Minnesota's Legacy

The Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society is making it easier to explore sunken ships – without getting wet. They have created 250 maps– and counting. This year, they hired an archeologist to update a map of the Hesper, a schooner which sunk in Silver Bay in the 1800s.

The Funny Asian Women Collective (FAWK), a St. Paul organization dedicated to providing uncensored comedic expression for Asian women, presented their Legacy-funded production, "The Hmong Plus Friends Super Show," to a sold-out Ordway Theater in April 2025.

Douglas County Historical Society is undertaking a Legacy-funded research project to incorporate more Dakota history into the organization’s exhibits.

In Clearbrook, the town’s history isn’t in the archives, but in the walls, fields, and floorboards that hold generations of memories. Local writer Juleigh Prosser is helping Clearbrook compile the stories of their town into a book.

Worthington’s Creative Healing Space is an arts center where both youth and adults can engage in healing through various types of art, including journaling, painting, spoken word, fashion, and music. By providing these creative outlets, the center creates a safe environment for processing trauma while building meaningful connections among participants of all ages.

A century-old storm sewer in St. Cloud claimed by bats, a ravine pushed to the brink by heavy rains, and the project to preserve them both.

The Brainerd Baxter Youth Center, known locally as “TheShop,” serves as a community hub for teens and young adults. Beyond recreational activities, the center empowers youth with hands-on experience in event management, encouraging them to organize shows and music events where they learn valuable technical skills. The Ripple Effect is a Legacy-funded, youth-lead concert series.

At the Cultural Centre in Bird Island, the line between gallery-goer and creator disappears.

125 Live in Rochester, Minnesota is a community center for active adults. With support from the Legacy fund, they are producing a monthly concert series that is continuing to grow in popularity.

Ameriikan Poijat, founded in Northfield in 1990, carries on the tradition of Finnish brass band septets for modern audiences.