Past Events
You can own a piece of Golden Valley history by attending the Saturday, Dec. 11 “Vintage Golden Valley Street Sign Holiday Sale & Museum/Historic Church Open House.” Nearly 1,200 decommissioned city street signs – most delightfully aged and dented from the late 1940s era – are being sold as a fundraiser by the Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS).
VINTAGE GOLDEN VALLEY STREET SIGN HOLIDAY SALE
From Avondale to Zane, from Aquila to Zealand, that special sign you’re seeking may be available.
Arguably, there is no better or more economical holiday season gift for a proud current or former resident of Golden Valley than a $25 vintage street sign, many that are 60-70 years old. They’re perfect for a basement or garage, as a gift for a family member, college student’s dorm room, and best-ever gift for the nostalgic former resident. These signs are already prized possessions throughout the metro area, in outstate Minnesota, and throughout the country.
The sale takes place Saturday, Dec. 11, from 11 am to 3 pm, at GVHS Golden Valley History Museum and Historic Church, 6731 Golden Valley Road.
Enter through the Golden Valley History Museum door, toward the back of the building. Signs are $25 each - cash or check only. Want to know if the special sign your hoping to purchase is available? In advance of the sale, you can check out the Street Sign Inventory which is as up-to-date as Society volunteers can promise.
If you’re interested in a sign, but unable to attend the December 11 sale, here is the Street Sign Order Form which can also be found at www.goldenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org.
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MUSEUM AND HISTORIC CHURCH OPEN HOUSE
While you’re at the sale, you may want to also take the time to visit the Golden Valley History Museum and its award-winning Golden Valley: No Place Like Home exhibit presents the history of Golden Valley from the ice age to the present.
Also, during the 11am – 3pm sale hours, the Society will have its 1882 Historic Church, the oldest in Golden Valley, open for a walk-through. If you’ve ever wondered what it looked like inside that “Little Church in the Valley” as you travel Golden Valley Road, this is your chance.
Current Covid/safety requirements for GVHS events: For the protection and respectful consideration of others, face coverings are required of those attending, as is maintaining safe physical distancing.
More:
100 YEARS OF VILLAGE AND CITY STREET SIGN HISTORY
An investigation of the origin of Golden Valley street names was completed in 1996 by a committee of the Golden Valley Historical Society chaired by Leone Johnson. The study confirmed that Golden Valley streets have three separate A to Z alphabets; one has U.S. state and Canadian names, and another carries a patriotic theme.
A number of streets identified in the study were named after early settlers or historical events. Among them: Bassett Creek Drive and Lane (Joel Bassett owned a lumber mill and served on the Territorial Council), Bies Drive (prominent early settler, Christopher Bies), Ewald Terrace (Ewald Dairy), Lilac Way and Drive (1939 lilac sales to beautify Highway 100), Medicine Lake (Indigenous name); Schaper Road (Shaper Manufacturing made the popular “Cooties” game), Schuller Circle (Schuller’s Tavern), Turner’s Crossroad (Paul Turner had a truck farm across from Tennant Co.), and Varner Circle (prominent early settler, Charles H. Varner.)
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According to “Golden Valley 1886-1986,” a book produced by the Golden Valley Historical Society; “In 1920, the people of Minnesota voted for Amendment 1 (also known as the Babcock Amendment) which created the Highway Department, effective in 1921. All roadwork was done by counties and the state paid part of the cost.”
The earliest road signs in the Village of Golden Valley were arrows on a post pointing toward a village with the number of miles from the sign post to the village. These signs were put up by the Minnesota Automobile Association to encourage people to purchase these early cars. To this day, at the corner of Meadow Lane and Sunnyside Ridge is such a sign, a magnificent relic stamped with the year 1922. (It is not necessarily the original location of this sign.)
Don Anderson, 30-plus-year secretary of the Golden Valley Historical Society contributed the following recollections on the history of street signs in the Village and City of Golden Valley:
“The roads of Golden Valley became more prevalent after World War I. The need for road identification required the Village of Golden Valley to buy street signs and posts. This vintage sign had the road name in black letters on a white background.
After World War II the need for more housing and industry in the Village required more roads and more street signs. This generation of Village street signs from the late 1940s featured a green background with white letters.
Decades later, the state required that these street signs be replaced with larger signs, with a reflective surface, easier for first responders (and others) to see. So, Golden Valley began to systematically replace the old signs with the reflective street signs. The old street signs were hauled to the city's street maintenance building and put in a stack on wooden pallets.
In 1997, the street superintendent of the city contacted me and asked if the Society would like to acquire a bunch of old street signs. I said yes. That (and periodically ever since) is when the signs began to be delivered to the Society's Historic Church on Golden Valley Road, and the Society initiated a fundraiser by selling the vintage street signs.”
