Society News
Meet Our New Visitor Services and Museum Shop Manager
We are delighted to have Teresa (Tess) Pfohl join the team as the Visitor Services and Museum Shop Manager. Tess grew up in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, but has lived in Vasa, St. Cloud, Bemidji, and Alexandria before making Winona her home. She received her Bachelor’s in Social Work and achieved a minor in Gerontology from St. Cloud State University. She worked as a case manager in disability services at SEMCIL and as a licensed hospice social worker for Knute Nelson before coming to the Historical Society. She is inspired by people’s stories and their eagerness to rise above difficult situations and troubling times. Tess overcame an intense battle with cancer in 2014, which unfortunately put her in a wheelchair, but continues to enjoy what life has to offer each day.
Her hobbies and interests include enjoying the outdoors, history, music, art, singing, swimming, weightlifting, kayaking, horseback riding, hand cycling, participating in paratriathlons, film, animals, cooking, traveling, adventures, and spending time with her 2 dogs, close friends, and family. Tess has volunteered at numerous community Thanksgiving dinners, senior communities, homeless shelters, and pregnancy centers across Minnesota. She also enjoys leading worship at her church as they need help.
Tess is excited to further explore her historical interests, learn more about the community she lives in, and help coordinate the generous WCHS volunteers. You are encouraged to share your favorite story or piece of Winona history with her! Feel free to stop in the History Center and say hello!
Annual Raffle Quilt!
$1 a chance - Drawing on Dec. 2 during the Christmas House Tour!
The Third Thursday Friendship Circle of the Winona Area Quilters Guild made a beautiful full/queen quilt called “Autumn Afternoon” for the Society to raffle off. It was machine quilted by member and volunteer, Mary Nelson. The quilt features Batik fabric in fall colors with a leaf design. The quilt is in the History Center’s Slaggie Family Lobby for viewing!
Celebrating Cal Fremling
Winona State University and WCHS were awarded a Heritage Partnership Legacy grant to digitize and preserve Dr. Cal Fremling’s Archive and provide a lecture series aboard the Cal Fremling boat related to his work. Dr. Calvin R. Fremling, WSU Professor Emeritus of Biology was a noted and beloved educator, scientist, and Mississippi River enthusiast during his 32 year career at WSU. His book, Immortal River: The Upper Mississippi River in Ancient and Modern Times, serves as one of the most comprehensive and readable accounts of the Mississippi River ecosystem available today.
Monday, September 10, 2018, Boarding time at 3:45 pm and departure 4:00 pm, 1 hour, Cal Fremling Boat, “River Mussels: The Secret Lives of Our Water Cleaners and How We Can Help Them”, Mike Davis, Aquatic Ecologist, Minnesota DNR
September 19, 2018, Boarding time at 3:00 pm and departure 3:15 pm, 1 hour, Cal Fremling Boat, “To Art and Science: A Natural History”, Gaylord Schanilec, Midnight Paper Sales
Seating is limited and all attendees must R.S.V.P. to aquam@winona.edu, at least 10 days prior to the date. Lectures are free thanks to the Legacy Grant.
Armory Film and Exhibit
We are excited to announce a new project. In July we worked with Engage Winona to collect and film stories from individuals with memories about the 1915 Winona Armory. We will be working on a short film with Wenonah Creates and it will be part of a new permanent exhibit in the main exhibit hall at the History Center. The armory is not only part of the History Center museum; it is our largest artifact and holds many memories. This building connected veterans and civilians and was a special place to both. The exhibit will highlight the Armory’s history, its special way of connecting military and civilians and how it still connects various members of the community as a museum today. We were awarded a Veterans Voices Grant from the Minnesota Humanities Center to do this project. Watch for more in our next issue and in area media about the opening of the exhibit and mark your calendars for November 12.
We are delighted to have Teresa (Tess) Pfohl join the team as the Visitor Services and Museum Shop Manager. Tess grew up in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, but has lived in Vasa, St. Cloud, Bemidji, and Alexandria before making Winona her home. She received her Bachelor’s in Social Work and achieved a minor in Gerontology from St. Cloud State University. She worked as a case manager in disability services at SEMCIL and as a licensed hospice social worker for Knute Nelson before coming to the Historical Society. She is inspired by people’s stories and their eagerness to rise above difficult situations and troubling times. Tess overcame an intense battle with cancer in 2014, which unfortunately put her in a wheelchair, but continues to enjoy what life has to offer each day.
