONTINUED TO PRESERVE THE STORIES OF ANOKA COUNTY BY USING THE CLOUD-BASED ARCHIVING SYSTEM, COLLECTIVE ACCESS. STAFF CONTINUES TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES IN EFFICIENT STORAGE SPACE BY REDESIGNING THE STORAGE SPACES, SHIFTING ARTIFACTS TO MORE APPROPRIATELY SIZED BOXES, AND DEASSIONING ITEMS TO OTHER HISTORICAL SOCIETIES WHERE THEY ARE MORE SUITED TO TELL THEIR STORY. MORE AND MORE OF OUR COLLECTION IS BEING "TURNED PUBLIC" ON THE MNCOLLECTIONS SITE, AVAILABLE THROUGH ANOKACOUNTYHISTORY.ORG. THIS ALLOWS PEOPLE WORLDWIDE TO ACCESS OUR COLLECTION AND RESOURCES WITHOUT STEPPING INTO THE BUILDING DURING OFFICE HOURS. MORE AND MORE, PRESERVATION ALSO MEANS COMBING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PICTURES PEOPLE POST AND REQUESTING COPIES OF THOSE RESOURCES FOR OUR COLLECTION. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ACHS PRESERVING 50,000 ITEMS FROM FEDERAL CARTRIDGE--THE MAIN EMPLOYER IN ANOKA FOR 100 YEARS--CAN'T BE UNDERSTATED. THE ACHS DISSEMINATED HISTORY TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS INCLUDING DISPLAYS OFF-SITE. SEVERAL LIBRARIES AND THE CITY OF CENTERVILLE AGREED TO HOUSE POP-UP DISPLAYS IN THEIR CASES. CENTERVILLE OFFERED TO COVER THE COSTS OF PRINTING AND MOUNTING THESE ITEMS ON AN ONGOING BASIS, CHANGING THE EXHIBIT OUT EACH QUARTER FOR THEIR RESIDENTS. WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL PRESENTATIONS, MOST NOTABLY THE CIVIL WAR PROGRAM. WHILE PROGRAMS LIKE THE TEEN COUNCIL DIDN'T SEE A RESURGENCE FROM COVID-19, WE HOSTED STUDENT VOLUNTEERS EACH WEEKEND FROM JANUARY THROUGH APRIL TO SCAN PHOTOS INTO THE COLLECTION. WE MADE APPEARANCES AT COUNCIL AND CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS, PARTNERED WITH OTHER NONPROFITS IN ANOKA COUNTY, PRESENTED AT A CONFERENCE OF OUR PEERS, AND ATTENDED CITY FESTIVALS. THE PODCAST, HISTORY 21, BECAME A UNIQUE CONDUIT THROUGH WHICH WE REACHED A NEW AUDIENCE. WE ADDED ANOTHER 45-60 MINUTE PROGRAM TO OUR DIGITAL PROGRAM LIBRARY--ONE THAT CELEBRATED THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF INCORPORATION. A POWERPOINT ZOOM PROGRAM BECAME THE BONES OF THIS VIDEO, TO WHICH WE ADDED EXTRA VISUAL FUN, AUDIO FROM ORAL HISTORIES, AND EVEN AN INTERVIEW FROM THE COLLECTION TO SHARE THE HISTORY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS WHICH EXTENDED BEYOND 100 YEARS.