History 21 The Podcast - 3.07 Vickie Wendel
Vickie Wendel returns from retirement to chat about her 30 years working at the Anoka County Historical Society. Vickie saw the museum through the introduction of computers and internet (at different times of course), and our move from Colonial Hall to the current building. During that transition when a contractor bid $20,000 to create the first exhibit, Vickie declared she would get it done!
Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.
A Message From Vickie Wendel
From the History 21 Newsletter, January 2017.
The first time I heard about the Anoka County Historical Society was about 1986. I was teaching a Community Education class and the instructor in the next room was leading a talk about Anoka County history. She was a volunteer from ACHS and she invited me to visit the museum in Anoka.
There’s a museum in Anoka??
I went on a tour of Colonial Hall, the home of ACHS soon after, and then began researching in their library. At that time, there were four part-time (roughly 20 hours per week or less) staff and a dozen or so really active volunteers. Since I loved history, they soon invited me to volunteer.
I led tours and helped with events until late summer of 1989 when one of the staff members decided to retire -- and asked me if I could to work at Colonial Hall.
YES!
By that time, I already knew the standing mantra around the organization: we have no room for anything and cannot properly keep history unless we get more room. Resolving that took extensive work on the part of many people and fund raising for a solution began in earnest during the spring 1995. By the fall of 2001, we enlisted an army of volunteers and moving vans (quite literally - we included the Anoka National Guard) to take our precious artifacts from Colonial Hall to our new home at the current Anoka County History Center. The remodeling of the building was not complete, but we opened our research library in January of 2002 and held a grand opening in July. More than 1,000 people came through our doors opening day and the best thing was that they were from ALL OVER THE COUNTY! People knew about ACHS!! Not only had people become aware a museum existed in the county, but that it was a COUNTY organization—we had reached out to every community to share and preserve THEIR history!
A special highlight for me came a week or so later when a gentleman in a wheelchair came in. He browsed through the library for a bit, then toured the galleries. When he came out, he stopped at the desk to say, “I’ve always loved local history, but I could never get my chair into the old house. Thank you.”
There are so many other memories that stand out about my time at ACHS. One was at the closing ceremony for the Korean War exhibit, when we had more than 100 people here on a very cold January night. Many were Korean War vets and we had included them in the closing program. The president of the Korean War Veterans Chapter of the Twin Cities opened his part with the words, “Korea may be called the Forgotten War, but not here in Anoka County. You remember us. Thank you.” …
Twice, projects I was a part of won national recognition and awards. The first was the historic interpretation of a trail along the bank of the Rum River with markers and kiosks. I love the idea that it is enjoyed by hundreds of people each week yet today and continues to be a source of great pride for the city of Anoka.
The second project is what I consider the highest achievement of my entire career and that was the exhibit on Vietnam. I first had to earn the trust of those very skeptical veterans (NOT easy), then somehow take their stories—sometimes very painful stories—and turn them into an exhibit that would reach the public in a deeper way than just “a bunch of military stuff.” All I could do was use the words of the vets and let them tell the story.
What happened next was unexpected and amazing. By letting these veterans tell their stories in their way, they healed some old wounds. The community saw them for who they were and rallied behind them. The vets brought their families and shared stories with them they had never spoken of before. I had two wives come to me privately and say their husbands were no longer having nightmares--they believed it was because of the chance the vets had to tell their stories.
THAT is what museum work and history is all about. THAT is what I have been working so hard for—to preserve someone’s story in a way that will make a difference.
There are so many stories I could tell about my time at ACHS; how it has grown and matured, become one of the most respected county organizations in the state, how we earned state and national awards--but that would only be the first chapter. There are many more ways I can see this organization growing and reaching out. I feel so good about the staff we have and what I know they are capable of doing with the support of a strong board and vibrant membership.
And I AM going to be a part of that future! My “retirement” plans include a lot of family time, maybe some travel, but certainly volunteering at ACHS.
My heart will always be here.