Learn more, ask a question, volunteer, or become a member of the Golden Valley Historical Society:
www.goldenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org
763-308-5059
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The Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) received word on September 9 from the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) that it has been awarded a $9,900 Minnesota Historical & Cultural Heritage Grant. The grant is for a proposal submitted in July for “Identifying and Cataloging Native American, African American, and Asian American Resources in the Golden Valley Historical Society Archives.”
Teresa Martin, newly appointed to the GVHS board of directors, said, “This grant makes it possible to inventory the Society’s archives to bring to light items related to three important groups in our community.” It will also facilitate digitizing key items by writing metadata for select pieces from the archives.”
In addition, the project will support transcribing presentations about Native American history that were previously recorded on VHS tapes at GVHS’s membership meetings.
In June, GVHS solicited bids from potential contractors to complete the project and in July selected Crystal Boyd Consulting LLC to conduct the work.
Crystal Boyd said, “I look forward to helping identify stories in the archives that may have been overlooked in the past. This is a great opportunity to begin highlighting diverse experiences throughout the city’s history and expanding dialogue between community members and groups.”
David Kuball, GVHS treasurer who wrote and submitted the grant, said, “Completing this project will better prepare GVHS to respond to inquiries about Golden Valley history. This project, for example, will identify items that could enrich community initiatives such as writing a Land Acknowledgment Statement or celebrating Black History Month.”
The project’s expected completion date is February 2022. If you have questions, please contact Teresa Martin at tthmartin@comcast.net.
A Thursday, Nov.11 Program by Marshall Tanick
Football Law in Minnesota: How the Vikings Almost Came to Golden Valley and Other Tales from the Gridiron
Those who regularly attend monthly history presentations sponsored by the Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) know that there’s no limit to what you may encounter and learn. Now, you’re invited to learn about local football law, and lore, like how the Minnesota Vikings almost came to Golden Valley.
On Thursday, November 11, the entertaining local lawyer Marshall Tanick will bring together his expertise in law and his passion for football in a program titled, “Football law in Minnesota: How the Vikings Almost Came to Golden Valley and other Tales from the Gridiron.”
The 7:00 pm presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session, is in GVHS’s Historic Church, 6731 Golden Valley Road. Admission is free. GVHS members and the general public are welcome.
“I plan on reviewing some of the more interesting and unusual legal cases involving the Vikings and football in general in Minnesota and in northwest suburban communities,” Tanick said, “anything from recent court rulings and litigation landmarks affecting student athletes, to injuries, to sports betting.”
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Tanick is a Golden Valley resident, an attorney with the Meyer Njus Tanick law firm, and in 2019 was named Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer magazine. He’s a frequent writer and speaker on a wide variety of legal and historical subjects and a favorite of GVHS audiences for many years.
For the protection and respectful consideration of others, face coverings are required of those attending, as is maintaining safe physical distancing.
Golden Valley Historical Society’s (GVHS) monthly history series continues with the Thursday, October 14 program, “The Dakota War of 1862, a Brief but Monumental Part of Minnesota and U.S History” by presenter David Kuball.
Local historian-hobbyist Kuball will share how the arrival of a wave of settlers to Minnesota in the 1850s set the stage for a conflict with Dakota people living in the southern part of the state. In 1862, after the U.S. government failed to honor its part of a 1858 treaty, severe hunger and additional factors led to the Dakota War. It is a sad story – four years after Minnesota statehood – for all involved, with results that continue to reverberate today.
Attendees will learn about the circumstances that led to the war, the multiple battles that took place around the state, and the dramatic, historic consequences that followed.
David Kuball is a warm and engaging presenter with a love for history “which has been a hobby for most of my life,” he said. He was born in Faribault, Minnesota and grew up on a nearby dairy farm with his parents and seven brothers and sisters. He attended the University of Minnesota and obtained a degree in Journalism. After “failing to find a job with a newspaper,” David said, “I discovered that I had technical skills,” which led him to his current IT job with Optum. He has been on the GVHS Board of Directors for five years.
The 7:00 pm presentation, followed by a question-and-answer session, is in GVHS’s Historic Church, 6731 Golden Valley Road. Admission is free. GVHS members and the general public are welcome.
GVHS follows CDCs guidance in response to the Delta variant of Covid-19. Face coverings and appropriate physical distancing are required for all guests. In the event of cancellation, a notice will be posted on the GVHS website and Facebook page prior the event.
Doug Ohman, perhaps Minnesota’s preeminent photographer, historian, and storyteller, will do the honor of restarting Golden Valley Historical Society’s (GVHS) monthly history series after an 18-month pause.
On Thursday, Sept. 9, he will present “Heart of the Farm – Barns of Minnesota” for GVHS members as well as the pubic. In one of Ohman’s most popular presentations, attendees will enjoy a photographic, anecdotal journey which illuminates and celebrates the barn, the greatest of all rural Minnesota icons. “From the early days of statehood through the era of agribusiness,” Ohman says, “our barns tell a story – and this story will bring you back to the farm and explore the importance of our rural roots.”
