Sometimes the best way to understand a fossil is to go fishing. A number of our paleontological sites across North Dakota have fossil bones from the family Lepisosteidae (gar or garpike) preserved. While gar are still alive today, their range tends to be more southern and eastern, closer to warmer, slow-moving waters and bayous. While the living gar may not be an exact match to our fossil gar, studying the bones from the living animals can help us better understand what we’re finding in the rock.

Our paleontology department has a small comparative collection of recent animals - things that may share similarities to fossil creatures we find. For instance, a modern deer may have similar bone structures to 30 million- year-old deer. A modern crocodile may have ribs and vertebrae that look similar to crocodiles that once roamed North Dakota 60 million years ago. The same goes for the gar.

This is where taxidermy comes into play. Instead of stuffing the skins of animals, we only keep the bones (similar to a European mount). To remove the flesh from the bones, dermestid beetles work wonderfully, but tend to smell, and can have the occasional bug escape artist. We can’t risk that in a museum. Burying the bones in the ground and letting nature do all the work is also an option, but that takes a bit of time and also needs a location to bury the critter. So we stick to simmering the bones in a pot.

For mammal skulls, this is a piece of cake. All the bones of the skull are knit together by sutures – think a bone zipper – and tend to stay all locked in place. Fish skulls, including our lovely gar, have very smooth joints between the bones (called synarthroses) that in life do not move much. However once the skin and connective tissue begins to break down, the skull bones will fall apart.

Since the fossil bones we find are all disarticulated (no longer connected to one another), we need individual bones from modern fish – not a completely intact skull. What we had to do here was make sure the bones fell apart IN ORDER while cleaning them. We simmer them for a while, gently scrub, and then pull off a single bone. Repeat. The bones were placed in order off to the side to dry, where they will be ready to eventually photograph or draw for comparison.

Here we have an articulated skull with the dermopterotic bone highlighted in red. This lets us know where exactly in the skull the bone is.

Next, we have an illustrated dermopterotic, from our recent gar stew. This helps us identify a single bone, if we ever come across a similar looking piece in the field.

The State Archives has a large collection of film and video. The largest collections come from television stations, professional filmmakers, and state agencies. One other genre of moving images we collect is family home movies. Why would the archives be interested in an individual’s home movies? The answer is simple - because home movies often show us what life was like in the past in North Dakota. Events like birthday parties, weddings, and Christmas parties are part of our culture, and seeing these events on film can give us a perspective about how life in the past compares to life in the present. We are particularly interested in preserving North Dakota scenes such as farming, ranching, parades, athletic events, and natural disasters. Many of the scenes that will be featured in the new Inspiration Gallery: Yesterday and Today came from home movies donated to the State Archives. This gallery opens on November 2, 2014.

One film collection was recently donated to the archives by Eileen Mork, niece of Hatton native and famous pioneer aviator Carl Ben Eielson. The collection of 8mm film was shot by her father, Elmer Osking, between 1938 and 1955. Shooting film was a hobby of his, and there are some really nice scenes in the collection from the Hatton area. There is some aerial footage of the countryside prior to rural electrification. Wow! We are so used to seeing miles and miles of power lines and poles, it was really neat to see what it looked like before. This collection does have a lot of out-of-state family vacations, which we don’t necessarily want to collect, but having the North Dakota scenes is well worth taking the collection in and keeping it together.

Kodak film box with the description “Eastern Star Style Show 1950” from The Osking film collection

Formats of home movies have changed throughout the years and will continue to evolve. Home movie collections in the archives include 16mm, 8mm, VHS, 8mm tape, and DV CAM. We are able to convert all these to a digital format for preservation, copying, and easy editing.

Used in digitizing regular 8mm and super 8mm film

If you have home movies, please do not throw them away. If you have film shot in North Dakota that you are willing to donate, check with us at the State Archives to see whether it fits our needs. We can digitize the film and provide donors with a free copy. Most importantly, we will preserve the film so future generations can see the past.

