Objects of War: A Storytelling Circle of Service, Memory, and Community

Objects of War: A Storytelling Circle of Service, Memory, and Community

Thursday, September 24, 2026, 6:00PM-8:30PM

Lakeside-Lester Park Community Center

FREE Admission, advance registration required

Veterans Memorial Hall, a program of the St. Louis County Historical Society, is partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center to present Objects of War: A Storytelling Circle of Service, Memory, and Community on Thursday, September 24, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Lakeside-Lester Park Community Center. The event is free, and advance registration is required.

Register online at https://www.mnhum.org/event/duluth-objects-of-war-a-storytelling-circle-of-service-memory-community. Space is limited, and registration helps organizers plan seating and the light meal.

For Objects of War, participants are invited to bring an item connected to military service or the experience of war and conflict — such as dog tags, a service member’s good luck charm, a photograph, a letter, or a family heirloom — and share the story behind it. Guided by trained facilitators, the evening will explore why we hold on to certain objects and how those objects help us better understand the human impacts of war. Participants should come prepared to share a story, listen to others, and enjoy a light meal together.

The Society is curating a selection of VMH artifacts to display at the program. Its collection includes more than 2,000 veteran-related objects, many of which are tangible reminders of Northlanders’ involvement in our nation’s wars: an ammunition box from the Spanish-American War, a powder flask from the U.S. Civil War, a field telegraph machine from World War II, and a Subic Bay T-shirt commemorating an R&R trip. For the service members who brought these objects home, they may evoke stories and emotions of survival, relief, friendship, loss, or camaraderie. For non-veterans, a basic training portrait, letters home, or campaign ribbons can bring reminders of a lost friend or family member.

“When a service member or family donates a wartime artifact or family memento to the Society, their personal story becomes part of our community’s shared history,” said Wayne Gannaway, executive director of the St. Louis County Historical Society.

This program is part of MHC’s Many Fronts initiative, which supports Humanities programming that explores the human impact of war and conflict, its historical, social, and political underpinnings, and the voices and narratives that help us to increase our understanding about one another and war.

About the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC)

MHC, an affiliate to the National Endowment for the Humanities, was founded as an independent non-profit organization in 1971. MHC strengthens our society by promoting the humanities and increasing shared understanding of our collective pasts. MHC creates a wide variety of humanities programming in collaboration with individuals, creators, scholars, and organizations to build a more curious, inclusive, and connected society. MHC has a long history as a grantmaking organization and operates a full-service event center in a historic building in St. Paul. More information is available at mnhum.org.

About St. Louis County Historical Society

Founded in 1922, the St. Louis County Historical Society preserves and interprets a collection of 14,000 objects, which are the foundation of our inspiring exhibits at the St. Louis County Depot. From fine art, Indigenous material culture, and iron ore mining artifacts to wartime personal gear and keepsakes from Northland service members, the collection serves as tangible evidence of who we were, what we endured, and how understanding our shared history empowers us to build a stronger, more connected community together. To learn more about the Society, visit thehistorypeople.org.

About Veterans Memorial Hall

Veterans Memorial Hall, or VMH, was established in 1909, is administered by the St. Louis County, Minnesota, Historical Society. It is located at the St. Louis County Depot. To learn more about VMH, visit vets-hall.org/ and facebook.com/veteransmemorialhall.

About Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment

The Minnesota Legislature passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) in 2008 to ensure clean water, preserve opportunities for Minnesotans to enjoy nature, parks, and trails, and to appreciate arts and culture that exists within the State. The Legacy Amendment increases the state sales tax by three-eighths of one percent to fund four distinct funds to achieve the goals of the Legacy Amendment. – 19.75% of the funding raised under the Legacy Amendment is dedicated to the Legacy Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.