HCSCC Highlighting MN, ND Nurses in World War I

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (HCSCC) and the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) will be hosting local researcher Angela Beaton at the Historic Solomon G. Comstock House on Thursday, April 27, at 6:30PM to highlight the service and sacrifices of local nurses during World War I. The presentation will be held in observation of the 100^th anniversary of April 6, 1917, when President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution declaring war on the Imperial Government of Germany, bringing the U.S. into World War I.

Beaton, an NDSU graduate student in history and an assistant with the NDSU University Press, will share her research focusing on local women who served as nurses during WW1 in both the Red Cross and the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, which included 403 women at the beginning of the war and grew to 21,480 by Armistice Day in 1918. Beaton plans to highlight the fact that these nurses’ contributions were significant and, though their efforts were valuable and their situations dangerous, their stories have been rarely told.

Tickets are available online at https://ww1nurses.eventbrite.com and www.facebook.com/hcscc. General admission for the presentation is $5, but tickets are free for MNHS and HCSCC members. Admission includes tours of Moorhead’s historic Queen Anne mansion and refreshments from the Rex Cafe. Beaton’s presentation will be the last student presentation until the fall semester begins. For more information, please contact the Comstock House site manager and HCSCC Director of Operations Matt Eidem at (218) 291-4211 or matt.eidem@hcsmuseum.org. 

Comstock House Hours:

February – Memorial Day: Sat 1-4

Memorial Day Weekend-Labor Day: Sat and Sun 1-4 pm

Call to schedule appointment and group tours year round

Admission:   

Adults: $6

Seniors: $5

College Students: $5

Youth (4-17): $4

Hjemkomst Center Open during Thanksgiving Weekend

HCS, the museum at the Hjemkomst Center, will remain open for regular hours throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. We will be closed Thanksgiving Day but will re-open Friday, Nov 28 and resume normal hours: 9-5pm Mon-Sat and Noon-5pm on Sunday.

We have many family-friendly exhibits including House & Home, our newest interactive exhibit that embarks on a tour of houses both familiar and surprising, through past and present, to explore the varied history, and many cultural meanings of the American home.

Experience also the Doing Our Part: Clay County in WWII exhibit.  From the home front to the front lines of combat, Americans did their part to help win World War II, and Clay County was no exception. Doing Our Part: Clay County in WWII tells the stories of the men, women, and children of Clay County who were affected by the war and how it changed the fabric of everyday life. Families sending loved ones off to war, scrap drives and rationed food became part of daily life from 1942 to 1945.

FMVA Constraint show is also open. This year’s show features the theme Labels, which challenged many of the artists to think about the labels in our society and what that means to them. This mixed-media exhibit will feature two-  and three-dimensional works with a wide variety of interpretations.

The museum is open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday noon-5pm. Admission is Adults $8, Seniors $7, College Students $7, Youth (5 – 17) $6, Children (4 & under) Free and HCSCC Members Free

Free Admission for Mothers on Sunday, May 11 at the Hjemkomst Center

Celebrate Mother’s Day with HCSCC on Sunday May 11, 2014. All mothers will receive free admission into the museum at the Hjemkomst Center and all the exhibits we have to offer.

From the home front to the front lines of combat, Americans did their part to help win World War II, and Clay County was no exception. Doing Our Part: Clay County in WWII tells the stories of the men, women, and children of Clay County who were affected by the war and how it changed the fabric of everyday life. Families sending loved ones off to war, scrap drives and rationed food became part of daily life from 1942 to 1945.

Experience the extraordinary footage and unforgettable stories of strength and survival of the “Minnesota Disasters” exhibit. This exhibit is on temporary loan from the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul and will be traveling to venues throughout Minnesota. Supplemented with photos and texts about Clay County’s disasters, the exhibit closes May 26, 2014.

FMVA BIG Art Show displays a wide variety of art (2D and 3D) from both emerging and established artists. Each artwork is accompanied by a statement from the artist involving their individual inspiration in creating the work and the technique involved in making it, helping the viewers to develop their own understanding of the artwork and the creative process involved. All participants need to be members of FMVA and can submit one work for the show.

Museum Hours: Sunday Noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday 9.a.m. – 5 p.m.

