Communication Associate: Public Relations | Lori Melton | lmelton@d.umn.edu | (218) 726-8830
July 3, 2013 Lucie Amundsen | Glensheen, the historic Congdon estate | 218 726-8921 | lamundse@d.umn.edu
Glensheen Mansion becomes only Blue Star Museum in region
Glensheen Mansion, located on the historic Congdon estate on the shores of Lake Superior, will hold a press conference on July 3 at 11:30 a.m. to announce its induction as a Blue Star Museum.
The historic house museum, built in 1908, will be the first attraction in the Twin Ports region to be a Blue Star Museum. As such, Glensheen Mansion will offer free standard tours to all active duty military personnel and their immediate families starting July 4th through Labor Day, September 2, 2013.
Members of the military will be on hand to comment.
"Given the Congdon's record of service, having active duty service men and women as guests in their home is simply the right thing to do," says Daniel Hartman, interim director of Glensheen.
Two of Chester and Clara Congdon's sons, Walter and Edward, served in World War I. Elisabeth, their youngest daughter, organized and headed the Duluth's chapter of the American Red Cross Nurse's Aid Committee in World War II, rolling bandages and preparing care packages. Lastly, the estate's longest-serving and most recent head gardener, Bob Wyness, was deployed in the Second World War.
Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, American Association for State and Local History, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums across America.
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