FORT RIDGELY - The Executive Director of the Nicollet County Historical Society (NCHS) told The Journal Saturday his organization wants to offer more programming at Fort Ridgely State Park in the future, if a collaborative plan works out.
Ben Leonard said the NCHS, which has provided interpretation at the Fort since 2006, would like to offer walking tours, more speakers and authors plus hands-on opportunities seven days a week.
"We've done those things for the past 4 seasons, but most of our contract funds go to fixed expenses including about $6,000 a year to heat the (Commissary) building for preservation purposes," Leonard wrote in an e-mail.
He added that a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning, insulated windows and building partners would cut the heating expense considerably.
Leonard said the Commissary's existing, decades-old exhibits would likely remain.
"This plan doesn't budget for new exhibits and/or interpretation, I think it positions the Fort for future bonding requests for items like a new interpretive plan," he added.
Leonard said he can see how some people would be apprehensive about changing how business is done at the Fort.
"But I think we're entered a time in our state and nation where things can't necessarily look like they did before," he stated. "Change is not only necessary, it's inevitable."
Leonard concluded that all groups at the Fort including the Friends of Fort Ridgely are committed to improving it, although there are some differing opinions on how to do it.
Leonard said he was unable to attend last Thursday's Friends of Fort Ridgely meeting that included officials from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) because previously scheduled to attend a conference in Bemidji, hosted by the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums, of which he vice president.
Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com