Little Falls couple among those to be honored with Lifetime Achievement Award

The Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums will honor three historians April 27 with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual meeting at the Conference Center in Willmar.

This is the inaugural class of award recipients. Award recipients for the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Awards include:

• Art and Jan Warner of Little Falls, who have served the Morrison County Historical Society for 50 years. For all but three years of that time, Art has served in the capacity of president. Art played a pivotal role in professionalizing the organization and moving the museum to its current location. His contributions to the local history community have been nothing short of extraordinary. Art passed away on Aug. 16, 2015.

Jan served most of her years as a volunteer executive director. She was instrumental in the construction of the museum's current facility and helped lead the effort to form a Heritage Preservation Commission in Little Falls. During the course of her service, Jan served on the board or assisted in the founding of eight regional and statewide organizations, including the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums. She officially retired as executive director on Aug. 27, 2015.

• Marlys Hirst of Baudette has served the Lake of the Woods County Historical Society as Executive Director since 1984. During that time she has published three books on local history, one cookbook, and overseen three additions at the museum. Hirst has been a leader not only within Lake of the Woods County but also regionally by her involvement with Minnesota's Historic Northwest, a collaboration of history organizations in the northwest corner of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums, organized in 1991, is a statewide organization that seeks to nurture and encourage an appreciation of Minnesota's local history by providing a structure to foster professionalism and excellent work among local and specialized historical organizations in Minnesota. The organization is overseen by a nine-member volunteer board of museum professionals from across Minnesota. In 2015, the organization hired its first staff member to serve as coordinator for the alliance.

Go to www.minnesotahistorymuseums.org for more information on the organization.