ANOKA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
2135 THIRD AVE N, ANOKA, MN 55303 www.anokacountyhistory.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: OUR MISSION IS TO GATHER, PRESERVE AND DISSEMINATE HISTORY FOR THE ENJOYMENT AND EDUCATION OF YOUNG AND OLD, RESIDENTS AND TRAVELERS ALIKE

THE ACHS GATHERED THE STORIES AND ARTIFACTS OF ANOKA COUNTY IN 2019 THROUGH SYSTEMATIC INQUIRY WITH THE PUBLIC REGARDING THEIR HOLDINGS AND THE IDENTIFIED VOIDS IN THE COLLECTION. WEEKLY WE ASSESSED BOTH 3-D AND 2-D MATERIALS TO DETERMINE THEIR PROVENANCE, RELEVANCE, AND ABILITY TO ENCAPSULATE THE IDENTITY OF THE COMMUNITY. STAFF CONTINUALLY DESIGNS INNOVATIVE AND RELEVANT METHODS OF EDUCATION TO DELIVER THE INFORMATION HOUSED IN THE MUSEUM ARCHIVE, ENSURING THE PUBLIC REMAINS AWARE OF THEIR PLACE IN THE LARGER STORY OF ANOKA COUNTY. THE ACHS PRESERVED THE STORIES OF ANOKA COUNTY BY USING OUR CLOUD-BASED ARCHIVING SYSTEM, COLLECTIVE ACCESS. STAFF CONTINUES TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES IN THE EFFICIENT USE OF 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. STAFF HAVE DEVELOPED A NEW WEBSITE THAT HOSTS ONLINE EXHIBITS, LINKS TO THE ONLINE COLLECTION, AND THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT THEIR STORIES TO THE ARCHIVE. THE ACHS DISSEMINATED HISTORY TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS. OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIBRARY CONTINUES, ALLOWING STAFF TO PRESENT HOUR-LONG TOPICAL FEATURES TO A NEW AND WIDER AUDIENCE AT A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE IN-CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS, INCLUDING EDUCATION BOXES FULL OF SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL THAT FOLLOWS THE NORTHERN LIGHTS CURRICULUM DEVELOPED BY THE MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THE "TEEN COUNCIL" CONTINUES TO MEET BI-WEEKLY AT THE MUSEUM TO DISCUSS THEIR STORY AND PLAN AN EXHIBIT TO SHOWCASE AND DOCUMENT THEIR EXPERIENCES. ACHS MAINTAINED A GOAL OF IMPROVING OUTREACH BY APPEARING AT CITY COUNCIL AND CIVIC CLUB MEETINGS, PARTNERING WITH OTHER NONPROFITS IN ANOKA COUNTY, PRESENTING AT CONFERENCES OF OUR PEERS, ATTENDING CITY FESTIVALS, AND MAKING BETTER USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS. WE ATTEND THE COUNTY FAIR, THRESHING SHOW, AND PARTNER WITH SMALLER HISTORICAL SOCIETIES IN THE COUNTY TO AMPLIFY THEIR PROGRAMS. THE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA HAVE BECOME USEFUL PLATFORMS FOR ACHS TO REACH AUDIECES WHO CANNOT ATTEND PROGRAMS IN PERSON OR VISIT THE PHYSICAL MUSEUM. WE INTEND TO EXPAND THIS USE IN COMING YEARS AS PART OF OUR GOAL TO MAKE HISTORY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, GEOGRAPHY, OR SCHEDULES. THE ICONIC GARAGE OF THE 1950S, 60S, AND 70S CONTINUES TO ENTHRALL VISITORS THROUGH 2019, SO ACHS STAFF EXTENDED IT'S RUN AS AN EXHIBIT. THE REMAINING "FARMS TO FLAMINGOS" EXHIBIT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF "SHATTERING THE MYTH" GAVE WAY TO THE CELEBRATION OF THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. THIS PARTNERSHIP EXHIBIT PROVIDED A LOOK AT 100 YEARS OF WOMEN VOTING IN AMERICA AS WELL AS THE ORGANIATIONAL STORY OF LWV IN ANOKA COUNTY. WE CELEBRATED THE PREMIERE OF A PUBLIC TELEVISON PRODUCTION ENTITLED "WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER", IN JULY, FOLLOWED BY THE TELEVISION DEBUT OF THE SAME. THIS DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWS FAMILIES THROUGH A RED BULL DEPLOYMENT AS WELL AS TAKING A LOOK BACK ON MILITARY FAMILIES IN ANOKA COUNTY OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS. A COMPANION EXHIBIT WILL FILL THE MILITARY GALLERY IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. WE CONTINUED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM TO HOST TWO INDIVIDUALS AS FRONT-DESK STAFF. WE UNVEILED A BRAND NEW WEBSITE, CREATED BY STAFF, TO SHOWCASE OUR EVENTS, EXHIBITS, AND BLOG POSTS IN A MORE MODERN MANNER. OUR CURRENT AND PAST ANNUAL REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.ANOKACOUNTYHISTORY.ORG. COURTESY OF FUNDING FROM THE SHAVLIK FAMILY FOUNDATION, WE INSTALLED TWO MULTI TOUCH TABLES AT THE MUSEUM THIS SUMMER TO BETTER PRESENT INFORMATION IN THE GALLERY, GIVEN OUR LIMITATIONS ON PHYSICAL SPACE. THE COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT TEAM ENSURED THE FLAGS RECEIVED NEW PRESERVATION TREATMENT AND IMAGING. WE PARTNERED WITH HAMMERHEART BREWING TO PRESENT A TRADITIONAL LAGER AND BREW FEST WITH THE IDEA THIS COULD BECOME AN ANNUAL OFFERING AND FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY. WE ADDED A TEEN COUNCIL, A GROUP OF MIDDLE SCHOOLERS WHO MEET TWICE PER MONTH TO DISCUSS THEIR EXPERIENCES AND JOURNAL AS A WAY OF PRESERVING THEIR STORY IN ANOKA COUNTY. WE HELD A JELLO-O COOK-OFF, WHICH ENCOURAGED INDIVIDUALS TO CREATE A FAVORITE JELL-O SALAD AND SHARE THE DESSERT WITH OTHER PARTICIPANTS (AWARDS FOR "BEST IN FLUFF- AND "BEST SUSPENSION" RECEIVED THE MOST APPLAUSE). ALSO DURING THAT EVENT, PEOPLE COULD PLAY PARTICIPATE IN JELL-O THUMB WRESTLING, JIGGLER TOSS, AND MAKE JELL-O ART. IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE UNDERREPRESENTED PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY IN BOTH OUR COLLECTION AND GOVERNANCE, ACHS APPLIED FOR (AND WAS RECEIVED INTO) A PROGRAM LED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MUSUEMS CALLED FACING CHANGE. THIS THREE YEAR PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE A CONSULTANT TO WORK WITH ACHS STAFF AND BOD TO CREATE POLICY AND INTERNAL STRUCTURAL CHANGES TO ENSURE WE TELL THE MOST INCLUSIVE AND COMPLETE STORY OF THE COUNTY THAT WE CAN.

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