Know of an expert or an organization that could contribute to MNopedia?

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Submitted by Erica Hartmann on August 16, 2011 - 9:33pm
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Good People

Click around the beta version of MNopedia and it's easy to see: content in this resource is excellent but limited. The project team at the Minnesota Historical Society is looking for subject area experts—people who know one or more aspects of Minnesota history well—to help add new entries on a wide range of topics. We're also in search of partner organizations, such as county historical societies, that will share their content with us. Post if you know someone, and we'll follow up.

Jim Vaitkunas

August 23, 2011 - 3:24pm

Hi Erica,

I am a volunteer with the Minnesota Streetcar Museum. www.trolleyride.org I have alerted our two Museum historians, Russ Olson and Aaron Isaacs about this new website. I encouraged them to submit an article or articles on the streetcar history of Minneapolis and St. Paul. I also encouraged Russ Olson to write up short histories of the streetcar systems in the other Minnesota cities that had them: Duluth-Superior; several Iron Range cities; St. Cloud, Grand Forks-East Grand Forks; Fargo-Moorhead; Brainerd; Mankato; and, Winona.

If you have any questions, please send me an e-mail or call me. jvaitkunas [at] msn [dot] com 952-688-7255

Thanks!

Jim Vaitkunas
Secretary & Operations Chief
Minnesota Streetcar Museum

Erica Hartmann

August 24, 2011 - 12:23pm

Thank you, Jim! We'll follow up with you directly.

Doug Hoverson

August 24, 2011 - 4:40pm

I'd be willing to contribute some items adapted from Land of Amber Waters on brewing and breweries in the state, assuming that there are no copyright problems with my publishers.

John Burton

October 31, 2011 - 9:45pm

There are lots of people who would love to help build this project. I would encourage you to consider a broad general marketing strategy aimed at all high school teachers, college and university faculty members, and museum directors in the state. It need not be anything overly expensive. It could be something as simple as an email. If you solicit the support of the major educational unions (MEA, IFO, MCCFA, etc.), you could probably get a small introductory piece in the union newsletters. Right now, I think just really broad exposure to let people know about the project and your specific needs could bring you quite a few appropriate volunteers and submissions.

Molly Huber

November 4, 2011 - 12:05pm

Thank you for the outreach ideas. There are many we can incorporate into our overall marketing plan to raise awareness of this growing resource.

Trish Short Lewis

June 13, 2012 - 8:38pm

I would love to contribute all about my hometown, St. Vincent, Minnesota. Located in Kittson County, it is one of the oldest settlements in Minnesota. I have been researching and writing about St. Vincent for over 7 years. I would happily volunteer to write an essay or whatever format you need, for MNopedia.

mary treacy

November 24, 2012 - 11:15am

I write a regular basis for the Northeaster. For the most part I write about the history of Northeast. Most recently I have been writing about the namesakes of the neighborhoods -- Beltrami, Logan, Holland, Windom Park and several others -- I have about three more neighborhoods to go...These are fairly extensive, based on research at Hosmer special collections at the Mpls Central Library. In addition I have written numerous articles about Northeast, e.g. the first brewery, the Polanai club (Polish women), the New Boston Library, started by Gratia Countryman, now Northeast Library subsumed by Hennepin County. Many of these are posted on my blog - Poking Around with Mary (http://marytreacy.wordpress.com) I am interested in contributing these and even more interested in writing more and other articles that may tell the Northeast Mpls story to a broader audience. Thank you.