Admission:  Adults $8, Seniors $7, College Students $7, Youth (5 – 17) $6, Children (4 & under) Free, HCSCC Members Free

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County collects, preserves, interprets, and shares the history and culture of Clay County, Minnesota. HCSCC also provides interpretation of the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church Replica, and hosts traveling exhibits in 7,000 sq. feet of temporary exhibition space. The Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County is a community resource for 210,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area and serves an average of 30,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

For more information, call 218-299-5511 or visit www.hcscconline.org. The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

German Culture Day Sept 28 at Hjemkomst Center

Moorhead, Minn.,-- More than just beer and brats, German Culture Day is a brand new event for the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, September 28 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Hjemkomst Center.  The day event is free and open to the public. German Culture Day celebrates German cultural heritage of past immigrants and of contemporary Germany with a combination of traditional music and dance, children’ ;s activities, and folk traditional crafts. Authentic German food will be available to savor as it is complimented with a selection of German imported beer and German-American brews sponsored by Schell’s Brewery and Bergseth Brothers Co. The food and beer are available for purchase.

Musical performers include Dale Dahmen & the Polka Beats from Buffalo, Minnesota, The Flemming Fold from Twin Cities and Amy Klein of Fargo/Moorhead. Dale Dahmen, a composer as well as a musician, was inducted into the Concertina World Congress Hall of Fame in 2012. He has eight albums, composed several original scores and plays in two other bands, one being the New Jolly Brewers.

The Flemming Fold is a versatile family music group composed of four members: Troy Flemming, his wife Sandra and their two daughters. Originally from Southern Minnesota, the Flemming Fold has performed over 600 concerts. Troy, a.k.a “The Yodelmeister,” is a free-style guitarist and yodeler. Along with Sandra on the accordion and their daughters on mandolin, fiddle and base, it is not surprising that the Flemmings have been hailed as one of the most talented musical families in the Twin Cities.

Artisans, demonstrators and vendors will fill the halls with booths about various aspects of German Culture. Karen’s Kuchen, Prairies Home Brewers, Red River Volkswagon Club, and Germans-from-Russia iron wo rks are just a few featured booths you will see at this year’s event.

German Culture Day is made possible by grant funding provided by The Arts Partnership, Moorhead Public Service and The North Dakota Council on the Arts. This event is also made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Lake Region Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

In the evening, the HCSCC is hosting a German Rhineland dinner as a fundraiser for the museum. This four-course meal celebrates the food, wine and beer of the Rhineland region. A fine selection of the best German beers and wines will be available for purchase to complement each course and to entice the palette. This contemporary German dinner is perfectly orchestrated for a tantalizing gastronomic experience that any foodie will rave about. Dinner is served at 6 pm. Tickets are $50 per person and are on sale now through September 21. Beer and wine will be available for purchase.  Contact Tim Jorgensen at 218-299-5511, Ext 6737 or email tim.jorgensen@ci.moorhead.mn.us for more information. The Rhineland Dinner is sponsored by Shell’s Brewery, Happy Harry’s Bottle Shop, and Bergseth Brothers, Co.

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County collects, preserves, interprets, and shares the history and culture of Clay County, Minnesota. HCSCC also provides interpretation of the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church Replica, and hosts traveling exhibits in 7,000 s q. feet of temporary exhibition space. The Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County is a community resource for 210,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area and serves an average of 30,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

For more information, call 218-299-5511 or visit www.hcscconline.org. The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

Red River Watercolor Society 20th National Juried Watermedia Exhibition

Moorhead, MN- The Red River Watercolor Society (RRWS) and the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County are pleased to announce the 20^th Annual National Juried Water Media Exhibition, June 17 – July 28 at the Hjemkomst Center.  An opening reception will be held from 6 - 8:00 pm on Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The reception is free and open to the public. 

With around 300 artist’s entries from all over the US and Canada, The National Juried Watermedia exhibition is the only exhibition of its type in this part of the country, the next nearest shows of similar caliber being out of Chicago, Denver or Seattle.   This year’s exhibit includes stunning examples of florals, landscapes, figures and still life, as well as abstract, non-objective and experimental pieces with expressive and innovative use of various water media such as acrylic, casein, ink and gouache by some of the top names in watercolor media today. 

New to this year’s National Show are a series of public education and participation programs in conjunction with the exhibition. For more information, visit www.redriverws.org

Internationally prominent watercolor artist, author and teacher, Arne Westermann will be the juror of the show. Awards conferred will include $1250 Gold Medal, $750 Silver Medal, $500 Bronze Medal, and the new $500 Red River Regional Award for an artist from MN, ND, SD or Canada, as well as other awards and door prizes.

