History 21 The Podcast - 4.04 Valentines Day in Anoka

Valentine’s Day is billed as the day of love, couples and all things romance. But where did this day of hearts and cupids come from and why do we celebrate it each February 14? Skeptics may say it is only a plot from the greeting card and candy companies….but Anoka County residents were celebrating and engaging with Valentine’s Day long before Hallmark Company even began. Learn how people in Anoka County celebrated Valentines Day through the years.

This episode is a portion of a program given at ACHS February 10, 2024.

Host Rebecca Desens, ACHS Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator.

History 21 The Podcast - 4.03 Deb Wallace at Ticknor Hill Bed & Breakfast

With a round “tower” column and a stately presence, the 157 year old Ticknor Hill Bed & Breakfast has been welcoming guests since 1997. For 25 of those years they were greeted by Deb Wallace. In this episode, she sits down in her own parlor with Rebecca to talk about how she purchased the property with her husband, tips of running the business, and what the future might hold for the beautiful home as they decided to sell.

Host Rebecca Desens, ACHS Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator

History 21 The Podcast - 4.02 The Anoka State Hospital History

Over 120 years ago, the first male occupants arrived at the newly constructed State Asylum for the Insane following a battle for the Anoka location. It’s history looms large in local lore and this program promises to tease fact from fiction. Listen to a portion of the program given January 13 at the History Center in this episode.

Host Rebecca Desens, ACHS Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator

Originally aired June 17, 2022

History 21 The Podcast - 4.01 The Watch Fob

On her family’s Ramsey farm in 1890, 10 year old Phoebe [Daisy] Guderian was kicked in the head by their horse and survived. In this episode, follow along with the story as told from newspaper reports, Daisy’s own daughter, letters from the doctor who came from the rescue and his descendant. Special guest Peter Jablonski.

Host Rebecca Desens, ACHS Director and Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator

Originally aired June 17, 2022

History 21 The Podcast - 3.24 Scott LeDoux

Scott Ledoux served as an Anoka County Commissioner from 2004 to 2010. But years before his shift to politics, LeDoux, or “The Fighting Frenchman,” was a professional heavyweight boxer. In this episode, Scott describes his time as a boxer, as boxing commissioner for Minnesota, and how he decided to run for County Commissioner to serve Andover, Coon Rapids, and Fridley.

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

History 21 The Podcast - 3.23 Charles Triggs Remembers Pearl Harbor

In this episode we remember Pearl Harbor with Charles Triggs. He served on the USS Wright, a sea plane tender, during WWII stationed at Pearl Harbor. He describes his journey to enlisting in the Navy, his responsibilities, and the shock of returning from a routine mission on December 7, 1941 to find the ships in the harbor destroyed, sunk, or still burning.

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

History 21 The Podcast - 3.22 Market Garden Youth Program

Arthur Donald “Two Gun Pete” Caswell was born in 1898 and saw a different world than we do today. Through a couple recordings of him from 1977 and 1983 he shares snippets of his life during before serving in WWI, his time as a federal officer during Prohibition raiding stills, and as an inventor to make shooting ranges safer and more efficient.

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

History 21 The Podcast - 3.21 Arthur "Two Gun Pete" Caswell

Arthur Donald “Two Gun Pete” Caswell was born in 1898 and saw a different world than we do today. Through a couple recordings of him from 1977 and 1983 he shares snippets of his life during before serving in WWI, his time as a federal officer during Prohibition raiding stills, and as an inventor to make shooting ranges safer and more efficient.

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

History 21 The Podcast - 3.20 Pearl Schenk on the Howling Hound Farm

Pearl Marea Schenk was born in 1911 on her family’s farm along the Mississippi River in Ramsey (city). Over 90 years later she sat down to share her memories of growing up on the Howling Hound Farm, the changes as highway 10 became busier and busier, and the transition from horses, to cars, and then greyhound bus on her school commute along the way.

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

History 21 The Podcast - 3.19 Kassy Saves the Museum from Disaster

No one expects disaster to hit - but a flood, fire, or severe storm can destroy priceless, one-of-a-kind artifacts faster than staff can react. Follow along with ACHS Collections Manager Kassy as she attends a Disaster Planning Workshop and begins the process of creating an official disaster plan for ACHS. And here’s a bonus thought: much of the information is applicable to your personal items and storm damage at home (as Rebecca has unfortunately found out!)

