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Join us as we explore the rich tapestry of America through conversations with guests from around the U.S. Each episode dives deep into the invaluable work of state and local Museums, Historical and Genealogical Societies. These dedicated organizations are the unsung heroes, preserving our heritage and culture one community at a time. From bustling cities to small towns, they safeguard our collective past for future generations. Discover how these vital institutions, our ”Preservation Oaks,” ensure our stories live on.
Episodes
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Monday Dec 06, 2021
In this episode, Sean Thomas meets with Sandra Bengtson, the President of the Fremont County Historical Society in Sidney Iowa.
We discussed the facilities the Society manages which are the Museum, the Old School House, the Gathering Place, and the Ferrell House Museum.
The Society is very excited about the fact that digitization of archived Sidney newspapers has been completed. Sandra may now be able to find the date that the town started being referred to as “Rodeo Town USA”.
Congratulations to Sandra and team for rescuing several boxes of 150-year-old records from being destroyed by the County.
We discussed a HUGE project underway to prepare County Probate files for digitization. There are over 3000 of these to complete.
Great news! Sandra was able to confirm that Ulysses S. Grant did stay in the Cromwell House when it was a hotel! Sandra believes he may have been there with other political luminaries of the time in an attempt to start the Greenback Party. The original Hotel Registry book and other items can be seen in an exhibit in the museum!
We discussed the blessed Underground Railroad that existed in the County during the time of the Civil War. Sandra relayed an interesting story about two slave girls and how they escaped to freedom. You can learn more by listening to the program and by viewing the exhibit at the Museum.
Sandra relayed how the Jesse James gang operated in Fremont County and gave the listeners a wonderful story of the James gang robbing a bank in Imogene and then failing in an attempt to steal a fine team of local horses
Some goals of the Society for the coming year:
- Over the Winter, Sandra would like to redesign the Society’s web site.
- The Society needs to have a concrete parking area poured in front of the Museum and so needs the donations to fund that.
- The Society would like to have a Gazebo built near the Museum to be used by the people of the county. Again, what is needed are donations to make that a reality.
We discussed some of the books available from the Society and about the Catholic Church in Imogene which was built in 1915, replacing another one that stood on the same spot which was built in 1880 but burnt down. The new church has an altar which was created in Italy and is really beautiful.
If you’re a listener in the area the society serves, OR if you’re a listener researching ancestors in the community the society serves and you’re not already a member, please consider joining and supporting the society!
The Society’s website, email address, and phone number are:
- https://fremontcountyhistorical.org
- fremontcountyhistorical@gmail.com
- Phone: 712 374 3248
- Fremont County, Iowa Genealogy Research | Facebook
The Society is very valuable to the community and the kinds of excellent services they provide. The society is truly one of our Preservation Oaks!
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
Wednesday Nov 24, 2021
In this episode, Sean Thomas meets Carrie Eilderts of the Cedar Falls Historical Society.
- You’ll learn why Cedar Falls was once known as “The Garden City”
- How a portion of the downtown has been added to the National Registry of Historical Places.
- The possibility each year that the ICE HOUSE MUSEUM will be impacted by river flooding. Listener’s, please make your tax-deductible donation to the Cedar Falls Historical Society so they have a fund to deal with flood prevention and/or flood cleanup if this should occur like it did in 2008 and 2016.
- How Cedar Falls has a rich Danish heritage. Those who want to learn more can connect with the Society via their website.
- How people can designate the Cedar Falls Historical Society as their organization of choice on Amazon Smile. From that point on, each time you use Amazon Smile, Amazon donates a portion of everything you purchase to the Society. It’s a good way to maintain consistent donations.
- How Carrie was always interested in history as a youngster but what really sealed the deal for a history future was a history teacher who made history come alive. Now Carrie says “every day is different and fun”.
- How the Society began in 1962.
- How the ICE HOUSE MUSEUM will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2022!
- We discus the programs the Society offers every year. They are all available on the website.
- How the Society is lucky enough to have 100 volunteers from the community to help the four full time staff members manage the four facilities, running the programs, and genealogy research. The unique approach Carrie uses to manage the facilities and the public.
- The Bus Tours which the Society sponsors to various unique and exciting destinations.
- How the Society is embracing virtualization, digitization, web access, and social media in everyday operations.
- How the Society incorporates new history into the fabric of the community and Society.
- How the Society is collecting stories from the community regarding how people have coped with the Covid pandemic.
This Society is preserving the history of Cedar Falls Iowa for future generations and to share the story of the culture and the history of the place.
If you’re a listener in Cedar Falls OR if you’re a listener researching family history in the Cedar Falls Iowa and you’re not already a member, please consider joining and supporting the society! Right now, donations, and visitors are needed.
The Cedar Falls Historical Society’s website URL is Cedar Falls Historical Society (cfhistory.org) - (319) 266-5149
I hope this information helps everyone understand how innovative and valuable the Cedar Falls Historical Society is to the community. Please help all you can by volunteering and donating to support them. The Cedar Falls Historical Society truly qualifies as one of our nation’s Preservation Oaks!
Monday Nov 15, 2021
Monday Nov 15, 2021
In this episode, Sean Thomas meets Christy Deutmeyer of the Dyersville Area Historical Society.
You’ll learn how the town of Dyersville began and some of the influential business men of the area. We discussed the Field of Dreams movie set; which is now a park in Dyersville.
We learn about the Dyer-Botsford Museum and plans for further maintenance in spring 2022. Donations are needed for this.
We discussed how Covid has affected both the Society and the Community.