This exhibit is supported in part by grants from The Arts Partnership and from the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funding from the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information, call 218-299-5511 or visit www.hcscconline.org. The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

RRWS National Show Events - All will be held on the 4^th level in the exhibition space at the Hjemkomst Gallery.

June 17 - Exhibit opens  at the Hjemkomst on Level 4

June 18 - Awards Reception 6-9pm on Level 4 at the Hjemkomst.  Public invited, no admission fee.

Juror Presentation by Arne Westerman at 6pm. Awards presentation 7pm. Arne Westerman is listed in Who’s Who in American Art, has won many major awards in national juried shows including seven grand prizes. His paintings are in the permanent collections of ten American museums and his works have been featured in forty-two one person shows.  Selections of his art appear in six books .  He also has authored a satire on the art world entitled How to Become A Famous Artist Through Pain and Suffering. 

June 23 - Sunday  1pm to 3pm - Stop by the National Show exhibition and see local RRWS artists at work – ask them questions (they are really friendly) and see the different styles of painting.  We will also have a table setup for the public to work on mini-masterpieces.  These will be compiled into a mural for display at the Hjemkomst during the show. 2pm Docent tour of the National Show by Director of the National Show Carmen Bruhn

June 30 - Sunday  1pm to 3pm - Stop by the National Show exhibition and see local RRWS artists at work – ask them questions (they are really friendly) and see the different styles of painting.   2pm Docent tour of the National Show by Director of the National Show Robin Wichman of RRWS

July 13 - 2pm Docent tour of the National Show by President of RRWS Pat Jorgensen.  Join her for a look at the winners and highlights of this exhibition of some of the best watercolor artists in our country. 12pm – 3pm Paint out by RRWS members in the Gallery – watch, chat and learn from local artists about watercolor and acrylic painting.  They will be working on their own masterpieces in the gallery so this is a great opportunity to see art in action.

July 23 - Free Tuesday lecture by former National Show director, NS award winner and Signature Status holder and founding member of RRWS Janet Flom on watercolor, its history and features.  This is your opportunity to learn about the unique qualities and appeal of this medium.   You will learn much in this lively presentation. 45 minutes approx..

July 28 - Last Day of Show

August 1^st – St John’s Bible exhibition opens – more art!!!!!  And watermedia!!!!! 

HCSCC Presents "Minnesota on the Map" Traveling Exhibit

Moorhead, MN May 31, 2013 – Come visit the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at the Hjemkomst Center June 1 through July 28 and see “Minnesota on the Map,” a traveling exhibition that features dozens of maps ranging from Louis Hennepin’s 1683 map of the upper Mississippi River Valley to a satellite map of Minnesota produced by NASA. “Minnesota on the Map” illustrates how maps have documented and helped influence our understanding of the state, from early exploration to the present.

Drawing from the extensive map collection of the Minnesota Historical Society, the exhibit features 23 reproduction maps and atlases, a video station with commentary by local historians, and a bin of laminated maps that allows for an up-close look at Minnesota geography and history. Plus, an oversized jigsaw puzzle map of the state will provide an engaging element for schoolchildren and other young visitors.

Select maps include:

• An 1863 map by Louis Hennepin of the upper Mississippi Valley
• One of the earliest maps of North America, showing Minnesota as a new state
• A map produced by the “Come to Minnesota Club” in 1947, highlighting Minnesota as a vacation paradise
• A video map of Washington Ave. in Minneapolis in 1882, “geo-rectified” with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology

The “Minnesota on the Map” exhibit is based on the book “Minnesota on the Map: A Historical Atlas” by David Lanegran.

This exhibit is on temporary loan from the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul and will be traveling to venues throughout Minnesota.

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County collects, preserves, and presents the history and culture of Clay County and the region. HCSCC also provides interpretation of the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church Replica, and hosts traveling exhibits in 7,000 sq. feet of temporary exhibition space. The Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County is a community resource for 150,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area and serves an average of 30,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

For more information, call 218-299-5511 or visit www.hcscconline.org. The Historical and Cultural So ciety of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

The Minnesota Historical Society Traveling Exhibits Program has been made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008.

Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County To Participate In Blue Star Museums

Moorhead, Minn.,-- Today the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 1,800 museums across America to offer fre e admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013. Leadership support has been provided by MetLife Foundation through Blue Star Families. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

“Blue Star Museums is collaboration between the arts and military communities," said NEA Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa. “Our work with Blue Star Families and with more than 1,800 museums ensures that we can reach out to military families and thank them for their service and sacrifice.”

“Blue Star Museums is something that service members and their families look forward to every year and we are thrilled with the continued growth of the program,” said Blue Star Families CEO Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Through this distinctive collaboration between Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts and more than 1,800 museums across the United States, service members and their families can connect with our national treasures with this unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the country’s finest museums for free.”

This year, more than 1,800 (and counting) museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative, including more than 45 0 new museums this year. Museums are welcome to join Blue Star Museums throughout the summer. The effort to recruit museums has involved partnerships with the American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, the Association of Children’s Museums, the American Association of State and Local History, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers. This year’s Blue Star Museums represent not just fine arts museums, but also science museums, history museums, nature centers, and 75 children’s museums. Among this year’s new participants are the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California, Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum in Northport, Michigan, the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska, and the World Museum of Mining in Butte, Montana.

Clay County Historical Society Elects Board

Moorhead, Minn.,-- Hawley Elementary 5^th-grade teacher Jennifer Tjaden was elected to the board of directors of the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at the annual meeting May 2. Tjaden is an enthusiastic promoter of local history in her classes and will share curriculum ideas for the exhibits at the Hjemkomst Center museum.

Re-elected to a final term was Dale White, a Hitterdal native who is retired from the MN CTC. At the May 15 board meeting, Gloria Lee of Georgetown was elected president, John Dobmeier of Barnesville was elected Vice-President, Gail Blair, West Fargo, was elected treasurer, and Vogel Law attorney Jade Rosenfeldt, Moorhead, was re-elected secretary. Other board members include Mark Altenburg of Moorhead, Les Bakke of Moorhead, Clay County Commissioner Jon Evert, Gene Prim of Barnesville, Duane Walker of Moorhead, and Jim Saueressig of Fargo.

Helen Olson of Hawley retired after two terms and Neil Jordheim retired after serving for twelve years. Another board member from Fargo is needed. Fargo residents with an interest in local history and/or cultural heritage preservation should contact executive director Maureen Kelly Jonason at Maureen.jonaon@ci.moorhead.mn.us or 218-299-5511, Ext. 6732.

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County collects, preserves, interprets, and shares the history and culture of Clay County, Minnesota. HCSCC also provides interpretation of the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church Replica, and hosts traveling exhibits in 7,000 sq. feet of temporary exhibition space. The Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County is a community resource for 210,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area and serves an average of 40,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

For more information, call 218-299-5511 or visit www.hcscconline.org. The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

Dakota-US War Presentation at Hjemkomst

Moorhead, Minn.–

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County presents A Dakota Perspective on the Dakota War of 1862, a presentation by Tamara St. John, October 13^th at 2:00 pm at the Hjemkomst Center. Ms. St. John discusses the events leading up to the Dakota-US war and its aftermath as seen through the eyes of the Dakota people. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Tamara St. John is a historian and archivist for the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Historic Preservation Office. She has conducted extensive research on the Dakota-US War of 1862 in particular with the legislation that pertains to the subsequent exile of the Dakota from the state of Minnesota.

“My role as a researcher and archivist has allowed me to access a part of the history that has not been written about or often shared outside of the tribal community,” Ms. St. John said. “[The Tribal Historic Preservation Office] has done some amazing work with the Minnesota Historical Society on the 1862 Exhibit and has made great strides in telling a far more balanced history, one that included the Dakota people and their experience.” Her present ation is drawn from this research and collaborations with various state historical societies.

HCSCC executive director Maureen Kelly Jonason says, "Given that the Dakota people were also victims of violence during this historic event, I think it is fitting to hear from the side that doesn't get much attention. We hope people interested in this topic will leave with new and vital information."

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County collects, preserves, and presents the history and culture of Clay County and the region. HCSCC also provides interpretation of the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church Replica, and hosts traveling exhibits in 7,000 sq. feet of temporary exhibition space. The Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County is a community resource for 210,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area and serves an average of 40,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

For more information, call 218-299-5511 or visit www.hcscconline.org. The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

Oldest house in Moorhead open to public

Moorhead, Minn.– The Historical and Cultural Society (HCSCC) is proud to announce the annual open house at the 1870 Bergquist Pioneer Log Cabin, 1008 7th Street North in Moorhead, on Friday and Saturday, June 22 and 23, 1:00-4:00 pm. The open house is hosted annually by the HCSCC and the Swedish Cultural Heritage Society of the Red River Valley in conjunction with the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival at the Hjemkomst Center. A free shuttle bus sponsored by the State Bank of Moorhead will pick visitors up at the Hjemkomst Center on the hour at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pm, both days. Visitors are also welcomed to drive there.

