Beltrami County Historical Society details digitization projects, asks board to consider ex officio seat

Emily Haves, executive director of the Beltrami County Historical Society, told the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners that the society is digitizing local collections, reviving a regional journal and preparing a 2026 exhibit series focused on water stories.

The society is digitizing film and photographic collections and has digitized more than 70 Bemidji High School sports films and over 30% of roughly 500,000 images in its holdings, Haves said. The organization is also reviving the North Country Journal with support from a Beltrami County development grant; this year’s issue highlights women’s voices in the region.

Haves outlined preservation and access work made possible in part by a Minnesota Historical Society Large Legacy Grant and the county’s annual contribution. "Your $7,500 annual contribution, which is roughly 10% of our annual operating budget, helps us to leverage over $70,000 each year in competitive grant funding," she said.

The society is preparing a nomination for recognition as Minnesota’s World War II Heritage City (the program accepts applications from locations of varying sizes) and is planning the 2026 America250 exhibit "Voices of the Missizidi" focused on Mississippi River stories. Haves also described public programs scheduled this spring, including a monthly speaker series, a train day that drew about 400 visitors this year and a May 26–30 women’s history program that will include a menstrual product donation drive and a Period Product Pledge for community institutions.

On outreach, Haves said the society now offers free admission to SNAP participants and military families through Museums for All and Blue Star Museums (Blue Star runs May 17 through Veterans Day). She described digital access plans for digitized films (online streaming) and lower-cost DVD sets to meet community demand.

Haves requested that the board consider appointing a county commissioner as an ex officio representative to the historical society's board; the commissioners did not decide on an appointment during the work session. Commissioners asked follow-up questions about sales or distribution of digitized films, the city-owned HVAC project for the society's building and membership levels (the society reported roughly 330 members; individual membership is $25 and family membership $45).

Haves closed by thanking the board for ongoing support and inviting commissioners to visit the archives and exhibits.