“When a nation goes down or a society perishes, one condition can always be found. They forgot where they came from.” — Carl Sandburg

We offer activities to interest everyone in your family.

• Genetic Testing, Ancestral Analysis, and Relative Finding

• Genealogical Webconferencing Support (for genetic or traditional genealogy)

• Norwegian Ridge Language Camp

• Heritage Stewardship Forum

• Family Reunion, Class Reunion, Lag Gathering, and Lecture Center

• Oral Histories and Historical Documentaries (like those in the playlists below)

Donor and Member Benefits

ACT NOW and Receive a Complimentary Genetic Test and Expert Assistance Interpreting It.

Those who join Giants of the Earth at our special Genetic Ancestry level or higher ($175), may request a free complete and confidential genetic ancestry test that was voted Time Magazine’s Invention of the Year. (Limit one per member per lifetime.) Wherever you may live, our genetic genealogy expert, Dr. Johnathan Storlie, will walk you through the steps to get started using video webconferencing and desktop sharing. You will receive your test results (genotyping 1 million SNPs) 2-6 weeks after submitting your saliva sample.  We will work with you to answer your questions, help you build your family tree, and even show you how to easily contact dozens of newly found relatives across the ocean. Your results will be continuously updated with the latest genetic discoveries each month for many, many years to come. Before you buy a genetic kit on your own, be sure to ask how many markers or SNPs the kit analyzes and how many people are in the current database. If it less than half a million SNPs or if the database of people is small, look elsewhere. If, after looking at the links and videos you are interested or have questions, please email Dr. Storlie directly at:

john@storlie.org

World-wide service, small town friendliness

Everyone wants to be part of a community where they feel accepted as they are. Whether you are taking part in our Fine and Folk Art classes, our Norwegian language camp, or working online with our genealogical experts, we want you to feel like you are welcome and appreciated.

Life is lived forward, but understood backwards.

“People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors.” — Edmund Burke

As you build your family tree with names, we hope you will also honor your ancestors by uploading their stories and pictures.  You might even consider having one of your older relatives interviewed through our oral histories project. As you research each of your ancestors’ unique lives, we want you to share any insights you have with other members who are also working on their trees. By identifying common themes within our actual ancestors’ lives, we hope that every person and family can become empowered with a sense of their place in the larger chain of Being. Even though our ancestors’ situations were often dire, the feeling that they had a purpose within their family and community often gave them nearly superhuman strength. Because so much of our ancestors’ lives were spent thinking about and working for the good of subsequent generations, we have included a stewardship forum where people can try to understand what inspired their ancestors to leave the legacy they did…Read more under Resurrecting Multigenerational Consciousness.

We believe a true heritage is your children’s birthright and we hope you will bookmark this page and bring your own insights into our forum:

www.trueheritage.org –where you are family.

 support@springgrovemnheritagecenter.org

Comments:

“First, let me say that I am very impressed with you and your dedication to the tasks you are performing for the preservation of our heritage, here in Southeast Minnesota. Though I have had only a glimpse of your huge undertaking, I realize it is a marvelous gift and service that you are providing in preserving a greater depth of what our heritage means for our lives and the lives in each generation. Knowing our heritage helps guide us onto the good path of life where we can see the richness and blessings of being in relationships with family and community! We belong to something much greater than our individual selves.” -Rev. Norman Omodt, Author of From Log Houses to Mud Houses and Other Houses of the Lord

“On behalf of the Houston County Historical Society Board of Directors we would like to thank you for hosting our tour group… A special thanks to the hosts, William Fried for his informative introduction and narration about the murals; Dr. John Storlie for demonstrating the 23andme program you offer at the center; Dr. Thomas Carlson for showing us the beautiful library where you work with Ancestry and local genealogy; and to Georgia Rosendahl for arranging our visit and providing refreshments to the tour group. The Giants of the Earth Heritage Center is a wonderful addition to our area in the pursuit of preserving Houston County’s rich heritage.” -Shirley Johnson, President, Houston County Historical Society