Midwest Preservation Institute now offering classes and specialized training.

Historic properties have many stories to tell about past lives and past ways of life. Here in Minnesota, many thousands of structures 100 years or older remain standing. Folks with a passion for preservation have restored a good number to their former grandeur. What remains unknown is how many more historic structures might receive passionate attention if basic know-how in historic preservation techniques were easier to come by.

Enter the Midwest Preservation Institute, a new educational center launched by Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC). Designed to strengthen the value of historic preservation and the quality of traditional building arts, the institute now offers learning opportunities and educational resources in the practical care and preservation of historic buildings.

The ARCC Continuing Education and Customized Training division on the Coon Rapids Campus hosts the Midwest Preservation Institute.

An Idea is Born
“ A wide spectrum of people involved in preservation in surrounding communities came to us and asked if we could provide education and resources for their efforts,” says Rosie Mortenson, ARCC Dean of Continuing Education and Customized Training.

Mayor of Anoka Bjorn Skogquist was among the earliest to suggest a training institute.

“Bjorn had been looking at his downtown and at the old state hospital buildings, recognizing that these historic structures had great potential value,” recalls ARCC President Patrick Johns. “He knew we needed more people in the area with a knowledge of preservation techniques, to help evaluate options for refurbishing such old structures in a way that would make good economic sense. He thought Anoka-Ramsey Community College was the ideal location to offer the training.”

“In the beginning it wasn’t clear how the partnership would unfold,” Skogquist says. “But I knew the college had expertise in creating effective educational programming, so it seemed a natural choice. And I have to say that by partnering with the college, not only do we have great programming, but also instant credibility and professionalism for the institute.”

The planning stages turned into a challenge, since few models for historic preservation training centers exist -- and none in Minnesota.

“We created an advisory work group to explore what we wanted to create and what it would look like,” says Mortenson.

The group comprised a wide spectrum of area preservation advocates, including Skogquist. Another early catalyst was Charles Nelson, former Historic Architect for the State Historic Preservation Office. For nearly 30 years, Nelson has advised preservationists across the state in how to apply locally the standards set by the U.S. Department of the Interior for the treatment of historic properties.

Nelson would be the first to tell you that the national explosion of interest in historic preservation has surely taken hold in Minnesota, too. Consequently, he’s been a longtime advocate for improving the availability of preservation education.

Designing a Plan
The advisory group set out to establish a blueprint for educational programming. Their basic goal: to provide education and training for architects, trades people, contractors, realtors, homeowners, commissioners, preservationists, and others interested in historic preservation.

Butcher is also the author of “Historic House Museums,” and “The American Swedish Institute: A Living Heritage,” and a contributing author to “Collections Initiative for the New Millennium.” Her past work includes serving as Curator of Collections at the Science Museum of Minnesota and The American Swedish Institute. In addition, she has served as a faculty member of the Historical Administration Seminar at Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Va. She has an M.A. in American History with a specialization in Museum Science, and a B.A. in Anthropology, both earned at the University of Minnesota.

An enthusiastic advocate for preservation, Butcher is quick to assert, “The historic structures in our communities, properly preserved, offer an unmatched way to tether the past to the present. It’s critical that we enable more people to do that work.”

Moving Forward
Butcher began her tenure by conducting a survey to measure the scope of needs and interests of the institute’s potential audience. She contacted members of preservation associations, architects, builders, remodelers, history museum alliance members and city managers. With 1,450 surveys delivered, she received a 19 percent response rate, or 275 completed surveys. The survey responses helped determine that a broad-based support for courses and customized training in historic preservation exists throughout the metro area.

“Many responses we’ve gotten back show that people are excited by what we’re offering. You truly need to have specialized knowledge to make effective decisions about repairing and maintaining historic structures, and now we’ll offer that right here in Minnesota.”

The institute is currently offering two types of training: open enrollment continuing education courses, and customized training for groups of trades people and preservation professionals.

A one-day customized training session has already been arranged by Historic St. Paul for minorities in the trades. Other training sessions are being designed for a variety of businesses and organizations.

In the fall of 2005, the institute will begin offering a Master Certificate in Historic Preservation. It will provide training in a diversity of issues, including the history of preservation, the laws and regulations governing historic properties, and the proper methods for historic masonry, carpentry and more. Next winter, more hands-on, technical training for trades people will be offered in a week-long Winter Institute. It will cover specific preservation techniques in masonry, carpentry and finishes.

Early reactions to the institute are overwhelmingly positive. A letter of endorsement from Royce Yeater, the Midwest Director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, states, “We strongly believe your curriculum will enhance the value of preservation and expand technical skills in the rehabilitation of historic buildings…. We applaud your efforts.”

The following open-enrollment seminars are scheduled for spring:

March 24: “Reading Your Historic Building: Researching the Past”
April 7: “Historic Masonry: Common Problems, Causes, and Solutions”
April 16: “Common Repairs to Historic Structures”
May 19: “Problem Solving in Wood Construction: Windows and Porches”
June 9: “Adaptive Reuse: New Purposes for Historic Buildings.”

To register for seminars, or for more information about the Midwest Preservation Institute, contact Sherry Butcher at 763-422-3395, or visit www.AnokaRamsey.edu/continuinged/.

ABOUT ANOKA-RAMSEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, with campuses in Cambridge and Coon Rapids, has been a leading provider of higher education and training in East Central Minnesota since 1978 and the north suburban area of Minneapolis/St. Paul since 1965. Annually, the college serves more than 9,000 learners of all ages as they pursue associate degrees that transfer as the first two years of a bachelor's degree, or certificate programs that lead immediately to rewarding careers. In 2004, there were also more than 7,300 registrants for ARCC Continuing Education and Customized Training Courses. Anoka-Ramsey Community College is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.