Publishing
Featured Magazine Articles
The award-winning quarterly magazine published by the Ramsey County Historical Society is filled with wonderful stories, well-written articles, photos, and maps reflecting the lives, history, and culture of our capital county.
Please use our full catalog to search for specific topics or articles.
You may also research back issues of Ramsey County History in our Research Center.
Ramsey County History Fall 2024
John W. Diers, Jim McCartney, Adam BledsoeRamsey County History Fall 2024 Volume 59, No. 4: Fall 2024 John W. Diers, Jim McCartney, Adam Bledsoe Link to download PDF of full Ramsey County History Fall 2024 Articles in this issue: Growing Up on the Empire Builder Author: John W. Diers John W. Diers’…
Ramsey County History Summer 2024
Haley Prochnow, Cherelle Swain, Christine Podas-LarsonVolume 59, Number 3: Summer 2024 Link to download PDF of full Ramsey County History Summer 2024 Articles in this issue: Rondo Recreation in the St. Croix River Valley, 1909-1977 Author: Haley Prochnow For some Minnesotans with a little extra disposable income, “summertime” can translate to “cabin time.”…
Ramsey County History Spring 2024
Paul Nelson, Drew Ross, Wendy Rossi, Meredith CummingsVolume 59, Number 2: Spring 2024 Link to download PDF of full Ramsey County History Spring 2024 Articles in this issue: The Fraud of the Century Author: Paul Nelson According to author Paul Nelson, “The human desire for wealth without risk and the capacity for self-delusion make an…
Ramsey County History Winter 2024
Nicole Foss, Linda Kohl, Krista Finstad Hanson, Renoir Gaither, Mary Lethert WingerdVolume 59, Number 1: Winter 2024 Link to download PDF of full issue of RCHS Winter 2024 Magazine Articles in this Issue: Architect of St. Paul’s West Side: H. Emil Strassburger Author: Nicole Foss Link to N. Foss article PDF Additional Resources:…
Featured Books
RCHS publishes fiction and nonfiction books and historical coloring books on a variety of historical subjects for readers of all ages.
Grasshoppers in My Bed: Lillie Belle Gibbs, Minnesota Farm Girl 1877
Terry Swanson, Author and Peggy Stern, IllustratorIt is 1876—Christmas day—which just happens to be the eleventh birthday of Lillie Belle Gibbs. Her mother and father present her with a new journal. Now she must decide how to fill the pages. Grasshoppers in her bed, a smudge pot to keep the mosquitos at bay, the one-room schoolhouse…
Featured Book Reviews
One sure thing about history – there’s a lot of it – and so, by default, there’s a lot written about it. We include reviews of the latest Minnesota and/or Ramsey County history books online here – there’s always something new about all things old.
Browse our catalog and enjoy the reviews. Chances are they’ll lead you to stop by Ramsey County Historical Society to purchase the actual book. We have many of the books available for sale at the Landmark Center.
Rise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership, and Love
Reviewed by Anne CowieRise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership, and Love Marlene M. Johnson Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2024 248 pages; cloth/jacket, 15 b&w plates, $24.95 Marlene Johnson came to leadership early. When she was just thirty-seven, she became Minnesota’s first woman lieutenant governor, assuming that position…
Perennial Ceremony: Lessons and Gifts from a Dakota Garden
Reviewed by Renoir GaitherPerennial Ceremony: Lessons and Gifts from a Dakota Garden Author: Teresa Peterson Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2024 224 pages; hard cover; 34 b/w photographs, $25.95 Perennial Ceremony: Lessons and Gifts from a Dakota Garden highlights Dr. Teresa Peterson’s gifts as purveyor of rituals; canny, earthbound observations; and spiritual wisdom.
Deeper Blues: The Life, Songs, and Salvation of Cornbread Harris
Reviewed by Tom EggumDeeper Blues: The Life, Songs, and Salvation of Cornbread Harris Andrea Swensson Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2024 200 pages; cloth/jacket, 50 b&w illustrations, $22.95 Andrea Swensson’s Deeper Blues: The Life, Songs, and Salvation of Cornbread Harris is a biography of James Samuel Harris II (Cornbread Harris) and…
Featured March of the Governors Podcasts
The “March of the Governors” podcast series provides brief snapshots of Minnesota’s governors during their terms in office. As you might imagine, there’s far more to each of their stories, both positive and negative. Thank you for joining us on this journey. We hope you will be inspired to learn more.
Minnesota has been governed by forty-one leaders. RCHS uploads a new podcast at the start of each month. The final episode publishes in November 2024.
March of the Governors: Mark Dayton
Tom Beer and Paul NelsonMark Dayton, Minnesota’s fortieth governor, was the oldest to assume that office for the first time at sixty-three. He stepped into the role with vast political experience. In the 1970s, he served as legislative aide and Minnesota Economic Development commissioner and later worked four years as state auditor and six…
March of the Governors: Tim Pawlenty
Paul Nelson and Ken PetersonTim Pawlenty grew up in a family of South St. Paul Democrats but embraced Republicanism as a teenager. He was a hard worker and excellent student in public schools and at the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota Law School. He was hired by a prestigious Minneapolis law…
Featured RCHS Videos and DVDS
RCHS has partnered with Twin Cities Public Television on two documentary films. Past History Revealed videos are available on the RCHS YouTube channel linked here.
RCHS/TPT Film – North Star: Civil War Stories
RCHS and TPTNorth Star Civil War Stories Ramsey County Historical Society is proud to partner with TPT-Twin Cities PBS to produce a ground-breaking new documentary, North Star: Civil War Stories, which uncovers hidden details of African-American men from Minnesota involved in the Civil War. Using emerging research and scholarship, North Star: Civil War…
History Revealed: Indian Wars Everywhere
Stefan AuneIndian Wars Everywhere Stefan Aune, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor of American Studies, Williams College History Revealed Series Program Date: Thursday, January 18, 2024 Video on YouTube In partnership with the East Side Freedom Library & Roseville…
History Revealed: The Hormel Strike
Peter RachleffThe Hormel Strike of 1985-1986: Historical Perspectives with Peter Rachleff History Revealed Series Program Date: Thursday, May 18, 2023 YouTube Video In partnership with the East Side Freedom Library and the Roseville Library. In August 1985 the nation’s attention turned to Austin,…