The history of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community is documented at the Arvid E. Miller Memorial Library Museum on the Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation near Bowler. It was built as a library and evolved into a museum, which is supported by the tribe.
“Most of our history is about survival,” said Nathalee Kristiansen, library/museum manager.
Kristiansen, who has been the manager around nine years, has a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
“I really enjoy my job,” Kristiansen said. “I haven’t had a bad day yet. It’s very challenging.”
Arvid E. Miller Sr. was a tribal leader for 26 years. He saved all the tribal documents now in the library/museum, which was established in 1974. It is the official depository of public records along with cultural and historic artifacts.
Inside is a wigwam, two volumes of oversized Bibles that were given to the tribe in 1742, and the Treaties of 1821 and 1856. The Elderly Gallery has pictures of tribal elders and ancestors that were donated. There is a smaller version of a longhouse outside.
Malone said when people go into the gallery, “they feel really comfortable.”
The Stockbridge people, who were originally from the East Coast, began their trek west in the 1800s. They arrived in Wisconsin in 1822, eventually settling in the town of Stockbridge near Lake Winnebago. In 1856, they came to Red Springs, where 13,077 acres was put in trust status for the tribe in 1972.
Eventually the Munsee Tribe, which also migrated from the East Coast at the same time, joined the Stockbridge Tribe.
The information continues to come in. Yvette Malone, librarian specialist, said they recently received documents accumulated by Patrick Fraser, of Arlington, Virginia, who took it upon himself to research the tribe.
“He died and his wife donated his research,” Malone said. “I’m still going through some of it.”
The library/museum has tours and is available for meetings. Malone said they have visitors from all over the world.
“They see us on the Internet,” she said.
A computer is available for research.
“We have over 7,000 pictures scanned,” Malone said.
A pictorial history book of family histories and photos is now in the works through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Misty Cook is the project manager and is holding workshops to gather information. The next one is in October.
The building’s basement is filled with things that they don’t have room for, including items from New York that are being repatriated.
“We’d love a bigger building,” Kristiansen said.
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