Whether it is a quick search of a collection for a single item, such as a photograph or a letter, or a large-scale research project for a publication, primary source research is my specialty.

I am familiar with many archival collections including, Minnesota Historical Society, University of Minnesota Archives, and local public and private collections.

Turning historical research into something everyone can appreciate!

I understand that most people aren’t going to pick up a copy of the latest historical society quarterly for some light reading and sitting through a forty-five-minute lecture is not everyone’s cup of tea. This is why I am a believer in making history personal through interpretive tours. A sample of tours I have guided over the years:

• Glacier National Park – Served as the historian-in-residence on train voyages from Saint Paul, Minnesota through the Park in 2002 and 2005
• Walking tours of early Saint Paul landmarks and the history of Lowertown (1998-present)
• Saint Paul’s Summit Avenue and historic homes of the Summit Avenue neighborhood (1998-present)

One of my favorite research projects…

In The Dutiful Son: Louis W. Hill, Louis Hill emerges from the shadow of his father, James J. Hill.

This exciting project brought me back to the Hill Family Manuscript Collections. With fresh focus I researched the collections, providing the background information and insights needed by the author.

For more on the book, please visit Ramsey County Historical Society.