Circle Pines History
The City of Circle Pines has partnered with the Anoka County Historical Society (ACHS) to help prepare for the upcoming 75th anniversary celebration this summer. This project will gather new stories from residents and organizations, then present the legacy story during the festivities as a tour, programs, and website content. ACHS encourages you to peek into your attic, basement, or garage and see what’s tucked away there that would help tell the tale -- especially of the last 25 years. Photos, newspaper clippings, documents, or memorabilia all contribute to a community story that can only be told with this collective memory. Think of it like building the community scrapbook! If you have business history -- especially images from the inside of the buildings – employee names, deeds, property abstracts, sale flyers, anything that if you closed your eyes and pictured it 50 years into the future, would seem interesting. Don’t forget the organizations and clubs! What do you do in your free time? How do the students fill their days? ACHS is happy to answer your questions or help you decide whether that paper or this letter is truly worth saving. Contact Rebecca Desens at rebecca@anokacountyhistory.org call the history center in Anoka at 763-421-0600.
Story Gathering Workshop
The process of creating a community legacy story that will survive well into the future takes many hands and plenty of time. One way we can include more stories is by using volunteers to sit down with a neighbor or friend, ask some questions, and record the answers. Join us on May 14 from 5-7 p.m. at Circle Pines City Hall when the Anoka County Historical Society will present a story gathering workshop to give you the tools you need. Home can mean many things to many people. Trying to describe that idea usually requires telling a few stories of experiences that shaped the community everyone shares. The first portion of the workshop will explain how to conduct an oral history, including the types of questions to ask, recording devices to use, and how to transcribe the stories gathered. The second portion will be a hands-on workshop where attendees can practice these newly acquired skills with special guests in attendance.