Christy discussed a curriculum developed in 2019 to allow school aged children to interact with the Society and learn about how life has changed from the last century to this one. She is planning to implement this as soon as Covid dissipates.
The Society is contemplating publication of a new book to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Dyersville area.
An objective Christy has established to be accomplished this winter season is to redesign and implement a new Society Web Site.
One thing that comes shining through in the program is just how passionate Christy and her organization are to help members and visitors.
If you’re a listener in the Dyersville Area OR if you’re a listener researching family history in the Dyersville Iowa area and you’re not already a member, please consider joining and supporting the society!
Right now, volunteers, donations to maintain the Dyers-Botsford Museum, and visitors are needed. The Dyersville Area Historical Society’s website URL is dyersvillehistory.com
I can’t wait for the changes to the website.!
The Dyersville Area Historical Society is truly a value-add to the community and definitely one of our nation’s Preservation Oaks!
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Monday Nov 01, 2021
In this episode, Sean Thomas interviews the Director of the Montgomery County Historical Society, Dave McFarland.
You’ll learn how the town of Red Oak began and some of the influential business men who buildings and streets were named after including the designation of a part of the town as a Historic District, and the Red Oak Town Square which in addition to other community spirited monuments, has a monument to a Red Oak native son who lost his life when the US battleship Maine was sunk in the Spanish American War.
We learn about human remains that were included in a donation to the Society and how Dave and team worked to re-patriate and inter the remains properly.
One thing that comes shining through in the program is that Dave is really missing interactions with local people; as in visitors and especially volunteers! He mentioned that 60% of the visitors coming to the history center this year live further than 50 miles from the center! I challenge the Montgomery County listeners to make a visit to their fabulous Historical Center. It is unique and a beautiful facility.
Dave loves to approach the education of history with the public by telling stories. A quote from Dave: “ History is not about the artifacts. Rather, it’s about the lives and characters these people had and how that is still applicable to us today. That is what makes history interesting.”
You’ll learn how Dave and team are tracking the impact of COVID and drawing comparisons between it and the Spanish Flu which occurred 100 years ago and took the lives of millions.
Dave discussed how he and his good wife published the book “A Tour Through the History of Montgomery County and the Montgomery County History Center” and how you can get your very own autographed copy!
We discussed the Thomas Murphy building and its future, how the Society does a LOT of genealogical work being requested by people across our nation, how the Society saved the oldest church building in the county, Junction Days annual celebration, the annual corn boil, the various historical buildings the Society maintains for the public, and lastly, you’ll hear some relevant quotes from Dave McFarland.
If you’re a listener in Montgomery County OR if you’re a listener researching family history in in Montgomery County Iowa and you’re not already a member, please consider joining and supporting the society! Right now, volunteers, donations, and visitors are needed. The Montgomery County Historical Society’s website URL is https://www.mocohistorycenter.org/
I congratulate the community on having the foresight to invest in the facility which is home to the Montgomery County Historical Society. The Montgomery County Historical Society is truly a value-add to the community and definitely one of our nation’s Preservation Oaks!
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
Wednesday Oct 20, 2021
In this episode, Sean Thomas interviews the President of the Kailua Hawaii Historical Society, Dr. Paul Brennan.
Dr. Brennan is so knowledgeable and an expert in the history of Kailua. Dr. Brennan indicated he would like to complete more archeology in the area before it’s damaged or gone forever and lost to the people of Kailua. He discusses what he refers to as the "Queen’s Retreat", an archeological site which includes a Hawaiian Temple, the Queen’s Carriage way, and a place where the Royal Family of Hawaii bathed.
You'll learn about modern day Kailua, how Kailua was originally settled, how Kailua got it's name, the commercial and cultural development of Kailua prior to and after World War 2. and statehood in 1959.
Since 1981 when he and his wife arrived in Hawaii from Papua New Guinea, Dr. Brennan has focused his life’s work on preserving the oral histories of Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese immigrants, as well as Native Hawaiians in Kailua. He now has over 150 of these stored in the Society’s archive.
We discuss Japanese "Picture Brides", and how Dr. Brennan has conducted tours of Kailua free of charge for years.
Dr. Brennan shared touching and beautiful stories about Kailua and its residents and how the Society is helping address the homeless problem on Kailua.
We also discuss the future of the Kailua Historical Society which includes obtaining a permanent facility for the Society and several other key strategic objectives.
This is an exciting time for the Kailua Historical Society! I would love to be there as the Society develops these plans! There’s a lot of opportunity to help our Preservation Oak Dr. Paul Brennan and the Kailua Historical Society!
If you’re a listener in Kailua OR if you’re a listener researching family history in Kailua and you’re not already a member, please consider joining and supporting the society! The Kailua Historical Society’s website URL is Kailua Historical Society.org
I hope this program helps the audience understand how valuable the Kailua Historical Society is to the community and what kinds of excellent work they continue to do for their members and the public. The Kailua Historical Society is truly a value-add to the community and definitely one of our Preservation Oaks!
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Wednesday Sep 22, 2021
Your host Sean Thomas Radcliff reviews how the program got it's name, the objectives of the program and Micro Stream Radio, then finally encouraging listeners to support both the program and the institutions highlighted in each episode.
Learning about the role and challenges of these vital organizations is going to be eye opening and fun for me and the listeners!
Anyone across the world interested in finding and documenting their family history in the United States needs to know the benefits of working with and becoming a member of historical and genealogical societies in the locations where their ancestors lived and died.
This program will help people understand the role of these organizations, how to successfully interface with each, and not only gather the information they need, but also how to support this important work.