About the Families

The RAHS doesn’t have to guess what the Ames, Florida, or Stork family members thought–we have boxes full of their words. Left in their own careful hand on envelopes sent through the mail, small notebooks, or loose sheets of paper.

Volunteers have transcribed over 1,000 Florida family letters, including some sent from the Civil War. A growing number of Stork diaries are available to researchers and the generally curious at Minnesota Reflections, hosted by the Minnesota Digital Library (MDL) database. The family’s letters and journals chronicle everything from daily weather patterns to momentous events such as the assasination of President Abraham Lincoln. Click the links to learn more!

Continuing the transcription and digitization process remain a priority for RAHS staff and volunteers, through the generous support of donors and grant awards.