Bringing Minnesota history to life, Ohman has been photographing and chronicling the state of Minnesota – and sharing stories throughout the Midwest - for over twenty-five years. He founded Pioneer Photography in 1995, his photographs are regularly displayed in regional art shows and festivals, and he has published numerous books on Minnesota.
The 7:00 pm presentation will be in GVHS’s Historic Church, 6731 Golden Valley Road. An audience Q & A will follow.
GVHS follows CDCs guidance in response to Covid-19 and its variants. Face coverings and appropriate physical distancing are required for all guests. Changes in protocols or cancellation could take place as a result of updated guidance, so please visit the website prior to the program.
On a beautiful Saturday, Nov. seventh morning, a crew of Golden Valley Historical Society volunteers with a joyful spirit took on the annual fall yard clean-up task at the Historic Church and Museum.
The volunteers battled swirling winds with their own rakes and tarps from brought from home, and here greatly aided by the three jumbo, gas-powered backpack leaf-blowers Mike Nielsen was able to procure.
Once the grounds were in pristine condition, the crew even found the time to right the ever-leaning welcoming sign in front of the Historic Church and Museum.
Our sincere thanks go to Jenny Brookins, Jim Elert, Ken Huber, David and Jan Kuball, Mike Nielsen, Cindy and John Nelson, Steve Schmidgall, and to Don Anderson to stopped by to congratulate the crew and provide moral support upon completion of the task
Left to right: Steve Schmidgall, John Nelson, Jim Elert, Ken Huber, Jim Nielsen, David Kuball, Cindy Nelson, Jenny Brookins
From Adair to Zane, from Avandale to Zealand, we’ve got 1,200 vintage Golden Valley street signs for sale. At $25 each, they’re perfect for holiday gift-giving, and the perfect fund-raiser for the Society.
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Peruse the updated “Street Sign Inventory” and “Street Sign Order Form” by going to “Support Us” at www.goldenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org. While we remain closed for in-person interactions during this Covid time, you can send in your order now and we’ll do our best to get a vintage sign to you for the holidays. (We can mail your sign for an additional $10 shipping and handling fee). Questions? Contact Don Anderson at 763-588-8578 or gvhistoricalsociety@gmail.com.
National Award
Golden Valley Historical Society
Wins 2020 National AASLH Award of Excellence
NASHVILLE, TN (May 25, 2020) -- The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) proudly announces that the Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) is the recipient of an Award of Excellence for its Golden Valley: No Place Like Home museum exhibit. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards, now in its 75th year, is the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history.
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GVHS opened the Golden Valley History Museum and its Golden Valley: No Place Like Home exhibit in 2018 (6731 Golden Valley Road). The exhibit presents the history of suburban Golden Valley from pre-European contact to today. More than twenty displays include topics like natural history, Native American life, and early pioneer families. Twentieth century topics include Golden Valley High School, the Golden Valley Garden Club, Ewald Dairy, and the Golden Valley Fire Department.
GVHS president Ken Huber said, “This award acknowledges the preparation and planning that volunteers have been doing since 1974. We’re honored to receive national-level recognition for the exhibit.”
With input from the local community, a subcommittee of GVHS members outlined the exhibit content. Professional museum experts from Museology Museum Services then designed, fabricated, and installed the displays. GVHS secretary Don Anderson said, “The museum incorporates five themes that help visitors explore Golden Valley’s history. Visitors can learn about the city using a different lens each time they stop by the museum.” The exhibit themes include human rights, power, economy, home, and community.
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Project manager Crystal Boyd says, “We secured eight grants totaling more than $200,000 over the course of five years. This funding allowed us to develop the exhibit and preserve the collections. We’re proud to share Golden Valley’s history with the local community and the people of Minnesota.” Support for the exhibit was provided by volunteers, donors, and the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
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This year, AASLH is pleased to confer fifty-seven national awards honoring people, projects, exhibits, and publications. GVHS and the other winners represent the best in the field and provide leadership for the future of state and local history.
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The AASLH awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history and bring public recognition to small and large organizations, institutions, and programs. For more information about the Leadership in History Awards, contact AASLH at 615-320-3203, or go to www.aaslh.org. For more information about the Golden Valley Historical Society, go to www.goldenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org.
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About the American Association for State and Local History
The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH provides leadership, service, and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all people. AASLH publishes books, technical publications, a quarterly magazine, and maintains numerous affinity communities and committees serving a broad range of constituents across the historical community. The association also sponsors an annual meeting, regional and national training in-person workshops, and online training.