Here are some of the other film and video collections at the state archives:
http://history.nd.gov/archives/tvnewsfilm.html
http://history.nd.gov/archives/othervideo.html

“What is your favorite part of the expansion?” As the manager of the archaeology collections, I know there is a right answer to this question. I should say, “Our new, state-of-the-art archaeology collections storage rooms!” (yes, rooms! The “s” is not a typo!). And I do love them, don’t get me wrong. They are large, bright, climate-controlled rooms with compact shelving units that have more than quadrupled our storage space. They allow us to organize our collections in ways that were not possible in our old space. In fact, we have an entire room filled only with artifacts from Plains Village sites – these are the sites that were built and occupied by North Dakota’s agricultural communities between the 12^th and 19^th centuries. Shouldn’t that be my favorite room? Yes! But it’s not. So what is wrong with me?

The problem is that I am obsessed with our new archaeology lab. Our old lab served many purposes, due mostly to a lack of space in our old office. It was a lab, but also included cubicles, a library, and miscellaneous storage. It was getting pretty crowded in there when we finally moved from this…

To this…

Here are some highlights…

The Dirty Room

As you may expect, archaeological work involves a lot of dirt. While most of it is left at the site, a lot of it does come in with the collection when it arrives to be processed. We try to keep the dirtiest jobs in this room, which has a large sink, a central vacuum, and some of our processing equipment. This is where we wash artifacts, do our size grading, and process flotation and soil samples (among other messy/dusty things).

The blue machine being used by Meagan (Collections Assistant) is a size grader. This contraption is actually an ingenious stack of nested screens that vibrates, shaking the artifacts into 5 different size groups (size-grading makes artifacts easier to sort, and is useful in many types of artifact analysis).

Lithic Comparative Collection

When you find a lithic (stone) tool at an archaeological site, the type of rock it is made from can tell you a lot about the people who used it and/or what was going on at the site. Because certain rocks form under unique geological conditions, we know they can only be found in particular places (called “source areas”).

Left - Comparing a flake with a piece of raw material (obsidian, which is a type of volcanic glass).
Right - One of our many drawers full of labeled lithic raw materials. This drawer contains cherts and quartzites from Wyoming and South Dakota.

Let’s say we find an arrowhead in North Dakota made of obsidian. We know that the closest source of obsidian is in Wyoming, near Yellowstone National Park. That tells us that either someone in North Dakota traveled that far to get it, or it was traded into North Dakota by other groups. Lithic material gives us clues about prehistoric economics and trade, mobility, and tool technology. Our lithic collection has over 250 samples of rock from all over the country. We use it to identify lithic materials that may be unfamiliar to us, and to figure out where it originated.

Work Tables

We have an amazing team of volunteers who help us with different lab projects every week. We are currently sorting artifacts from trash pits at an ancestral Mandan village that was partially excavated in 2010 prior to a road project. We are sorting different types of materials (stone, bone, pottery, etc.) that will be analyzed by specialists for the final report. This is when the lab is the most fun (and on our breaks from doing and learning about archaeology, we tend to eat a lot of sweets and look at each other’s vacation pictures!)

Lab volunteers sorting artifacts from Larson Village.

Cataloging Station

This is where we catalog everything from tiny seed beads to projectile points to leather shoes. The work we are doing ensures that we are able to track every object that we care for. We come across a lot of objects that fill our brains with maddening questions about who, why, when, and where…

Top Left - Cataloging broken beads from a historic fort, Morton Co.
Top Middle - Glass beads recovered from excavations at Like-A-Fishhook Village, 1845-1880s.
Top Right - This photo shows the decorative detail of a cord-impressed pot. Prior to firing, a twisted cord of grass was pressed into the pot at different angles. The impressions indicate that the cord used was twisted tightly and the impressions are close together - these are clues that the pot was made some time after 1500.
Bottom Left - A child’s shoe from Fort Rice, Morton Co.
Bottom Middle - Historic glass bottles, one of which claims to be a remedy for the “dandruff germ” (once believed to cause baldness in men!). http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SN19010420.2.107
Bottom Right - A Folsom projectile point (10,800-10,200 B.P) from Lake Ilo, Dunn Co.

See what I mean? I suppose the lab is where I see objects come to life – it’s where artifacts to be curated become histories to be contemplated. It’s where I think the most about the people who made and used them. It’s where a lot of my questions arise, and it’s where I know I can find at least some of the answers. It is where I can see history being preserved, one artifact at a time.

So, the archaeology lab is my favorite. Final answer.

As a fundraising organization, the State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation is part of a community of supporters. People from all over the state and out of state love North Dakota and have deep roots here. That warm feeling about the state, communities, families, and friends translates into giving. Giving back to this extraordinary place and giving back to communities and families comes from those feelings of gratitude for a good life in North Dakota.

What would it take for you to give away $10,000 of your money to someone or something? Think about giving - what is the process that moves a person to give? Gratitude - for a kindness, an outstanding service, a good deed, a good idea, or a great experience. Gratitude –for a kindness and support from your church. Gratitude - for your hospital or to your school for an excellent education. Gratitude for a good life moves many people to give.

The Foundation has received millions of dollars in gifts of gratitude – gratitude for being raised in a state that forges good values and strong work ethics. Gratitude to a state that provides a lifestyle that supports a great family life and a caring community. Gratitude to a state that provides a place for businesses to invest and to create jobs.

Kirk and Janet Lanterman are just such donors. Kirk grew up in Bismarck-Mandan and has always given credit for his personal success to his upbringing in North Dakota. Kirk Lanterman was named the CEO and Chairman of Carnival Cruise Lines in 1997 and served on their board of directors until 2007. As part of support to the Foundation and the expansion of the North Dakota Heritage Center, Kirk had lunch with Governor Jack Dalrymple and leaders from the House and Senate in January 2009. Over a bowl of potato soup, Kirk told leaders why he wanted to give $500,000 to the expansion. Kirk was grateful for growing up in North Dakota and wanted to honor his pioneering, business-building family. This bold move by a donor was a significant point in the decision by legislators to authorize the $51.7 million expansion.

We are grateful to live in a state that has strong values and brings warm feelings to those who live here and those who now live somewhere else. And we are even more grateful that these feelings of gratitude have moved people to give to the expansion of the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum. I hope each of you – are moved to give somewhere. It feels very good. Give with gratitude.

About 99% of the museum collection is donated gifts from North Dakota residents and former residents who wish to preserve the history of the state. Not all offers can be accepted, but below are some of the donation offers admitted into the museum collection so far this year.

Bloom, Darlene - 2014.00064, Shoe Brush

Shoe brush donated by Darlene Bloom. 2014.00064

Originally the brush was owned by the donor’s grandparents, John and Christina (Schmidt) Wagner of Mercer, who came to the US from Germany. It was later used by the donor’s parents to prop open a window in the house for 50 years! This shoe brush was given as a gift to families that subscribed to Der Staats-Anzeiger. Printed in North Dakota, Der Staats-Anzeiger translates to “The State Gazette” in English. The newspaper was printed in both German and English from 1906 until 1969. Families in America could send letters to their relatives in Germany and Russia through the newspaper. The State Archives has microfilms of Der Staats-Anzeiger, for those interested in learning more about the newspaper.

Norderhaug, Liv – 2014.00079, Cocktail Dress

Cocktail dress donated by Liv Paulson Norderhaug. 2014.00079

The black cocktail dress pictured was owned by the donor’s mother, Joyce Adeline Jalbert, and would have been worn to dances at The Flagstone Terrace Supper Club in Bowman, ND. This black dress was bought from a boutique in Dickinson, ND, called “Helen’s” in the early 1960s. Trips to Dickinson were a treat for the donor and her siblings, because they were able to shop for new clothes, eat at the Woolworth’s lunch counter, and finish at “Baker Boy Bakery” for chocolate frosted brownies! The dress was made by a Californian dressmaking company called Emma Domb, known for making prom and party dresses.

