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At the Museum
2012 Schedule of Events
Sesquicentennials for two major events are highlighted this year. From 2010 to 2013 we are commemorating the American Civil War which was fought from 1861 to 1865. It is also the 150th year since the U.S. Dakota War of 1862.
Unless indicated, all programs are held at the Bloomington Old Town Hall History Museum. Please note that progams are subject to change.
Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Gala
Co-sponsored by the Bloomington Historical Society
Saturday, January 28
6 p.m. - Midnight
Dan Patch and Colonel Savage
Sunday, March 18
2 p.m.
Will Williamson, Jens Bohn, George Augustynack and Savage Historical
Society presentation.
 Thoreau Country Event
Thoreau vs Pond Poetry Reading
Sunday, April 15
2 p.m.
This comparative poetry reading of poetry written by Henry David Thoreau and Samuel Pond will be read by Tom Moltman, Normandale Community College and Jay Ludwig, City of Bloomington. Dale Schwie, member of the Thoreau Society, will give remarks about Minnesota's designation as "Thoreau Country" by the Thoreau Society of Concord, MA.
Tuesday, May 15
12:10 p.m.
Target Field, Minneapolis
Prior to the Minnesota Twins game, the United States Marine Corps Honor Guard will raise the flag. Gene Winstead, Mayor, City of Bloomington, will throw the first pitch.
 Thoreau Country Event
"Westward I go Free -- Chasing Thoreau's Last Journey"
Sunday, June 24
2 p.m.
Author Corinne Hosfeld Smith will speak and do a book signing of her new book "Westward I go Free -- Chasing Thoreau's Last Journey."
Historical Society Ice Cream Social and John Phillip Sousa Band Concert
Sunday, June 24
6 p.m. -- Ice Cream Social
7 p.m. -- John Phillip Sousa Band Concert
Pond-Dakota Mission Park, 401 East 104th Street
The Bloomington Historical Society will serve Bridgeman's Ice Cream and John Phillip Sousa Band will play on the Gideon Pond House lawn.
Chimney Swifts
Sunday, July 22
2 p.m.
Ron Windingstad of Audubon Minnesota will discuss chimney swifts.
Primer on the U.S.-Dakota War --
Minnesota's Other Civil War
Sunday, August 5
2 p.m.
This year is the sesquicentennial of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.Join us for a presentation by Stephen Osman, a senior historian for the Minnesota Historical Society.
Third Annual Heritage Day
2012 Parade and Festival
Saturday, September 15
All Day
The Bloomington Historical Society activities will includea pie eating contest sponsored by Baker's Square, pumpkin and face painting, old fashioned games, and historic re-enactors,
Bloomington-Richfield Old Timer's Get Together
Sunday, September 30
Noon - 4 p.m.
Knights of Columbus Hall, 1114 American Boulevard West
Harvest Fest
Saturday, October 20
Noon - 4 p.m.
Gordon Fredrickson will perform "A Farm Country Halloween." Activities include pumpkin painting, face painting and old fashioned gamse.
BHS Annual Meeting
Sunday, November 4
2 p.m.
Doug Ohman, a popular speaker, storyteller and photographer will present "Schoolhouse Memories."
An Irish Christmas
Sunday, December 9
2 p.m.
Holiday event.
A 2012 Announcement of Importance to Communities along the Minnesota River
The Board of Directors of the THOREAU SOCIETY of Concord, Massachusetts formally designates the Section of the United States where Henry David Thoreau lived, traveled or studied. In 2012, the Board designated the Minnesota River Valley as "THOREAU COUNTRY" based on his 1861 trip to Minnesota to discover the wilderness and “wild Indians" on the western movement of civilization.
Thoreau Country events of a historic, artistic and scientific nature will be offered on an ongoing basis under the cosponsorships of many organizations. Consult our website or call the Bloomington Historical Society at 952-881-4327 or the Thoreau Society at 612-866-2644 for more information.
Minnesota River Valley --- Thoreau Country
This designation is given to special places in the United States which Thoreau visited in his lifetime to study the natural and cultural features. The Minnesota River Valley will be described on Thoreau websites along with listing of Thoreau events. All other such designations are in the Eastern United States.