Visitors can participate in many Swedish craft activities at the cabin and hear about the history of the cabin from HCSCC Archivist, Mark Peihl. Refreshments will be served with accordion music provided by Amy Klein.

The Bergquist Cabin is the oldest house on its original site in Moorhead. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned and maintained by the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County. John Gustav Bergquist, grandfather of former WDAY weatherman Dewey Bergquist, built the cabin in 1870.The Swedish homesteader worked on the railroad, farmed, sold milk door-to-door, and later became a maker of bricks, using local clay.

Admission to the open house is free. Admission is charged for the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival and Midwest Viking Festival at the Hjemkomst Center.

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County collects, preserves, and presents the history and culture of Clay County and the region. HCSCC also provides interpretation of the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church Replica, and hosts traveling exhibits in 7,000 sq. feet of temporary exhibition space. The Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County is a community resource for 150,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area and serves an average of 40,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

For more information, call 218-299-5511 or visit www.hcscconline.org. The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

35th Scandinavian Hjemkomst and Annual Midwest Viking Festivals

Moorhead, Minn., June 22, 2012 –

For the first time ever, the Midwest Viking Festival and the annual Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival are joining forces to present Nordic Footprints, a celebration of Nordic culture from ancient times to today, June 22 and 23 at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, Minnestoa. Visitors get two festivals for the price of one.

The Midwest Viking Festival is a gathering of craftsmen, musicians and living history enthusiasts, from throughout the upper Midwest, who specialize in bringing the Viking Age back to life.  According to Tim Jorgensen, the event coordinator of the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, there will be re-enactors dressed in period clothing, cooking over an open fire and demonstrating historic crafts.  “We try to give a historically accurate Viking experience within the confines of the law,” he says with a grin. “We are also excited because this year is the first year there will be another replica of a Viking Ship on display other than the Hjemkomst.  Sam Shoults, from Missouri’s Skjaldborg Vikings, will display his own functional Viking boat, the Yrsa.”

Visitors will also experience other Viking activities including glass bead making, coin-striking, silver-smithing, runic reading/writing, chainmail production, blacksmithing, wood carving, fiber production, pottery making, and a variety of challenging Viking games. Staff singer, Kari Tauring, and storyteller, Svein Tunheim will be performing in the stave church both days. Indoor and outdoor battle demonstrations are scheduled for Friday and Saturday as well.

The Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival is a celebration of Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Danish Cultures.  Visitors will have the chance to walk through the Hjemkomst Center discovering foods from all of the Scandinavian countries; sampling everything from lefse to pickled herring.  Dancing and music will grace the stage with groups such as the Scandinavian Quartet, a saxophone group that hails from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden and the local Nor-Swe-Dane Dancers performing folk dances from Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

New to this year’s line up is the Tango Pohjan Tähden. This young quartet from Minneapolis blends tango, jazz, and folk music within the context of classic Finnish tangos, creating a lush, original sound-scape.

Shoppers will take delight in the wide array of items sold at the Scandinavian Marketplace. Rosemaling, wood carvings, jewelry, woolen clothing and even home furnishings are just a few things available to purchase.

To cap the festivities of the day, the Nordic Culture Clubs have organized a series of musical performances at area sites for no extra charge.  Customers are able to indulge in Scandinavian delicacies while listening to professional Nordic musicians in some of the best venues the Fargo/Moorhead community has to offer.

Festival admission per day is Adults $10, youth (thirteen to seventeen) $5, and children under twelve are free with a paid adult. The Hjemkomst Center is at 202 1^st Avenue North, Moorhead MN.  For more information about the two-for-one festival, contact the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at 218-299-5511 or check out their website www.hcscconline.org or contact the Nordic Culture Clubs at 218-299-5952 or their website at www.nodiccultureclubs.org.

