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SCSU class of 1967

John C. Boehm, M. D., was born in Vienna, Austria on June 12, 1860. His family moved to America in 1867 near Black Earth, Wisconsin. In 1885 he entered the St. Cloud State Normal School, graduating in 1887. Afterwards, he moved to Euclid, Minnesota to teach. He later attended the University of Minnesota to become a physician and graduated in 1893. In July 1894, he began his professional practice in St. Cloud, MN. He married Mittie A. Adamson on November 28, 1896. He was an active member of the community, including serving on the St. Cloud Board of Education and the Stearns-Benton County Medical Society.

Boehm died in June 1931.

Douglas A. Birk was born on April 26, 1943, in Evanston, Illinois. His parents were Delbert and Esther Birk. In 1950 the Birk family relocated to Pine River, Minnesota, to manage the Camp-Show-Me resort on the bank of Norway Lake. Doug showed an interest in local history and archaeology at a young age including Native American mounds, remains from the early days of Minnesota’s logging era, and the travel routes used by fur traders and early explorers, topics which would hold his professional interest throughout his career.

Birk enrolled at Brainerd Junior College in 1961 then transferred to the University of Minnesota the following year. There Birk revived his interest in archaeology under the mentorship of Professor Elden Johnson and graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology in 1966. Shortly after graduation Birk was drafted and spent the next four years in Army Intelligence, including 24 months in Vietnam. At the end of his enlistment Birk reconnected with Johnson to seek employment as an archaeologist and secured a position as a staff archaeologist with the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) in 1970.

Birk worked at this position for the next eleven years, gaining experience at archaeological projects statewide. During his time with the MHS Birk began to specialize in the archaeology of the fur trade and Minnesota’s French and British colonial period, developing a reputation for meticulous historical research. An accomplished diver, Birk also pioneered new methods for underwater photography and excavation. He also involved himself in the development of the profession in Minnesota, serving as Secretary-Treasurer of the Council for Minnesota Archaeology (CMA) from 1973 to 1975. He would go on to hold the Vice-Presidency of this organization from 1982 to 1984.

Birk enrolled in the Anthropology M.A. program at the University of Minnesota in 1977 but dropped out the following year. He would return to the same program in 1995 and received his degree after a successful thesis defense in 1999.

Budget cuts in 1981 eliminated Birk’s position and he switched to independent contract work under the name of Northland Archaeological Services. Birk continued to accept Northland contracts until 1987, but in 1982 his focus shifted to a new venture he formed with a small group of colleagues: a nonprofit organization for archaeological contract work, outreach, and education called the Institute for Minnesota Archaeology (IMA).

Birk’s main interest in founding the IMA was to gain institutional support for a project area that would dominate the rest of his career: a tract of land north of Little Falls containing the site of an 18th-century fur trading fort. In 1982 the newly formed IMA conducted a short survey at the site which received the site number 21MO20. The Minnesota Parks Foundation purchased the surrounding property the following year, ensuring its preservation.

The IMA expanded over the following years and undertook projects throughout Minnesota. Birk gained publicity for the organization by locating the site of Zebulon Pike’s 1805 wintering fort south of Little Falls in 1984, but his attention repeatedly returned to the area surrounding 21MO20. In 1987 the IMA purchased the land from Minnesota Parks and began managing it as the Little Elk Heritage Preserve (LEHP). Under Birk’s direction the LEHP was conceived as a Public Archaeology space combining active excavations with educational programs and tourist activities.

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s Birk pursued development of the LEHP in parallel with multiple research projects. Continuing research areas included the French colonial period; portage routes; and fur trade era artifacts and people, especially the Northwest Company trader John Sayer. New research projects included a history of the town of Little Falls, a study of Protestant missions in Minnesota, and the historic communities of Old Crow Wing and Chengwatana.

This period of great productivity for Birk ended in 2002 when a sudden financial crisis forced the IMA into bankruptcy. In the ensuing rush to preserve the IMA’s collections and records Birk acquired most of the artifacts and administrative records relating to 21MO20 and the LEHP, adding to his personal research collection. The LEHP returned to state ownership in 2003, its archaeological resources protected by a preservation covenant.

Following the end of the IMA, Birk returned to contract work for most of his income including projects for Minnesota Power and the Grand Portage National Monument. He also served on the State Review Board for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) from 2000 to at least 2009 and coordinated with multiple local historical societies, including Heritage Group North’s successful attempt to preserve the Pine River Depot.

In his later years Birk focused on writing and publishing the results of decades of research in his areas of expertise. Following his unexpected death on March 8, 2017, Birk left manuscripts in various stages of completion on northern Minnesota railroads, Old Crow Wing, John Sayer, and the Protestant mission movement, among others. At the time of his death Birk lived in Pine River, Minnesota, with his life partner Lynda Weiss. Birk had no children and was survived by Weiss and his brother, Delbert Birk.

