Thank you Ryan Mattke for a VERY interesting program!

Matt came to our meeting to tell us about the University of Minnesota's Borchert Map Library and those present learned a lot!  There is an amazing collection there for all of us to access. 
Please look at his presentation linked below to get a sample of the information the library has.

Here is a link to his presentation with links.

Here it is in PDF

You can also email him with any questions about place names and the changes of towns and borders over time.
And any other geographical questions.

It was a super presentation!
Thank you Ryan

GEOnames
The GeoNames geographical database covers all countries and contains over 11 million placenames that are available for download free of charge.

Rumsey Map Collection
The David Rumsey Map Collection was started over 30 years ago and contains more than 150,000 maps.  The collection focuses on rare 16th thru 21st century maps of North and South America, as well as maps of the world, Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania.  The collection includes atlases, wall maps, globes, school geographies, pocket maps, books of exploration, maritime charts, and a variety of cartographic materials.  Items range in date from @1550 to the present.

SPECIAL Historical Look at Maps!

Ryan Mattke from the University of Minnesota Borchert Map Library will be presenting on Minnesota maps- including historical aerial maps! 

Northfield Public Library meeting room.  2 pm Wednesday, September 19th.
Free and open to all.

Time to share!

Tuesday, August 21 at 2 pm at the Northfield Public Library
Come join us in this fun (and sometimes funny) time of sharing our genealogy stories, finds and problems.

Research sites you may not know about-

raogk.org
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness is a global volunteer organization.  Volunteers donate their time to offer free genealogy research in their local area. 

moms.mn.gov
The Minnesota Official Marriage System is created, designed and managed by Minnesota counties.  Marriage records are public information

ImmigrantShips.net 
Volunteers transcribe passenger lists

We will be at the Rice County Fair!

Rice county Genealogy group will have an information booth in the Rice county Museum from noon to 8 pm on Wednesday July 18^th 

We will be located in the Carlander Room of the Museum in air conditioning. We will have a couple of the Historical Society’s computers and will help visitors access some genealogy programs.

June 19-come learn about the Northfield History Collaborative

This unique collaboration between Carleton & St. Olaf Colleges and the Northfield Historical Society features many aspects of Northfield area history. It’s on-line and accessible to everyone. NHS Shaffer member Stephanie Hess will present this program. 

Free! Come join us! 

Northfield Public Library Bunday Meeting Room  2 pm June 19

http://northfieldhistorycollaborative.org/

May's Special event!

Memorial Service at Old Prairieville Cemetery.

2 pm Sunday, May 20th.

The cemetery is located on Hwy 60 2.5 miles east of Faribault, MN

The story of an abandoned pioneer cemetery

For years the East “Old” Prairieville Cemetery lay beneath a woods and weeds and briars, largely unknown to anyone except a few local residents. The graves of two Civil War Veterans and a War of 1812 Veteran lay buried along with the graves of early pioneers and settlers of East Prairieville, located just East of Faribault, Minnesota in Rice County. 

Sometime in the early 1900’s, the cemetery was abandoned and had  lain largely untouched since.  Efforts in the l980’s and l990’s by John and Jan Dalby, Ole Stark, Helen Stearns, and Dallas Drake to bring this cause to the attention of  officials, went largely unnoticed.  

Coincidentally, in 2007, Timothy Lloyd, searching for the grave of his great great great grand parents, discovered Old Prairieville Cemetery, abandoned and nearly impenetrable.  Tim’s search for the cemetery and the grave of his ancestor set off a series of actions that have led to the restoration of the cemetery which is still “in process”.  With the passage of Minnesota Statute 306.243 MAINTAINING ABANDONED CEMETERIES  and increasing pressure from local citizens, county officials agreed to help.  Their cutting down of the woods and surveying the cemetery paved the way for restoration to begin.

Five summers of work with specially designed equipment uncovered the gravestones of some 55 Prairieville residents.  Most of the gravestones are in good condition, quite legible, and some quite beautiful.  Grass is now growing and gravestones protrude from beds of old day lilies that bloom profusely. Eleven large monuments, buried deeply, and perhaps intentionally, have been raised by a professional stone setter and stand now overlooking the Prairie---the view looking much as it must have one hundred fifty years ago when the cemetery was organized.(see photos at end of website)

The “Friends of Old Prairieville Cemetery” has  made an effort to restore the cemetery in a way keeping with its Pioneer origins.  Beautiful stands of Day Lilies, Vinca, etc. have been maintained while new grass grows around them.  Native trees will be planted and a fence will be erected to maintain the cemetery’s borders. 

Margaret Kelly is researching the families buried in Old Prairieville and will be glad to share her findings.  Questions or information about the cemetery should be directed to the Lloyd’s and Ms Kelly at stp@oldprairievillecem.org or at Friends of Old Prairieville Cemetery, Box 450, Northfield, Mn. 55057