The first Thoreau Country event in Minnesota was on April 22, 2012 -- Earth Day. The Bloomington Town Hall History Museum hosted a poetry reading and discussion comparing the poetry of Henry David Thoreau to that of Samuel W. Pond. Poems selected had the themes of Nature or Human Nature.
Henry David Thoreau, 19th Century Naturalist and Philosopher
In June 1861, Henry David Thoreau journeyed by steamboat down the Minnesota River from Fort Snelling to the Lower Sioux Agency near Redwood Falls to see the wilderness and wild Indians. This trip was commemorated in a June 2011 steamboat trip on the Minnesota River, cosponsored by the THOREAU SOCIETY of Concord, Massachusetts, and led by the Bloomington Historical Society.
Samuel W. Pond, 19th Century Missionary to the Dakota Indians and a Founder of the Presbyterian Church of Shakopee, Writer and Poet
Born and raised in New England and a lover of nature and poetry, Samuel Pond sought to give expression to the thoughts that came to him in the form of verse. In early manhood, Pond found himself on the banks of the Mississippi, in close association with nature in its primeval wildness and with humanity in its primitive condition. Pond lived in the Cabin at Lake Calhoun, in the midst of scenery of the rarest beauty, unmarred by man.
With the Falls of St. Anthony and the Falls, now called Minnehaha, at hand, it is not strange that his verses are tinged with the wildness of the frontier. The beauty of Lake Harriet, the scenes of his courtship, marriage, and early married life left their impress on his writings. His many journeys alone on foot across the flower-decked prairies and by canoe along winding rivers of this wild, untrodden region suggested the humorous description of a "Day's Journey." In later years, he wrote verses for the amusement of his children. In middle age the Civil War furnished themes for his pen and in advanced age the nearer view of the "House of Many Mansions" and other subjects of like nature furnished subjects for his muse. With the exception of verses written around the year 1850 and published in the "Dakota Friend," which was edited by his brother G. H. Pond, and those written during the Civil War, few were written with a view to publication.
The Last Flag to Fly at Metropolitan Stadium
For 29 years Metropolitan Stadium was known as The Met. Opened in 1956 for the triple-A Minneapolis Millers, the Met became the home of three major league sports teams -- the Minnesota Twins, Vikings and Kicks -- and hosted numerous concerts.
On April 21, 1961, the Minnesota Twins (former Washington Senators) played the first American League game at Met Stadium. The Met hosted the 1965 All Star Gaem and 10 weeks later, Sam Mele’s Twins clinched their first American League pennant, setting the stage for the 1965 World Series. The Twins hosted American League playoff games in 1969 and 1970. A parade of outstanding Twin’s players and coaches were featured at the Met during the 21 seasons there. The Met was the home of the Vikings for 20 years under the ownership of Max Winter and coached by Norm Van Brocklin and Bud Grant who saw the team to four Super Bowls. The soccer boom brought the Kicks to the Met in 1976. Fans showed up for special events and promotions such as Bat Day, Fan Appreciation Night, Camera Day, the Twins Try Out Camp, fireworks. A rock concert on August 1, 197,8 featured the Eagles, Pablo Cruise and the Steve Miller Band. Another notable group hosted at the Met were the Beatles who performed in July 1965.
The last flag to fly at the Met was presented to the Bloomington Historical Society by Mayor James Lindau on January 28, 1985, following the One Last Hurrah Toast to the Met at the Decathlon Athletic Club, hosted by the Port Authority of the City of Bloomington. The flag was flown at the Metropolitan Stadium site from the flag pole that now stands at the Target Field. Raised and lowered by an Honor Guard from the American Legion in Bloomington, the flag ceremony preceded the beginning of the demolition of the beloved Met Stadium. The lowering of the flag was watched by a trio of sports stars -- Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva. It was an emotional time in the Met’s history. A number of professional sports stars and representatives of the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Strikers were present at the Toast. Head table guests and speakers were Frank Quilici; Bud Grant; Carl Pohlad; Howard Fox; Billy Robertson; Gerald Moore; Bob Allison; Mick Tingelhoff; Kent Hrbek; Paul Krause; Tona Oliva; George Brophy; Alan Merrick; Jim Marshall; Dick Ericson; Bill Brown; Steve Litt; Harmon Killebrew and James Lindau. The 1965 World Series highlights were shown as well as Vikings highlights; remarks were by Mayor Lindau, with greetings from the Governor. Played at the Met was the song from Frank Sinatra's album "Old Blue Eyes is Back" -- "There Used to be a Ballpark Right Here," which proved to be a very fitting tribute to the Met.
