Prior Lake, Minnesota – The Scott County Historical Society has announced their decision to use a $50,000 grant from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community for redesign of their exhibit space. The new space will have gallery space for a Stans Family exhibit, and a dedicated Native American exhibit gallery, along with storage areas, and an updated kitchen. The grant will also fund a capital campaign feasibility study.

The SMSC, located in Scott County, has worked with the Historical Society in the past. After the SMSC announced the $50,000 grant to the Historical Society early last fall, the Society provided a list of projects for the Business Council to choose from to determine how the funds were ultimately used. The Historical Society expressed a preference for the redesigned gallery space and the Business Council agreed.

“We didn’t put a requirement in how the grant was to be used, so we were pleasantly surprised that the Scott County Historical Society wants to dedicate space to tell the story of Native Americans. We were the original residents of this area and we continue to play an important role in the area today,” said SMSC Chairman Charlie Vig.

“We look forward to working with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to preserve and share the history and cultural heritage of Scott County. We are truly grateful for your support,” wrote John Diers, President of the SCHS. “Thank you for helping us to further our mission to search, save, and share the history and cultural heritage of Scott County.”

The Scott County Historical Society incorporated in 1969 with goals to locate, collect, preserve, and exhibit historic material, and to interpret and disseminate the history of Scott County. One of its first projects was the establishment of the Minnesota Valley Restoration Project. In 1994, the Scott County Historical Society received a substantial grant from the Stans Foundation, which contributed the museum building, restored 1908 Dutch Colonial boyhood home of Maurice Stans, and started an endowment fund.

The collections of the Society include books, photographs, artifacts, oral histories, newspapers, and other material related to the history of Scott County. The collections are limited to items related to Scott County and its residents. The Society’s programs and exhibits are designed to meet Minnesota Standards for Teaching Social Studies benchmarks.

The Scott County Historical Society further their mission through best practices in collections care, engaging exhibits, maintaining an extensive research library and educational programs for adults, youth, and students.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Minnesota, is the owner and operator of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Little Six Casino, Mazopiya, The Meadows at Mystic Lake, and other enterprises on a reservation south of the Twin Cities. The SMSC utilizes its financial resources from gaming and non-gaming enterprises to pay for the internal infrastructure of the Tribe, including but not limited to roads, water and sewer systems, emergency services, and essential services to its members in education, health, and well-being.

A tribal charitable giving program which comes from a cultural and social tradition to assist those in need has given away more than $258.2 million to Indian Tribes, charitable organizations, and schools since 1996. Through the Mdewakanton LIFE Program, the SMSC has donated 775 Automated External Defibrillators to tribes, schools, police and fire departments, and other organizations with 21 lives successfully saved due to their use.

The SMSC has also made more than $523 million in loans mostly to other tribes for economic and infrastructure development projects. Since 1996 the SMSC paid more than $7.6 million for shared local road construction and an additional $16.7 million for road projects on the reservation. The SMSC has also paid $14.4 million to local governments for services and another $6.4 million for other projects.