Anoka County Library Minute
Further Reading:
Museums – Fiction
Adult titles:
The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville (FANTASY NEV)
In this fantasy novel, two women with a gift for feeling the emotions people leave behind on their objects, come together to create a museum of memories. They attempt to curate the collection to not only literally feel good, but to help heal people of emotional wounds. This piece of magical realism illustrates the power ordinary objects have to leave a lasting imprint on us.
The Museum of Forgotten Memories by Anstey Harris (FICTION HAR)
Fans of Evvie Drake Starts Over will recognize this tale’s themes of hope and renewal. Cate’s life has taken a somber turn when her husband dies, she loses her job, and as a result her home. She starts over in the Victorian, taxidermy-filled museum owned by her husband’s family in a small town. While it has its blemishes, Cate is soon taken with the quirky little museum and sets off on a mission to save it. But first, she must confront her past and the truth of her husband’s passing.
The Ghost Notebooks by Ben Dolnick (FICTION DOL)
A young couple looking for a change of pace pack up to become caretakers of a historic museum in a small town. While they find the place cozy at first, Nick and Hannah notice strange things beginning to happen, culminating in the altogether disappearance of Hannah. While The Ghost Notebooks is a ghost story, and there is a building sense of unease, the author also skillfully weaves in humor to this tale that illustrates just how little we might know about our closest loved ones.
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan (FICTION HOG)
Anthony has made it his life’s mission to reunite lost objects with their owners after his own fiancé died the day he misplaced a treasured keepsake of hers. On his own death bed, he passes on this mission to Laura, his lonesome assistant. As she steps into the role, she also steps into a new community and a stronger sense of self. The Keeper of Lost Things has been called a heartwarming novel about “the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us”.
The Murder Room by PD James (MYSTERY JAM)
For those who want a darker take on museums, check out PD James’ The Murder Room, which is part of the Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries series. Commander Dalgliesh investigates the murder of a museum trustee, which occurred in the museum’s room dedicated to notorious murders committed during the interwar years. The murderer, inspired by the real-life crimes exhibited in the museum, is one of many who may have wanted the victim dead for trying to close the museum. A suspenseful whodunit with lost of surprise twists.
Alena by Rachel Pastan (FICTION PAS)
Inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s classic gothic tale Rebecca, Alena’s protagonist, who remains nameless like Rebecca’s protagonist, finds herself bogged down by the secrets of the Nauk museum. Alena, the Nauk’s previous curator and the founder’s muse, died tragically two years before our protagonist was offered her dream job of taking over. As the secrets unravel, this tale’s heroine is put to the test.
Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson (FICTION YOU)
A shared love of an exhibit brings together museum curator Anders Larsen and Tina Hopgood in an unlikely pen pal friendship. Both have lost love, living lives they’d never expected, and their bond grows through their writings. This is a gentle read about friendship and how the choices we make impact our lives.
Teen and Children’s titles:
Maybe We’re Electric by Val Emmich (YA FICTION EMM)
In this novel geared for a teen audience, readers come to know the museum as a setting for sharing and connecting. When polar opposites Teagan and Mac find themselves stuck together in a small museum after a snowstorm, they find themselves unexpectedly bonding and challenging their assumptions about the other. Unfortunately, Teagan is carrying a secret that could threaten their newfound connection.
Wonderstruck: a novel in words and pictures by Brian Selznick (J FICTION SEL)
This middle grade novel is actually two stories, set 50 years apart and told in alternating storylines - one in prose, the other in photos. Ben and Rose both long for something they don’t have, but set out on quests to get it when they eventually encounter each other in the book’s climax. This book’s ode to museums is in the message about the power of memory.
Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald (J MYSTERY FIT)
In this middle grade mystery, Theodora Tenpenny tries to solve the mystery of her grandfather’s painting – is it actually a stolen masterpiece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art?! In her search for the truth, Theo must learn to leave her loner comfort zone and build a community. This book will leave readers itching to visit their nearest museum.