Portions from 1956-1981 The Met, courtesy of the Minnesota Twins; Metropolitan Sports Area Stadium Souvenir, 1956; History of the Metropolitan Stadium and Sports Center by Charles Johnson.
2012 Annual Board Meetings
Board meetings will be held the second Monday of each month: January 9, February 13, March 12, April 9, May 14, June 11, July 9, August 13, September 10, October 8, November 4, (Annual Meeting) December 9
Be a Part of Bloomington Forever!
Bloomington's Old Town Hall History Plaza has a place for YOU!
Sponsor an engraved History Brick on Old Town Hall History Plaza for your family, friends, business, school, sports team, special milestones in life, memorials, awards and other commemorations. Purchase a 3 line 4"X8" brick for $100 or a 6 line 8"X8" brick for $175. Write 18 characters per line, including spaces between lines.
Deadlines are September 14 or February 14 ongoing.
Visit the Old Town Hall History Center at the corner of Penn and Old Shakopee.
- Include a visit in your itinerary of summer events for visiting guests, reunions, social gatherings.
- Learn about Bloomington's ancient and recent history.
- View our cultural collections of historic artifacts, photos and memorabilia of many generations.
- Hours are Tuesday - Thursday and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m., Sundays, 1 - 5 p.m., closed Mondays and Fridays.
The Bloomington Historical Society is a 501©3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Questions? Call 952-881-4327.
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An Interesting Artifact
Dugout canoe antiquity ~ Circa 1600s
The Bloomington Historical Society-owned dugout canoe antiquity was found by George Hopkins, farmer-historian of Bloomington, on his property between 1966-1968. The canoe was partially buried in mud in the Minnesota River Valley approximately one-third of the way uphill of the lower bluff. Mr. Hopkins sought the opinion of fellow historian Stanley Danielson who realized the significance of finding the rare archaeological treasure. Otto Christianson of the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Division was contacted and Park Maintenance staff uncovered the dugout, Approximately 16 feet in length, the find was transported to the Bloomington Old Town Hall Museum, 10200 Penn Avenue South.
An evaluation was requested from the Minnesota Historical Society conservator, who advised that the dugout be soaked in an ethylene glycol product for an indefinite period so as to permeate the dugout for preservation purposes. Glycol was the recommended conservation product at that time. The canoe was on exhibit in the lower level of the the Museum until 2007 when it was removed during the restoration of the building to its 1892 appearance. At that time, to conserve and stabilize the dugout, the Bloomington Historical Society consulted Minnesota Historical Society experts and then enlisted the expertise of Terry Brown of Museum Professionals, Inc. of Loretto, Minnesota.
The dugout has been cleaned of all sand and dirt embedded deep in the recesses. An archival-approved product (b72) was applied that permeated the decayed cells of the dugout and provided strength to the ancient cottonwood. Mr. Brown will also build and install and archival artifact mount for the canoe. The padded steel mount will provide support and long-term exhibition. A maple surface platform on rollers will be used with the archival artifact mount; a graphic panel will provide historical information about the use of dugout canoes by the various indigenous peoples, and will include the processes used in the construction. Following completion of the project, the dugout canoe will be on exhibit at the restored 1892 Bloomington Old Town Hall. The time period for the dugout canoe was estimated by area historians to be circa 1600s, indicating usage by the ancient Iowa/Oneota tribes and later the Dakota peoples.
Birch bark canoes were not used in southern Minnesota at that time.
Sponsor a custom-designed exhibit case
The Bloomington Historical Society is refurbishing the Old Town Hall History Museum with custom-designed exhibit cases, pedestals and kiosks. These items are donor-sponsored. For further information or if you would like to contribute to this effort, please contact 952-881-4327. |
Learn More About Bloomington
Bloomington
Clock
Tower
History
Summary
Read the short version of the town's history since 1600.
Bloomington History Timeline
A picture history that fuses our geological and cultural heritage.
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