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County collects, preserves, and presents the history and culture of Clay County and the region. HCSCC also provides interpretation of the Hjemkomst Viking Ship, Hopperstad Stave Church Replica, and hosts traveling exhibits in 7,000 sq. feet of temporary exhibition space. The Historical & Cultural Society of Clay County is a community resource for 150,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area and serves an average of 40,000 visitors a year from all over the world.

The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County is located in the Hjemkomst Center at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead.

HCSCC receives grant for video project

Moorhead, Minn., Feb. 20, 2012 – The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (HCSCC) received a $15,000 grant for a new video project titled, “Thirty Years after the Dream: The Hjemkomst Legacy”. This project has been financed in part with funds provided by the state of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.

The purpose of the project is to record the stories of the crew and Asp family members and how the building and sailing of the ship has impacted their lives 30 years later. Prairie Public Television will coordinate the project, providing personnel and equipment, to record interviews and document the reunion and 30th anniversary celebration of the famous voyage of the Hjemkomst which will take place on July 21 at the Hjemkomst Center with a free open house noon to 5 p.m. Visitors will also be invited to record their Hjemkomst stories via a camera set up at the open house. A panel discussion with the crew and family will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Interviews will be transcribed and deposited in the Clay County Archives for preservation and future research.

For more information, please call 218-299-5511, or visit us online at www.hcscconline.org or www.facebook.com/hcscc. The Hjemkomst Center is located at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead, Minn.

HCSCC seeks Community Input for a New Exhibit

Moorhead, Minn., Jan. 24, 2012 – The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (HCSCC) is seeking community input for a new exhibit featuring Hjemkomst voyage artifacts. The exhibit, which is currently under development, opens during the Hjemkomst Voyage 30th Anniversary Celebration on July 21, 2012 from 1 – 5 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through Dec. 31, 2012.

The HCSCC has hired Claudia M. Pratt of CMP Consulting for the research and design phase of the exhibit development. The exhibit will bring a fresh perspective about the Hjemkomst expedition. Pratt hopes the public can look at this exhibit with new eyes and be amazed again at what an accomplishment the expedition was— for the Asp family, the voyage crew, as well as the businesses and communities that supported it.

“The goal of this exhibit is to uncover information that adds to the story we’ve enjoyed for 30 years. I think what fascinates me is that it really took an enormous amount of community support in order to make this happen—a lot of personal sacrifice and perseverance. It’s time to revisit that and get back to Bob Asp’s core ‘Dare to Dream’ message and what the expedition accomplished,” Pratt says.

The HCSCC encourages the public to share their thoughts on what they would like to see in the new Hjemkomst exhibit by leaving their ideas in a comment book, which is located nearby the ship in the Hjemkomst Center. The HCSCC will also post stories, questions and information about the Hjemkomst ship and voyage on their new blog at TheVikingShipHjemkomst.areavoices.com. You may also contact Claudia M. Pratt at CMPconsulting@mac.com or 701-371-7277 if you would like to share your story about the Hjemkomst and voyage or have recommendations for the new exhibit.

HCSCC receives grant

Moorhead, Minn., Jan. 10, 2012 – The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (HCSCC) received a $6,000 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant for a new exhibit featuring Hjemkomst voyage artifacts. The research and design phase of the exhibit development has been made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of the Minnesotans on November 4, 2008 and is administered by the Minnesota Historical Society.

The exhibit, which is currently under development, opens on July 21, 2012 during the 30th anniversary celebration of the famous voyage of the Hjemkomst from Duluth harbor to Bergen, Norway in 1982.

The exhibit, which will be on display through Dec. 31, 2012, will bring a new perspective as well as new information about the Hjemkomst expedition. The HCSCC hopes the public can look at this exhibit with new eyes and be amazed again at what an accomplishment this expedition was—for the Asp family, voyage crew, as well as the businesses and communities that supported it.

HCSCC Executive Director Maureen Kelly Jonason encourages everyone to mark their calendars for July 21, 1 - 5 p.m., for the 30th anniversary celebration which will be a special opportunity to commemorate an important historical event in regional history.

For more information, please call 218-299-5511, or visit us online at www.hcscconline.org or www.facebook.com/hcscc. The Hjemkomst Center is located at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead, Minn.

