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245 STeven penIck s The Public Side of History Museums, the Recent Past and Possible future Growing up as a child in Minnesota, I had an early exposure to history . My family frequently went on day trips, traveling about the state on some excursion to a museum, a historic site, or just a place where my dad wanted to look at some old things. Ideas for these trips often were spontaneous; a newspaper article or radio ad inspired him to take time and see a place he had never been to before.Transportation limited our choices to a ’73 Ford truck that my brother sarcastically referred to as the “tin.”On our travels,we listened to Roger Erickson and Joyce Lamont on wcco-am radio for the news of the day,farm prices,or Herb Carneal’s play by play of Minnesota Twins baseball. We stopped at historic markers along the way, those half-oval-shaped driveways near the highway that put into context a Native trail or an abandoned settlement . History in some form had happened there. Many of these markers had small granite walls with bronze text plaques that highlighted the historical significance of the area.In most cases,we were left to our imagination about what had occurred, to vision among the trees why the event was important enough to merit recognition. (Sarah Rubinstein ’s Minnesota History Along the Highways enlightens travelers to many of these locations around the state.) The trip ended at a place Every student who has ever thought about declaring a history major has been asked some variant of “Yes, but what are you going to do with a history major?” Usually, the question is a prelude to strong encouragement to invest one’s time (and money) in a more practical major. (A careercast.com study in 2010 of best and worst professions, however, listed historian as the fifth best!) In this essay steven penick talks about his path into and through a career in history as a museum professional, not as a teacher or professor. His reflections are also a call to bring history to the people—which offers another answer to that question about the major and what method it will serve. 246 u penIck with old cars or tractors, antiques, or a museum jammed with lots of stuff. Did these experiences influence me into a career in history? Are they valuable enough to inspire other generations into understanding our past? And what can we do to create a more prominent appreciation for history in the future? In answering the first question, it is difficult to say, but upon reflection , maybe yes. I was exposed to what I later learned was public history, a forum that included museums, living history, and historic sites. Some of these places from a child’s viewpoint were difficult to understand while others inspired conversation. Perhaps the variety of historical venues intrigued me into further questions about where we live. My thoughts and the sites ranged from roads to towns to ancient sites where people lived centuries ago. But these museums and historic sites also dealt with culture, technology, and an understanding of the world at a specific moment in time.I became captivated by how the physical environment formed or why a natural one remained. History ’s scope offered me the opportunity for unique experiences, to learn and understand decisions while stretching my creative boundaries in relating information to others about the value of our past. Simple examples of this concept are the roads we travel every day. Why are roads where they are? Construction of Interstate 94 during the 1970s from the Twin Cities to Fargo mirrored historical travel routes. The predecessor Highway 52 built in the early 1930s and eventually completed by the 1950s paralleled the railroad that began use in the 1870s and 80s. This northwestern rail route from the commercial hub of Minneapolis and St. Paul in turn utilized one of the branches of the Red River ox trail that originated from Native hunting trails before European settlement began in Minnesota.I think this is extremely fascinating. Mycollegeyearscontinuedthepatternofaskingthesetypesofquestions .I took courses in architecture,American history,urban planning, anthropology, and geography not only because they interested me but also because I thought some future career might be available in all this variety. I decided to major in American studies with a historic preservation emphasis and to minor in history.Classmates and family,among [3.147.104.248] Project MUSE (2024-04-23...

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