LR&TS staff member

Retired SCSU Music faculty member

Maurine Gray Bailey was born on April 24, 1903, to Henry and Minnie Bailey in Prairie Du Chen, Wisconsin. By 1920 the family had moved to Foley, Minnesota. Bailey then arrived the St. Cloud Teachers College in June 1921 and graduated in June 1923. After graduating she married Clyde Everett Shattuck on November 27, 1924 and had one daughter named Marie (1927-?) and two sons named Malcolm (1929-1967) and Hallan (1938-?). Clyde passed away in 1955 at the age of 62 and Maurine married Arthur Kohl in 1967. Maurine Gray Shattuck-Kohl died February 5, 1974 at the age of 70 and buried at Acacia Cemetery in Clearwater, MN.

In October 1915, the Avon Literary Society was organized to study the works of Shakespeare. Its name was derived from the river Avon on which Stratford, the town where Shakespeare lived, is located. The purpose of the Avon Literary Society was the literary advancement of its members, to give members practice using parliamentary rules, and to assist its members in becoming more useful to the school and society. The society is not listed in the Talahi yearbook after the 1937-1938 school year. The last mention is from the January 31, 1947 issue of the Chronicle that notes the Avon Literary Society had disbanded.

Atwood Memorial Center opened in the fall of 1966 as the social hub for St. Cloud State students as well as serving the campus community. Atwood has gone under many physical and administrative changes since 1966, but the mission remains the same - serve the student.

As St. Cloud State grew into a university, especially after World War II and the coming of age of the early Baby Boomer, calls for a student union increased. After a 1956 study authored by St. Cloud State regarding a campus student union, the process began to make it a reality. By 1961, efforts were underway to create a "living room for campus", including a student survey. In that survey, 80% of student polled were willing to be assessed a fees to support a student union.

Fundraising commenced to support the construction of a $1.5 million student union with students, friends and alumni, and the state to each pay a third of the cost. Ultimately, the state refused to pay for their third and unclear how the funds were raised.

Named for the Atwood family due to their financial support for the construction, and the fact that they building stood on the spot where their family home sat, Atwood opened its doors in September 1964. Over the next 40 years, the building expanded its physical footprint (1972, 1992, 2004) and remodeled countless times to support the changing tastes and needs of St. Cloud State students thus still being the "living Room for campus."

Atwood Memorial Center Directors:

Roger Wehrle: 6/1966-4/1971

Warren Reinecke: 7/1971-6/1972

Pat Krueger: 6/1972-6/1973 (acting)

Gary Bartlett: 7/1973-12/1981

Michael Hayman: 1/1982-6/1982 (acting)

Joseph Basil: 7/1982-7/1986

Joe Opatz: 8/1986-2/1995

Karla Myres: 1/1993-5/1993 (acting)

Margaret Vos: 2/1995-4/1998 (interim)

Margaret Vos: 4/1998-6/2013

Ed Bouffard: 7/2001-6/2002, 7/2006-6/2008 (interim)

Jessica Ostman: 7/2013-4/2014 (interim)

Anne Buttke: 4/2014-12/2014

Matt Trombley: 1/2014-10/2016 (interim)

Mitch Karstens: 11/2016-7/2018

Jessica Ostman: 9/2018-1/2020 (interim)

Clare Rahm: 1/2020-1/2021 (interim)

Matt Trombley: 1/2021+

The office of Sports Information was established in 1965. Its purpose is to publicize St. Cloud State intercollegiate athletics, creating schedules, press releases, media guides, and other promotional material for each sport.

Those who have served as head of this office are:

1965-1975: Bob Peterson

1975-1976: William Lynch (acting)

1976-1978: William Lynch

1978-1979: Robert Olson (acting)

1979-1982: Robert Olson

1982-1983: Michael Schroeder (acting)

1983-1984: Michael Schroeder

1984-1985: Anne Abicht (acting)

1985-2015: Anne Abicht

2015-2021: Tom Nelson

2021-2022+: Andrew Melroe

The unit was renamed Athletic Media Relations from Sports Information in ca. 1996.

The Association of Central Minnesota Teachers of History was established in 1971. Dr. Calvin Gower, Dr. Marjorie Morse, and Dr. Edward Pluth and faculty members of St. Cloud State University helped to organize the group. The Association had two purposes: to establish a stronger bond between the teachers of history in Central Minnesota and to strengthen the position of history in the programs of the schools of Central Minnesota. The organization dissolved in 1980.

The A.W.S. dates back to 1925 when Dean of Women, Beth Porter Garvey, organized the Women's Council to act as a medium between administration and the women of the college. The Women's Council joined with the Men's Council to form the Student Council during the 1931-1932 school year. In June 1932 a new organization, the Women's Self-Government Association (W.S.G.A.) was formed. Its purpose was to create a sense of unity and fellowship amongst women. The A.W.S. also promoted high standards of college life regarding studying, living quarters, dress, social activities, etc. They changed their name to "Associated Women Students" in 1947.  The A.W.S. is listed in the 1972-1973 student handbook as a student governing agency, but is no longer listed in the 1973-1974 student handbook.