Hurd, Barbara – 2014.00056, Quilt

Quilt donated by Barbara Hurd. 2014.00056

Made in 1857 by Sara Waybright Ridgeway, the quilt pictured here is the oldest quilt from Foster County, North Dakota. The donor remembers the quilt being owned by her great aunt Myrtle Ridgeway, who was married to Judge Pierce Roberts in Carrington, ND. Her first time seeing the quilt was when she was a teenager, and her Great Aunt Myrtle pulled it out of a cedar trunk at the foot of her bed. She would not see the quilt again until five years ago, when she found it in a cedar chest at her mother’s house, along with a front page newspaper article about the quilt in The Independent. The donor decided the quilt needed to stay in North Dakota, where its beauty could be preserved and shared by all.

Anton, Amy – 2014.00020, Dollhouse

Dollhouse donated by Amy Anton. 2014.00020

This beautiful doll house was handmade by Otto and Ginger Knapp from Bismarck, ND, in the 1970s. Otto was born in Temvik, ND in 1916, while Ginger Haux was born in McClusky, ND in 1933. They married in 1952 and raised six children in Bismarck; just half a block north of the capitol! Everything from the windows to the furniture was handmade by the Knapps. The handrails and siding of the house are made with popsicle sticks that have been sanded and varnished. All the beds have hand-sewn pillows, pillow cases and sheets. The cupboards are stocked with miniature bowls, plates, pots, and pans. One of the cabinets even has tiny books and papers stacked on the shelves. At one time the grandfather clock used to work, because it was made from a watch.

What does it take to become an engaging museum? This isn’t an easy nut to crack for most museums, but staff must learn how to tackle this problem. We spend a lot of time thinking about, researching, and gathering data to understand who is part of our audience and why—or why not. This work includes creating and conducting surveys, talking to visitors, and developing relationships. We also must try to identify people in our community who don’t already attend our programs and events, and work on ways to become relevant to them also. Just like any community, our audiences shrink, grow, and change over time too. We have to be willing to experiment with new techniques, ideas, and technologies to identify, develop, and engage our visitors and the communities we serve.

After we understand more about who our audience really is, the next step is to build a relationship with them. We want to keep them excited and coming back to see what we have in store for them next. Social media certainly plays a part in this work, but ultimately it takes vibrant programs and events to keep people excited. A great model of a site trying out new programs is the Former Governors’ Mansion State Historic Site, managed by Johnathan Campbell. The FGM is a house museum located in Bismarck that has been experimenting with new programs to see what might interest long-standing patrons, but also tap into the growing number of new residents in the area.

Former Governors' Mansion State Historic Site

The FGM has done a lot to leverage social media in order to build relationships with people and has a very active Facebook page. In the past year they have held a variety of events that are old favorites like the annual ice cream social. They have also experimented with programming designed to reach new audiences. An example of this is work done with the North Dakota Women’s Network to promote education about women’s rights, equality, and voter education. They’ve also held a film series, had art and craft events, and hosted knitters.

Knitting Brigade - photo by Johnathan Campbell

Becoming an engaging museum starts with developing a deeper understanding of your audience, but it doesn’t stop there. Museums have come a long way in building their capacity to engage communities. We work to develop relationships with visitors and the larger community that, if done right, can effect transformative change on a community in a way that really matters. This is not always easy work and can be painful at times; however, the rewards are immeasurable and the time and effort are worth it. So if you ever have an opportunity to take a visitor survey or provide feedback, know that your comments can help develop richer museum programming and a more transformative experience for everyone.