Saga Workshop & Reading at the Hjemkomst Center museum

Moorhead, Minn., Jan. 2, 2012 – The Nordic Arts Alliance presents Ordinary Vikings, a collection of 30 “bog stav” sculptures hanging as mobiles. Swedish-American artist Jill Marie Johnson creates sculptures based on the Nordic cultural stories from the Bronze, Iron, and Viking age. Each sculpture features beeswax castings of the face with a Swedish Minnesotan joined to a tree body. The project explores how each person’s real-life story parallels a Nordic cultural story and is on display through Jan. 18th, 2012.

A Saga Workshop and Reading is scheduled for Saturday, January 7, 2 p.m. at the Hjemkomst Center museum. Hear original Viking sagas from the Icelandic ages. Guests will learn to write their own saga using experiences from their own life and will share their sagas together. You do NOT need to be a writer to have fun at this event. The event is open to all ages, including kids.

For more information, please call 218-299-5511, or visit us online at www.hcscconline.org or www.facebook.com/hcscc. The Hjemkomst Center is located at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead, Minn.

Nordic Arts Alliance to do face casting demonstrations at Hjemkomst

Moorhead, Minn., Dec. 27, 2011 – The Nordic Arts Alliance presents Ordinary Vikings, a collection of 30 “bog stav” sculptures hanging as mobiles. Swedish-American artist Jill Marie Johnson creates sculptures based on the Nordic cultural stories from the Bronze, Iron, and Viking age. Each sculpture features a beeswax casting of the face with a Swedish Minnesotan joined to a tree body. The project explores how each person’s real-life story parallels a Nordic cultural story. The exhibit is on display through Jan. 18th, 2012.

On Wednesday, December 28, 1 and 3 p.m., at the Hjemkomst Center, artist Jill Johnson will do face casting demonstrations; including wax mask moldings.

In addition, a Saga Workshop and Reading is scheduled for Saturday, January 7, 2 p.m. at the Hjemkomst Center museum. Hear original Viking sagas from the Icelandic ages. Guests will learn to write their own saga using experiences from their own life and will share their sagas together. You do NOT need to be a writer to have fun at this event. The event is open to all ages, including kids.

For more information, please call 218-299-5511, or visit us online at www.hcscconline.org or www.facebook.com/hcscc. The Hjemkomst Center is located at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead, Minn.

Holiday Hours for Hjemkomst

Moorhead, Minn., Dec. 19, 2011 – The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at the Hjemkomst Center museum will be closed December 24, 25, 31, and January 1.

Regular museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday, noon – 5 p.m. Museum admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and college students, $5 for youth (5 – 17), and free for HCSCC members and children (4 and under).

For more information, please call 218-299-5511, or visit us online at www.hcscconline.org or www.facebook.com/hcscc. The Hjemkomst Center is located at 202 First Avenue North in Moorhead, Minn.

New winter hours set for the Hjemkomst Center museum and Senior Connections

Moorhead, Minn., Dec. 19, 2011 – The Hjemkomst Center, including Senior Connections and the museum, will be closed on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. until March 20, 2012 when regular hours will resume.

Regular museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday, noon – 5 p.m. Museum admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and college students, $5 for youth (5 – 17), and free for HCSCC members and children (4 and under).

HCSCC book reading & Signing

Moorhead, Minn., Dec. 6, 2011 – The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County will hold a book reading and signing for the third edition of “How Fargo You: Stories from the Northern Prairie that People Who Haven’t Been Here Will Never Believe” with author Marc de Celle on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 6 p.m. at the Hjemkomst Center. The event is free and open to the public.

“The third edition is really aimed at going out beyond Fargo—I want it to go national. I wrote a new preface that gets right to the point of what the implications are of the book,” de Celle said. “To take this to other places besides Fargo, I wrote some ‘dust jacket notes,’ focusing on the worst financial crisis of the last seventy years and how it hardly affected North Dakota.”

De Celle, a native of Arizona, moved to Fargo in 2005 after a visit in the summer of 2001. As soon as the opportunity was there for his family to move to Fargo, they did. They had no idea how deep—what de Celle has come to call “Northern Prairie Culture”—went. He says the past six years have been an amazing learning experience.

“If you value relationships and community over money and power, you’re going to avoid a tremendous amount of pain in the long run. Fargo has had one of the lowest unemployment rates in America, and that’s just because this culture of ‘looking out for one another’ is pervasive. It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve experienced in my life. It’s a real life example of how life can work and how virtue can pay off over the long run,” de Celle said.

How Fargo of You is currently for sale in the Hjemkomst Center Heritage Gift Shop and will be available for purchase at the event.