State Historical Society selects 2025 Local History Awardees

November 5, 2025

BISMARCK, N.D. - The State Historical Society of North Dakota announced the winners of its 2025 Local History Awards in three categories. Fargo Air Museum and Toine Schreinemachers both received the Excellence in Local History Award, Gerald G. Newborg received the Heritage Profile Honor Award, and Arlene Saugstad received the North Dakota Person of History Award.

The Excellence in Local History Award recognizes individuals or groups who have dedicated their time, talent, and efforts to local and regional history that can serve as a role model of excellence. The award honors those associated specifically with local, county, and regional historical organizations within North Dakota.

Fargo Air Museum is an Excellence in Local History Award winner for its continued efforts to educate the community, pay tribute to those who served, safeguard aviation history, and encourage future generations to explore the world of flight. Through engaging exhibits, community programs, and dedicated stewardship of historic aircraft, the museum has made aviation heritage accessible to audiences of all ages.

After learning there was a Venlo in North Dakota, recipient Toine Schreinemachers of Venlo, Netherlands, spent decades uncovering the story of this small farming community in Ransom County. A butcher by trade and historian by passion, Schreinemachers has traced the origins of the settlement, visited archives, and interviewed descendants to preserve Venlo's history.

The Heritage Profile Honor Award identifies individuals who have made a lasting or significant contribution in preserving, interpreting, researching, publishing, promoting, or otherwise extending the knowledge and understanding of the history of North Dakota and have demonstrated long-term dedication and personal commitment in pursuit of these goals.

Recipient Gerald G. Newborg of Bismarck has dedicated his career to preserving and expanding access to North Dakota's archival collections, ensuring the state's history is safeguarded for future generations. From 1981 to 2007, he served as director of the State Archives and state archivist for the State Historical Society. Under his leadership, the archives became a leader in newspaper preservation, microfilming, news film preservation and reference services. Newborg guided the agency into the digital age, introducing early digital preservation practices and providing online access to collections. One of his most notable achievements was overseeing a major expansion of the State Archives in 2007, a milestone that reinforced its role as the repository of North Dakota's memory.

The North Dakota Person of History Award recognizes those individuals who have had a prominent role in the history of North Dakota. Eligible nominees must be deceased at least 10 years.

Recipient Arlene Saugstad's dedication to and financial support for the events, organizations, and programs she valued helped shape the Minot arts community. As secretary-treasurer of the Ward County Historical Society, she played a significant role in preserving local history. A former editor for the Ward County Independent, Saugstad later wrote a monthly arts column for the Minot Daily News. In 1978, she was honored with the North Dakota Governor's Award for the Arts in recognition of her lifelong commitment to promoting the arts. The Mouse River Players named their theatre "The Arlene" in 2006 to honor her instrumental role in founding the group. She died in 2014, two months shy of her 102nd birthday.

Details and nomination forms are available at history.nd.gov/historyawardforms.html. Nominations for Local History Awards are due the second Friday in July. Nominations can be made anytime; those received after the due date will be considered the following year. For more information about the Local History Award program, contact Ashleigh Miller at 701.328.2667 or [email protected], or visit history.nd.gov.

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Photo Caption: (click image above for high resolution version)
From left, Fargo Air Museum Collections Manager Maxwell Sabin, Craig Saugstad, Crystal Saugstad, State Historical Society of North Dakota Director Bill Peterson, Toine Schreinemachers, Gerald G. Newborg, and State Historical Society of North Dakota Foundation Executive Director Dale Lennon following the 2025 Local History Award Ceremony held Nov. 5 in Bismarck to recognize outstanding achievement in providing access to North Dakota history.