History 21 The Podcast - 2.10 Lindsay new ACHS staff

Over the last several years, ACHS has made thoughtful changes in staffing and operations. This, when coupled with strategic planning from the board of directors, resulted in a COVID-friendly digital existence and plenty of options for the future. The next step in exploring, “what if?” required an investment from the savings account and the creation of a Development Specialist position. To fill this part-time, one-year contract hire, ACHS partnered with Lindsay Christensen. In this podcast, you’ll hear more about Lindsay as a person, her hopes for ACHS, and how you can help support these endeavors.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.09 Fridley Tornado May 6, 1965

On May 6, 1965 a series of tornadoes hit the Twin Cities, including Fridley and Spring Lake Park in Anoka County. We talk with author Allen Taylor about what happened that night, how people learned of the danger, and why this weather became so devastating. Interspersed in this conversation, you’ll hear clips of WCCO’s award-winning radio coverage of the event that saved hundreds of lives.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.08 Adem Ojulu & the McWatt Foundation

Adem Ojulu joins ACHS through funding from the McWatt Fellowship. In this episode they share how coming from an African immigrant family shaped their interest in helping black immigrants tell their own stories, preserving native languages, and how that melds with project plans during this fellowship with ACHS.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.07 Big Stoop Orchestra

The Big Stoop Orchestra played to a crowd of 600 at Anoka High School on January 28, 1948. In this special episode, hear the story of how Wilburne “Big Stoop” Chamberlain started the band in 1946, the band’s time at Oak Ridge Resort on Crooked Lake, as well as listen to music the band played at that concert in 1948. Special thanks to Mark Joslyn and podcast guest Ron Chamberlain.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.06 Ben Mchie and the McWatt Fellowship

Since stories remain the heart of history, ACHS consistently looks for new avenues of gathering and preserving those that live in Anoka County. In this episode of History 21: The Podcast, you can hear the conversation between Rebecca Desens and Ben Mchie, one of two fellows hired though Legacy funds this spring. Ben underscores the importance of intergenerational storytelling, how strategic conversations can help bring understanding to a community, and the magic of his program called Street Teams.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.05 Hazel Hartman Remembers Fridley

Born at the tail end of the 19th century in 1897, Hazel Hartman lived in a different Anoka County than we experience today. In this oral history, recorded at her home in 1989, she shares memories about growing up in Constance (located in present day Andover) and her life in a rural Fridley after she married Carl Hartman (Fridley’s first mayor) in 1928.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.04 Erin’s First Anniversary

Erin McBrien returns to the podcast with ACHS Board Member, Steve Florman, to reflect on her one year anniversary working with the collection at the Anoka County Historical Society. How did Erin react to the (quite literally) dump truck-sized load of documents and photographs from Federal Cartridge to go through? What does Erin’s job have to do with a [19]80’s video montage? What surprised her most about being a “lone arranger”? This truly behind-the-scenes conversation will shed light on what goes into managing the collections at ACHS. Feel free to laugh along!

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.03 Reading Corps

Sometimes the most impressive things live right in our backyards and we don’t even know they exist. Join Cindy McKenny, former front desk staff at ACHS, as she talks about her experiences with Reading Corps, a program supported by Americorps. You’ll meet her new boss, Chris Erickson, program and community partnerships manager, and hear some stories about their time tutoring. Feeling curious? We’ve also included ways you can be involved!

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.02 Dennis Berg

Family is a constant thought in Dennis Berg’s life, and it was for them he wrote his autobiography, “Growing Up Barefoot.” Listen as he reads excerpts from it about his childhood on the farm (complete with outhouse!), meeting his wife, finding employment with the Greenberg’s and being drafted to serving in Vietnam.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Rebecca Ebnet-Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

CW: This episode contains descriptions of engagements in Vietnam. If you would like to skip this section entirely, it lasts from the 22-34 minute mark of the episode.

History 21 The Podcast - 2.01 Flora Aldrich's "The One Man"

We remember Flora Aldrich as a doctor practicing in the early 1900s who saw patients out of her stately home on 3rd Ave., So, Anoka. In that role she published two medical books and provided countless recommendations on healthy living. What history often forgets is her single novel, “the one man “. In this podcast you can get a taste of Flora’s attempt at creative writing, then commiserate with hosts Sara and Daryl about just how bad we think it is. Warning, in discussing the books themes we ignore all spoilers!

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator and Daryl Lawrence, ACHS Board Member.

History 21 The Podcast - 1.26 Albert Kordiak

Albert Kordiak served as Anoka County commissioner for 32 years, beginning a family legacy that lasted a total of 64 years when his son retired. During his lifetime, Kordiak built a legacy based on supporting causes he firmly believed in, including the anti-communist movement in the 1950’s, advocating for his hometown of Columbia Heights, and remembering his Czechoslovakian roots. In 2009, Kordiak took time to record an oral history for ACHS that detailed many of his experiences.