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

History 21 The Podcast - 3.18 Our Haunted House Repost

What’s it like living in a haunted house? Jen Shoemaker and her family (along with a couple permanent, ghostly residents) lived at 403 Van Buren in Anoka for four years. Hear how they came to own this beautiful home, the surprise of finding that their new house was on the Ghosts of Anoka Tour, and all the supernatural occurrences they experienced along the way.

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

This episode is a reboot of episode 1.20.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.17 The Diaries of Alice Starrett

Samuel Starrett has become the literal poster child for the annual Ghosts of Anoka Walking Tour at ACHS. As the guides lead over 1,000 people past his home on Madison St. in Anoka, they share his legacy and stories from the homeowners about how he never really left. In this episode, you'll learn more about his daughter Alice through the eyes of ACHS volunteer Dave VenHuizen, who transcribed her six diaries. Dave chats with Rebecca about what he learned about Alice, her family, and the city of Anoka by reading her thoughts as a young society woman. Follow along with the conversation, join them on a trip to the Starrett home, meet its current owner for an inside look, and hear Heather Birch's first introduction to Sam.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.16 Genealogist Jane LaMusga

On Friday afternoons at the Anoka County History Center, Jane LaMusga takes her place, ready to research family genealogies or the museum mystery of the day. Jane grew up in the city of Anoka and received a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University. In this episode, and across social media as “Genealogist Jane”, she shares how she started her genealogy journey, and her tips and tricks along the way.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.15 Lynn Klonowski

It isn’t uncommon for people to stop Lynn Klonowski and ask, “Are you related to that coach or counselor in Anoka?” In this episode Lynn, accompanied by her niece Nichole, remembers her father and mother — telling the stories of their life, victories, death, and her own adoption story. Mark Klonowski worked as a coach at Anoka High School, and then served as Principal at Anoka Junior High until his unexpected death in 1965. Anna Klonowski triple majored in college before working as a math teacher and later a school counselor.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director

History 21 The Podcast - 3.14 Richard Sorenson

On February 2, 1944 Richard Sorenson risked his life above and beyond the call of duty by jumping on a grenade to save the lives of his fellow Marines, and miraculously survived himself. For those actions on July 19, 1944 he received the Medal of Honor. In this episode Richard Sorenson sat down with John Weaver (ACHS Board President at the time) and another WWII veteran R.W. Johnson to discuss growing up in Anoka, his enlistment story, and the events that led up to and after his injuries in the Marshall Islands during WWII.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Steve Florman, ACHS Board of Directors.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.13 James Groat Fan Fiction

An expanded partnership between the Anoka Middle School for the Arts in Anoka and ACHS created a surprisingly fun result—fan fiction from the diary of a local Civil War veteran. Listen to the Creative Writing students as they explored the historical fiction genre and how each of their characters met, interacted with, or were related to James Groat who served for a time with the 1st Minnesota.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.12 MinneCulture's "The Tiny City that Almost Wasn’t"

At just 16 square blocks, Hilltop stands as the smallest city in Anoka County while also completely surrounded by Columbia Heights. Matthew Schneeman took an audio journey to this special space to tell the story of its creation. This episode includes a rebroadcast of KFAI’s MinneCulture episode, “The Tiny City That Almost Wasn’t.”

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.11 Secret Archeologists at ACHS

In this episode, learn about the secret lives of those closest to ACHS! Don Johnson (ACHS Staff) and Allison Schmitt (ACHS Board Member) chat about their experiences in archaeology and geophysics while also dispelling the myth of being a real-life Indiana Jones. They share how their academic skills transfer to the museum, proving that indeed, no education is ever wasted.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.10 Conference Fun at MALHM

Kassy and Rebecca (ACHS Archivist and Director) traveled to a conference overrun by other history nerds this past month, and brought the microphones along with them. Listen to what the museum folk got up to at the Minnesota Alliance of Local History (MAHLM) conference, how Kassy survived the SPAM museum, and conversations with museum friends all over MN from Otter Tail County to Richfield.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, Kassy Mackenthun, ACHS Collections Manager, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

History 21 The Podcast - 3.09 AMM Essential Questions

The Association of Midwest Museums, the largest network of museum professionals in the Midwest, invited ACHS staff to participate in their Essential Questions Series focusing on the challenges and triumphs we experienced during the pandemic. Rebecca, Kassy, and Sara discuss the unexpected opportunities that arose from slowing down as well as how we continue to carry those lessons into the future.

Host Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

Subscribe to our email blast

ACHS maintains membership in these organizations