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About the Golden Valley Historical Society
The Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) was organized in 1974. Its mission is to find, preserve, and disseminate historical knowledge about the city of Golden Valley, Minnesota. In 1997, GVHS acquired the city's oldest church building as a permanent home. The historic church was constructed in 1882 and is often used as a wedding venue and to host a variety of speakers and presentations. The museum addition was constructed in 2012, and GVHS opened the Golden Valley History Museum in 2018. Both the church and museum are operated by GVHS. The society also collects and preserves oral histories, photographs, video histories, and three-dimensional objects. Due to COVID-19, the museum is currently closed until further notice. Learn more at www.goldenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org.
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About the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund
This publication was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Council.
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Contacts
Crystal Boyd, Project Manager, Golden Valley Historical Society, 612-247-5283, gvhistoricalsociety@gmail.com
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Bethany Hawkins, American Association of State and Local History, 615-320-3203, hawkins@aaslh.org
photo credit Stan Waldhauser
photo credit Crystal Boyd
photo credit Stan Waldhauser
photo credit Larren Boyd
GOLDEN VALLEY, MN (August 25, 2020) The Golden Valley Historical Society is pleased to announce a new documentary tracing the history of Golden Valley through the words of individuals who have a passion for sharing their personal experiences, stories, and research about Golden Valley. “Our Town’s Story—Golden Valley” will debut on September 17.
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Work on the documentary began in 2019 through a community partnership between the Golden Valley Historical Society and CCX Media. CCX Media has served Golden Valley and eight neighboring northwest suburbs for over 30 years and is in the midst of producing a history video for each city. Documentaries for Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth, and Robbinsdale can be found at https://ccxmedia.org/city_programs/our-towns-story/
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Due to COVID-19, “Our Town Story – Golden Valley” will debut through a virtual “made for TV and Facebook” event hosted by the Golden Valley Historical Society and CCX Media on Thursday September 17 at 6:00pm. The event will include a live discussion about the importance of preserving Golden Valley’s history, a showing of the 33-minute documentary, and a post-showing “reminiscing” time when viewers can submit questions through Facebook.
For directions on how to connect to the event, please go to ccxmedia.org/city_programs/our-towns-story/ or contact Dave Kiser at CCX Media at 763-278-4169 or dkiser@ccxmedia.org.
The September 17 debut event will be recorded and replayed on Sunday September 20 at 7:00pm on CCX Media Channel 799/12. The in-studio event will be available for ongoing viewing at ccxmedia.org. The 33-minute video will be available ongoing viewing at www.goldenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org
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“Our Town’s Story – Golden Valley” explores the natural amenities, area settlement, civic activities, educational organizations, and development stages that shaped the area over the years. Individuals interviewed for the video included members of the Golden Valley Historical Society, past and current political figures, and community residents.
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Timeline of video production:
-Held initial meetings in early 2019
-Conducted interviews and captured community video during spring and summer 2019
-Gathered historical photographs during winter 2019/2020
-Completed video editing during summer 2020
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See the rich history of Golden Valley come to life through video during an exciting debut event on Thursday September 17 at 6:00 pm.
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About the Golden Valley Historical Society
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The Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) was organized in 1974. Its mission is to find, preserve, and disseminate historical knowledge about the city of Golden Valley, Minnesota. In 1997, GVHS acquired the city's oldest church building as a permanent home. The historic church was constructed in 1882 and is often used as a wedding venue and to host a variety of speakers and presentations. The museum addition was constructed in 2012, and GVHS opened the Golden Valley History Museum in 2018. Both the church and museum are operated by GVHS. The society also collects and preserves oral histories, photographs, video histories, and three-dimensional objects. Due to COVID-19, the museum is currently closed until further notice. Learn more at www.goldenvalleyhistoricalsociety.org.
Golden Valley's First Peoples:
Dakota History, Culture
and
Decolonizing Practices Today
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Thursday, March. 12, 7:00 PM
Golden Valley Historical Society
6731 Golden Valley Road
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Join us March 12th as guest speakers Dr. Roxanne Biidabinokwe Gould (Grand Traverse Band Odawa/Ojibwe) and Jim Rock (Dakota) present "Golden Valley's First Peoples: Dakota History, Culture and Decolonizing Practices Today" at the next Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) history-talk and discussion.
These husband and wife educators and Golden Valley residents - return to offer GVHS members and public what is likely to be another memorable and thought-provoking history lesson.
We're seeking historical items that tell the story of
Golden Valley
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Sunday, March. 8, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
at the Brookview Community Center
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Are you a history buff? Do you have photos, postcards, maps, or other items in your basement or attic that might help tell the story of Golden Valley?
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The Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) is hosting a booth at Market in the Valley on Sunday, March 8
from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
at the Brookview Community Center, 316 Brookview Parkway.
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Stop by to share your historical items or to chat about the history of Golden Valley.
Read more about the event here.