Her hobbies and interests include enjoying the outdoors, history, music, art, singing, swimming, weightlifting, kayaking, horseback riding, hand cycling, participating in paratriathlons, film, animals, cooking, traveling, adventures, and spending time with her 2 dogs, close friends, and family. Tess has volunteered at numerous community Thanksgiving dinners, senior communities, homeless shelters, and pregnancy centers across Minnesota. She also enjoys leading worship at her church as they need help.
Tess is excited to further explore her historical interests, learn more about the community she lives in, and help coordinate the generous WCHS volunteers. You are encouraged to share your favorite story or piece of Winona history with her! Feel free to stop in the History Center and say hello!
Annual Raffle Quilt!
$1 a chance - Drawing on Dec. 2 during the Christmas House Tour!
The Third Thursday Friendship Circle of the Winona Area Quilters Guild made a beautiful full/queen quilt called “Autumn Afternoon” for the Society to raffle off. It was machine quilted by member and volunteer, Mary Nelson. The quilt features Batik fabric in fall colors with a leaf design. The quilt is in the History Center’s Slaggie Family Lobby for viewing!
Celebrating Cal Fremling
Winona State University and WCHS were awarded a Heritage Partnership Legacy grant to digitize and preserve Dr. Cal Fremling’s Archive and provide a lecture series aboard the Cal Fremling boat related to his work. Dr. Calvin R. Fremling, WSU Professor Emeritus of Biology was a noted and beloved educator, scientist, and Mississippi River enthusiast during his 32 year career at WSU. His book, Immortal River: The Upper Mississippi River in Ancient and Modern Times, serves as one of the most comprehensive and readable accounts of the Mississippi River ecosystem available today.
Monday, September 10, 2018, Boarding time at 3:45 pm and departure 4:00 pm, 1 hour, Cal Fremling Boat, “River Mussels: The Secret Lives of Our Water Cleaners and How We Can Help Them”, Mike Davis, Aquatic Ecologist, Minnesota DNR
September 19, 2018, Boarding time at 3:00 pm and departure 3:15 pm, 1 hour, Cal Fremling Boat, “To Art and Science: A Natural History”, Gaylord Schanilec, Midnight Paper Sales
Seating is limited and all attendees must R.S.V.P. to aquam@winona.edu, at least 10 days prior to the date. Lectures are free thanks to the Legacy Grant.
Armory Film and Exhibit
We are excited to announce a new project. In July we worked with Engage Winona to collect and film stories from individuals with memories about the 1915 Winona Armory. We will be working on a short film with Wenonah Creates and it will be part of a new permanent exhibit in the main exhibit hall at the History Center. The armory is not only part of the History Center museum; it is our largest artifact and holds many memories. This building connected veterans and civilians and was a special place to both. The exhibit will highlight the Armory’s history, its special way of connecting military and civilians and how it still connects various members of the community as a museum today. We were awarded a Veterans Voices Grant from the Minnesota Humanities Center to do this project. Watch for more in our next issue and in area media about the opening of the exhibit and mark your calendars for November 12.
Parking Lot to be Developed
We are losing our parking lot at the corner of fourth and Johnson as of May 14, but the good news is the block is being developed. We knew the current lot was going to be temporary since its lease starting in 2010, and it is great news for Winona that the whole block is going to be developed rather than sit as a parking lot and empty block in downtown Winona. We do own property next to the History Center along fourth street and will be developing that space (behind LaBoutique) into a new parking area this spring/summer. It will be smaller than our current lot, but it is better than nothing and will be much nicer than the current leased lot. There is lot and street parking nearby as well which we have mapped on our “museums” page for those planning a visit to the History Center. We are still looking for some funds to develop the new lot; and if you would like to contribute to the project, please contact Executive Director, Mark Peterson, 507.454.2723 ext. 1.
We are losing our parking lot at the corner of fourth and Johnson as of May 14, but the good news is the block is being developed. We knew the current lot was going to be temporary since its lease starting in 2010, and it is great news for Winona that the whole block is going to be developed rather than sit as a parking lot and empty block in downtown Winona. We do own property next to the History Center along fourth street and will be developing that space (behind LaBoutique) into a new parking area this spring/summer. It will be smaller than our current lot, but it is better than nothing and will be much nicer than the current leased lot. There is lot and street parking nearby as well which we have mapped on our “museums” page for those planning a visit to the History Center. We are still looking for some funds to develop the new lot; and if you would like to contribute to the project, please contact Executive Director, Mark Peterson, 507.454.2723 ext. 1.