Contact UsIsanti County
Historical Society 33525 Flanders St. NE Cambridge, MN 55008 Phone: 763-689-4229 Email: ichs@izoom.net See UsAll visits are by appointment only. Research inquiries should be done by phone or email.
Our Heritage Center, located in the northwest corner of the Isanti County Fairgrounds, off Highway 95 and Flanders Street in Cambridge, was set on fire by an arsonist on July 8, 2011 and burned to the ground. Click for directions Help us
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HERITAGE CENTER DESTROYEDConcert Oct. 23 to benefit ICHSCome for an afternoon of great music and help ICHS replace what was lost in the fire. "We're in a jam. Help us out," urges ICHS Executive Director Kathy McCully. Heritage Jam will be held Saturday, Oct. 23 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Hardy Center in Cambridge. Tickets are $15. Buy them now. The line-up for Heritage Jam includes Michael Monroe, Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, My Cousin Dallas and New's Getting Old. Learn more about the event by clicking here.
Isanti County Historical Society building destroyed by arsonBy Rachel Kytonen, Isanti County News
When the Isanti County Historical Society Heritage Center went up in flames around 6 a.m. on Friday, July 8, with it went 150 years of Isanti County history. Isanti County Sheriff Russ Monson said Friday morning, while walking around the Heritage Center, that the building was one of several arson fires that occurred around the Cambridge area during the early morning hours. The Heritage Center, located on five acres in the northwest corner of the Isanti County Fairgrounds, was built specifically to house the Isanti County Historical Society collections and historical records, and was a total loss. The other notable fire was to the storage shed at Sandquist Park, that housed maintenance equipment and other items, and also appears to be a total loss. Monson explained around 6 a.m., 911 dispatch received a call about the storage shed on fire at Sandquist Park. Shortly after that, a deputy spotted smoke coming from the Historical Society, and Cambridge Fire was called. Braham Fire also assisted in battling the blaze at the Historical Society. This afternoon, firefighters remained on scene, and were in the process of relieving computers and any other items that could be salvageable from inside the Heritage Center. State Fire Marshall Denise DeMars was also on scene, and working on the investigation. If anyone has any information on the fires, call Investigator Rob Bowker at 763-691-2414 or the Tip Line at 763-691-2426. A $2,500 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and convictions of those responsible for the fires. Monson said the multiple fires that were set this morning, were all around the same area, from Sandquist Park down to Flanders Street. Several volunteers and members of the Historical Society board, as well as community members including State Representative Kurt Daudt and Isanti County Commissioner Susan Morris, gathered around the Heritage Center as word of the fire spread throughout the community. The other buildings on the Historical Society site—an 1870s Pioneer Log Cabin and the Olson summer kitchen—were not harmed by the fire. Kathy McCully, executive director of the Isanti County Historical Society, said she learned about the fire after receiving a phone call around 8:50 a.m. She was the last person to be inside the Heritage Center when she left on Thursday, July 7, around 6 p.m. “It’s just devastating,” McCully said while watching the firefighters work on the building. “I’m in disbelief. It’s literally 150 years of archived collections, photos, archival donations … It’s all gone.” The Isanti County Historical Society, created in 1964, has been actively seeking donations to its collection for 47 years, McCully explained. “This is a huge, huge tragedy,” McCully said. “Even though we are fortunate no one was inside the building when the fire started, the things we lost are irreplaceable. It’s not just one family’s family photos that were lost; it is everyone’s family photos that were lost.” Tesha M.C. Pettit, former Isanti County Historical Society Board president from 2004-2009, was devastated by the news. “The loss of this building is such a loss to the community.” Pettit said. “As the only historical society in Isanti, the Isanti County Historical Society has documents and artifacts that no one else does. We’ve been collecting important items since we were created in November 1964, and house the majority of our items at the Heritage Center. As our office, it is the lifeblood of the historical society.” Pettit recalled the hundreds of hours Historical Society Board members and volunteers put into the Heritage Center. Portions of the first phase of the building plan (offices, foyer, museum/exhibit area, meeting room/library, restrooms) were ready for occupancy in February 2003. Four years later, the museum/community hall, kitchen and collection storage area were completed. “The Heritage Center in the northwest corner of the fairgrounds is the result of many hours of volunteer labor, as well as generous contributions from local businesses and residents,” Pettit said. “It wasn’t easy for a small organization to undertake such a large building project, but it was done under strong leaders who had big dreams. To see all that time and effort go up in flames is heart-breaking.” Pettit said she came into the organization shortly after the Historical Society had moved their offices and archives into the new Heritage Center facility. “We worked so hard over the next four years in order to gather the donations and manpower we needed to finish off our kitchen and community room,” Pettit said. “It wasn’t an easy thing to do as donations were being cut at non-profits across the country, but we did it with the help of some great people.” Former Isanti County Commissioner and current State Representative Kurt Daudt, serves on the Historical Society board. “As I came out here this morning, I really didn’t know what to expect, but the Heritage Center is totally destroyed,” Daudt said. “This just makes me sick. Hundreds of thousands of documents have been destroyed, and you can’t run to the store to replace those items. A lot of work will have to go into this clean-up and hopefully the community will pull together.” McCully said the Historical Society will move forward. “We will get together next week, and we will re-group and decide how to move forward,” McCully said. “And once the building is deemed safe and secure, we will go back inside and see what items we may be able to save.” A show of support was also coming this afternoon from the community as Arby’s in Cambridge donated sandwiches and beverages to the workers at the Historical Society; and Lowe’s in Cambridge, also donated 10 plastic tubs for the Historical Society to use for any items they may recover. Wendy’s in Cambridge, also donated some food items at cost to the workers and volunteers. Anyone wanting more information about the Historical Society or wanting to help in anyway, can call McCully at 763-689-4989. See story at http://isanticountynews.com/2011/07/08/isanti-county-historical-society-building-destroyed-by-arson/   Photos by former Board Member Roger Wm. AndersonFormer board member Roger Wm. Anderson took these photos at about 11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 8, 2011.
Isanti County Historical Society destroyed by possible arson fire
ISANTI-CHISAGO COUNTY STAR Multiple fires have broken out early Friday, July 8 in the Cambridge area. According to a press release from the Isanti County Sheriff's office, the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office along with the State Fire Marshall’s Office are investigating what appears to be arson fires around the Cambridge area. A storage building at Sandquist Park was severely damaged, the Historical Society Building at the Isanti County Fairgrounds was totally destroyed and several other small fires were lit in the area. The Isanti County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at about 6 a.m. that the storage building at Sandquist Park was on fire. Shortly after that a deputy spotted smoke coming from the Historical Society Building. The Cambridge Fire Department was called and Braham Fire Department assisted in putting out the fires. Over the past 45 years, the Isanti County Historical Society has been led by three women: Marilyn McGriff, Valorie Arrowsmith and Kathy McCully from 2003 to present. The center was built specifically to house the Isanti County Historical Society collections and historical records. It also serves as a meeting place for all interested in the history of the country and state. It is located on five acres in the northwest corner of the Isanti County Fairgrounds. The fires are not expected to affect the Isanti County Fair later this month. If anyone has any information, they are asked to call Investigator Rob Bowker at 763-691-2414 or the Tip Line at 763-691-2426. There is a $2,500 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of persons responsible. "We are so busy investigating that there is not a lot of time to talk," said Isanti County Sheriff Russ Monson. "We know there are fires, but that is all that we know at this time." Cambridge Historical Society Building Destroyed by Arsonists, Police SayKSTP
http://kstp.com/article/stories/s2190940.shtml The Isanti County Sheriff's Office is investigating a series of possible arson fires. A storage building in Sandquist Park in Cambridge was damaged and the Historical Society Building at the county fairgrounds was destroyed. You can see the extent of the damage to some of the historical documents in these photos. There were also several small fires in the area. Anyone with information can contact the Isanti County Sheriff's Office at (763) 689-2141. There is a $2,500 reward being offered in this case. |
CALL 763-689-4229 • EMAIL ichs@izoom.net • VISIT 33525 Flanders St. NE, Cambridge, MN 55008
