About Us
Our Mission
Dedicated to community enrichment through education, preservation, and celebration of the rich history and the heritage of the Tower-Soudan and Lake Vermilion community through people, artifacts and stories.
TSHS Vision
The Tower-Soudan Historical Society will exceed the expectation of the local community and visitors by promoting an understanding of the history of the Tower-Soudan and Lake Vermilion area by collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting that history and by advocating for broader understanding and education through presentation and celebration of our history to citizens and visitors.
Leadership
The Tower-Soudan Historical Society is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are actively involved in achieving the Society’s mission. Living in the Tower, Soudan and Lake Vermilion area, year-round or seasonally, these folks are excited about bringing history alive—opening windows to the past; finding historic landmarks, artifacts and stories from yesterday and presenting them to our world today.
Board of Directors
Nancy Larson
Soudan MN
Linda Folstad
Soudan MN
Louise Gately
West Des Moines, IA and Lake Vermilion
Diane Meehan
Tower – Kugler Township
Leon Anderson
Tower MN
Cookie Bonicatto
Hayward WI and Lake Vermilion
Richard Hanson
Tower MN
Linda Haugen
Tower – Lake Vermilion
Cliff Koski
Ely, MN
Dick Peyla
Orinda, CA and Lake Vermilion
Kathy Siskar
Tower – Lake Vermilion
Doug Workman
Soudan, MN
Board Officers
- Nancy Larson, President
- Linda Folstad, Vice-President
- Louise Gately, Secretary
- Diane Meehan, Treasurer
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board offers the organization specialized information, experience, and skills, and advice pertinent to achieving immediate and future goals as determined by the TSHS Board of Directors.
- Joan Broten
- Vicky Carlson
- Leone Graf
- Andy Larson
- Eric Norberg
- Lynn Olson
- Joyce Rypkema
- Mary Shedd
- Jayne Sundeen
- Dianna Sunsdahl
Board Committees
Standing Board Committees | Leader(s) |
St. Louis County Historical Society Representative | Linda Folstad |
Cemetery-On-Line | Karen Officer |
Communications | Louise Gately, Nancy Larson |
Fire Hall Management | Leone Graf, Nancy Larson |
Fund Raising Pledges, Contribution and Memorials; Capital Campaign; Charitable Gambling |
Louise Gately, Nancy Larson |
Grant Writing | Nancy Larson |
Membership | Corrine Hill |
Train Depot Museum & Trains Facility Management | Linda Folstad, Richard Hanson, Linda Haugen, Nancy Larson, Dianna Sunsdahl, Doug Workman |
Project Committees | Leader(s) |
Annual Meeting | Cookie Bonicatto, Linda Haugen |
Can Recycling | Paused |
Events/Programs | Louise Gately, Nancy Larson |
Life Stories/Oral Histories | Cookie Bonicatto, Kathy Siskar |
PastPerfect Web Edition | Nancy Larson |
Potter’s Field/Lakeview Cemetery Restoration | Paused |
Soudan Mine Miners’ Memorial | Elaine McGillivray |