The Minneapolis Audubon Society – 100 years of history.

Over the years – so many people, so many projects, so many birds, so many stories.

It is a story of l00’s of people over a century, drawn together by their interests and drive to learn more, to share their knowledge and their intense love of birds. – caring about the world around them and acting decisively to protect it.

It is the story of Mr. Ernest Harold Baynes who came from New Hampshire on January 12, 1915 to speak to the Minneapolis Woman’s Club on “How to Attract Winter Birds”.

It is the story of the women who attended that meeting and decided to form the Minneapolis Bird Club as part of the Women’s Club on March 10, 1915. Their story continues into 1916 when on March 29th, those same women (who could not yet vote for public office) voted to become independent of the women’s Club, in part to allow men to become members, and changed the name to Minneapolis Audubon Society.

It is the story of countless meetings to share the joy of birds – first at Hosmer Library, then at Walker Library (where they had their own meeting room) and then here at Bryant Park.

It is the story of the mounted birds and bird skins collected and then donated to the Society – at one time numbering over 500 specimens.  The story of all the members who took care of the collection, and made presentations with the collection.  Those presentations were made to any and all – school teachers, students, scout troops, church groups, senior citizens groups, Junior Audubon Societies (which they helped start), civic groups, at flowers shows at Dayton’s and garden clubs — any chance to talk about and show the birds, was taken. And, when space was no longer available at Walker Library – it is the story of the thoughtful and careful dispersal of these specimens – to high school teachers, to the Science Museum and to the Bell Museum – including the Ivory billed woodpecker and the passenger pigeon that was collected in 1882 in Minnetonka.

It is the story of people who were eager to learn. The Bertha Alden Morse Library of over 400 books on birding as available for member’s use (again until Walker Library had no room) then donated to the Richardson Nature Center.

It is the story of the Book Service -bird books and other materials were sold at meeting – making books available to members and raising funds for Society projects.

It is the story of Drs. T. S. Roberts and Walter Breckenridge -Mentors, guides, strong supporters and friends of the Minneapolis Audubon Society.

It is the story of countless bird walks and the archival records of bird seen, going back to 1917 – those same species continue to be seen here.