Linn County Historical Society

THE HISTORY CENTER PRESERVES AND TELLS THE STORY OF LINN COUNTY, IOWA

THE HISTORY CENTER (THC) IS DEDICATED TO CONNECTING THE PAST TO THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF LINN COUNTY. IT IS A UNIQUE COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND MAKES THE HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY BOTH ACCESSIBLE AND ENJOYABLE FOR EVERYONE. SOME OF THE EVENTS HELD BY THC IN 2022 INCLUDED: TEMPORARY EXHIBITS: ROTATING EVERY SIX TO NINE MONTHS, TWO DIFFERENT GALLERIES TELL COMPELLING STORIES OF LINN COUNTY. DURING NORMAL YEARS, OVER 5,000 PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY VISIT THESE GALLERIES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. TOPICS EXAMINED BY THESE EXHIBITS ARE DIVERSE AND COMPELLING. THE HISTORY CENTER'S SMITH GALLERY TELLS THE HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY, AND IS ORGANIZED BY AREA OF INTEREST. THC'S WEST GALLERY TELLS ENTREPRENEURIAL STORIES, AND HELPS VISITORS UNDERSTAND WHY LINN COUNTY IS THE 2ND LARGEST ECONOMIC ENGINE IN IOWA. THE WILSON GALLERY EXPLORES A VARIETY OF TOPICS, RANGING FROM THE COMMUNAL IMPACT OF QUILTING TO IOWA'S STRUGGLES WITH CIVIL RIGHTS.WALKING TOURS: THIS PROGRAM ATTRACTS OVER 700 PEOPLE EACH YEAR, COVERING DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS, NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN CEDAR RAPIDS AND A VARIETY OF DOWNTOWNS THROUGHOUT LINN COUNTY WITH OVER 16 DIFFERENT ROUTES. THE PURPOSE OF THESE TOURS IS TO PROVIDE THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EVOLUTION OF EACH OF THESE SPACES.BIKE TOURS: SIMILAR TO WALKING TOURS, THE HISTORY HOPES TO SERVE APPROXIMATELY 50 PARTICIPANTS EACH YEAR WITH TWO DIFFERENT TOURS. THESE RIDERS ARE LEAD ON A TOUR THAT UTILIZES LINN COUNTY'S BIKE TRAILS. THE EVOLUTION OF CEDAR RAPIDS AS A TOWN TO A CITY IS DESCRIBED, AND PARTICIPANTS GET A SENSE OF THE BREADTH OF THE CITY.BITE OF HISTORY: EVERY ONE OF THESE SEVEN PROGRAMS SELLS OUT, AND IT SERVES OVER 210 PEOPLE EACH YEAR. THE PROGRAM IS HELD IN DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS THROUGHOUT LINN COUNTY, AND HISTORIANS SHARE STORIES OF THE BUILDING, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND OTHER DETAILS THAT MAKES THAT PLACE SPECIAL.ORAL HISTORIES LIVE!: ROOM-CAPACITY AUDIENCES HEAR AMAZING STORIES TOLD BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD REMARKABLE HISTORIES IN LINN COUNTY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TWO-FOLD. FIRST, IT PROVIDES A LIVELY AND ENTERTAINING OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR AMAZING LIFE STORIES. SECONDLY, THESE PRESENTATIONS ARE RECORDED, AND THE RECORDINGS ARE TRANSCRIBED. THEREFORE, PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIAL WILL BE AVAILABLE TO RESEARCHERS IN PERPETUITY. OVER 250 PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THESE ANNUALLY IN PERSON AT THE FIVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, AND TENS OF THOUSANDS VIEW THEM WHEN THEY ARE ONLINE.SPOOKY LINN COUNTY: AUTHENTIC LINN COUNTY GHOST STORIES ARE TOLD BY A CAMPFIRE. ALTHOUGH GHOST STORIES CANNOT BE AUTHENTICALLY PROVEN, THESE STORIES ARE PART OF ANY REGION'S COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE. THIS PROGRAM, HELD ON A SINGLE AUTUMN NIGHT EACH YEAR, IS MORE ENTERTAINMENT THAN EDUCATIONAL. HOWEVER, IT PROVIDES A UNIQUE WAY FOR OVER 200 PEOPLE FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE MISSION OF THE HISTORY CENTER.RUDOLPH'S RETURN: THE FINAL HOLIDAY DISPLAY FROM CEDAR RAPIDS' ARMSTRONG DEPARTMENT STORE HAS BEEN LOVINGLY RECREATED USING THE ORIGINAL ANIMATRONIC ELVES. THIS EXHIBIT IS PUNCTUATED WITH LIVE HOLIDAY MUSIC, CRAFT MAKE 'N TAKE, HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES AND EVEN A VISIT AND PHOTO WITH SANTA. OVER 200 PEOPLE ATTEND THIS EACH YEAR.CHEW ON THIS: PARTICIPANTS BRING THEIR OWN LUNCHES TO THE HISTORY CENTER AND ARE PROVIDED WITH DESSERT AND DRINK. EACH PRESENTATION IS DIFFERENT, WHICH INCLUDE AUTHOR TALKS, VIRTUAL TOURS AND LECTURES ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS. 200 PEOPLE ATTEND THESE EVERY YEAR.AUTHOR TALKS: AUTHORS WHO LIVE IN LINN COUNTY OR THOSE WRITING ABOUT SUBJECTS IN LINN COUNTY PROVIDE LIVELY PRESENTATIONS. OVER 150 PEOPLE ATTEND THESE PROGRAMS EACH YEAR.GROWN UP SHOW 'N TELL: INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BRING THEIR OWN TREASURED ITEMS, AND CURATE THEM IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE. THIS PROGRAM, ATTRACTING OVER 100 AUDIENCE MEMBERS PER YEAR TO FIVE DIFFERENT EVENTS, IS AN ENTERTAINING WAY FOR PEOPLE TO HEAR ABOUT SOME UNIQUE AND FASCINATING ARTIFACTS. EDUCATION PROGRAMMING: PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR PRE-K THROUGH FOURTH GRADERS ARE EXPERIENCED BY OVER 2,200 STUDENTS EACH YEAR (PRE-PANDEMIC), GIVING THEM A HANDS-ON, INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE THAT PRESENTS HISTORY IN A FUN AND ENGAGING FASHION. 50% OF THE PARTICIPANTS COME TO THE HISTORY CENTER (FIELD TRIPS) TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS. TEAMS FROM THE HISTORY CENTER GO TO THE SCHOOLS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE TRANSPORTATION BARRIER.RESEARCH: THE ORGANIZATION'S LIBRARY WELCOMES OVER 350 RESEARCHERS ANNUALLY. THESE RESEARCHERS SEEK INFORMATION THAT CAN BE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD EXCEPT THE HISTORY CENTER'S ROBUST LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE.