Item of the Day

On this date in 1971, President Nixon signed a bill creating Voyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota. 
This book from 2000 about the history of the creation of the Park is in our Library collection. It is also available online from the National Park Service here:
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/voya/legislative_history/contents.htm

This button features an image of a monk with text that reads: "Survivor Winter '82." This was in reference to record-setting snowfall and cold temperatures in 1982.
Think how many buttons we all deserve at this exact moment?

Yesterday was National Bobblehead Day - a time to celebrate all things with spring-connected heads!
While bobbleheads have existed for about 100 years in various forms, the bulk of our collection comes from earlier this century. Most are sports-related, largely featuring Twins and Minnesota Gopher Women’s Basketball teams.

This is where they live in climate-control storage, their heads gently bobbing in unison when the doors are opened.

Happy birthday to Walter Mondale! Today is his 93rd birthday. 
Former Minnesota Attorney General, Senator, Vice-President, and Ambassador, he has spent most of his life in public service. We are happy to have and provide access to his papers: take a look! https://www.mnhs.org/mondale
This photo shows Hubert H. Humphrey with Walter Mondale at a surprise party celebrating Mondale's thirty-ninth birthday in 1967.
 

Welcome to the New Year!
As we look forward to more of our fellow citizens receiving the vaccine for COVID-19, on Mondays in January we will share images of people receiving vaccines in the past. 
This photo shows a  Minneapolis Board of Health member giving vaccinations in 1904.

Finally! It's about time!
This New Year's card was illustrated and signed by Vernon V. Green. The black and white cover illustration shows Father Time, holding an hourglass and scythe and dressed in a robe marked "1936," turning away from Baby New Year, who sits on a throne and wears a crown marked "1937."
All best to you and yours for the year ahead!

This monotype on paper by Delia Jurek is titled "New Year's Eve." It was created in  2006.

Still thinking about the new year approaching, we came across this. 
This 1918 calendar is titled "German Crimes Calendar." It consists of six pages, with a calendar for the months of January through June on the front of each page, and July through December on the back. Each page also features an image and a description of crimes committed by the German Army. This demonstrates the anti-German sentiment during World War I.

While thinking about the upcoming new year, we came across this in the collection.
This button promotes the "National Comfortable Shoes Year" of 1988, with an image of a high-heeled shoe crossed out. There is another button in our collection with the same image, but promoting "National Comfortable Shoes Week" in 1987. These were worn in Saint Paul. Anyone recognize them or this movement?

We have a fabulous set of Christmas cards made by artists David and Lolita Granahan between 1963 - 74. This one depicts a tree with strings of multicolor lights on a blue background.