Jerald Anderson was a DFL Minnesota state senator from District 19. He born in Sunrise, Minnesota in 1934. He graduated from North Branch High School, studied dentistry at the University of Minnesota. Anderson later served in the United States Army Dental Corps from 1959-1961. Jerald married Patsy Ann Young in 1957, and had three sons: Jeffrey, Brent, and Patrick. He won the 1970 election to the Minnesota state Senate and served on the Education, Finance, and Judiciary Committees.

The Saint Cloud branch of the American Association of University Women, A.A.U.W., was formed in 1922 with an original membership of thirty-one. It has been in continuous operation since then and now (1975) numbers slightly over 200 members.

The club is comprised of St. Cloud area women who have graduated from A.A.U.W. approved colleges and universities throughout the world.

Through it programs and activities the club has delved into countless fields during its 53 years. Here is a sampling of topics covered: The Role of Women as Makers of History; Is Palestine to be Restored to the Jew?; American Lyricists; The Subconscious; Modern Music and Art; Drama; New Science as Related; Portraits of Minnesota Pioneer Women; Law and Child; Education; International Relations; Portraits of Minnesota Pioneer Women; Law and Citizen. All these and many more have been researched and discussed by the club.

In December of 1922 the group started its first venture in raising money to establish an annual scholarship fund to assist deserving students. The fund has been a continuous project for the club.

In 1924, the organization began to form into special interest groups and committees with the first being; The Pre-School Group for Mothers of Elementary Age Children. Other groups soon followed: International Relations Group (October, 1926); The Music and Drama Group (October, 1928); The Literature and Writing Group (September, 1934); The Art Group (October, 1934); The Education Committee (1934); The Consumers Problems Group (September, 1936); The Status of Women Committee (1939); and, The Fellowship Committee. All these groups and committees research their particular area and make reports to the club as a whole.

In 1925, the St. Cloud branch joined the new State Organization and voted to follow its constitution. Miss Pape Quayle was delegate to the first state convention in St. Paul in 1925. In May 1929, the St. Cloud Club sent its first representative to the National Convention in New Orleans; Miss Ethel Graves.

The club, through the years, has also done work and raised money for charitable organizations and social welfare campaigns. Year after year, the club has worked and given generously to such things as the Red Cross, Easter Seals, CARE, SPAN, Save the Children Federation, Christmas Seals, and the like. Although National Headquarters urged the local clubs not to give as a whole, individual works and donations are still give.

The American Association of University Professors began in 1915, to “advance academic freedom and shared governance, to define fundamental professional values and standards for higher education, and to ensure higher education’s contribution to the common good.” The Minnesota Chapter of the AAUP serves as a representation for faculty across the state.

The position of director of Alumni Affairs was first established in 1965. At that time, an alumni executive director was hired to help plan and expedite events and services offered through the Alumni Association. Though it’s not clear how this position related to the alumni executive director, its likely it was the same person doing two different but related jobs.

According the St. Cloud State faculty/staff directories the following have held the position, except where noted:

According the St. Cloud State faculty/staff directories the following have held the position, except where noted:

1965-67: Jay Blaha, Director of Alumni Relations (1)

1967-69: Warren Johnson, Director of Alumni and Development

1969-72: Michael Keable, Director of Alumni Services

1972-77: Richard Kisch, Director of Alumni Services

1977-78: Bruce Boehne, Acting Director of Alumni Services

1978-84: Tom Macgillivray, Director of Alumni Services

1984-87 Joanne Benson Director of Alumni Services

1987-96: Bob Dinndorf, Director of Alumni Relations

1996-2002: Jim Stigman, Director of Alumni Relations

2002-04: Calvin Miller, Director of Alumni Programs

2004-06: Mark Larson, Director of Alumni Relations

2006-08: Kurt Stelton, Director of Alumni Relations

2008-: Chris LeDuc, Interim Director of Alumni Relations

One of the main objectives of the office of Alumni Affairs was to correspond with former students, keeping the lines of communication open between the school and its alumnus. In addition, the office also raised money for scholarships.

The Alumni Affairs office began printing the newsletter, The St. Cloud State College Magazine, in 1973. The editor’s letter in the first edition states that the publication “will attempt to bridge the chasms of time and distance which separate you from the St. Cloud State College campus and other alumni.” The magazine was to be published four times a year.

The St. Cloud State College Magazine consisted of a variety of articles, including items on the Distinguished Alumni Awards presented by the Alumni Association, scholarships, homecoming events, and notices on former students. Also included were articles on new dorm policies, the move of the Alumni Association to the Lewis/Atwood home, and information on membership to the Alumni Association.

The St. Cloud State Alumni Association was established on April 28, 1881. That year there were two hundred and six graduates of St. Cloud College who were eligible to join the association. The Alumni Association has dedicated itself to keeping graduates of the school connected with their alma mater and also on raising funds for resources and items such as scholarships and memorials.

The alumni association was established on April 28, 1881, where Professor Thomas Gray was elected president. Others elected at that time include:

Vice President : Flora M. Truman

Corresponding Secretary: Mary L. Upham

Recording Secretary: W.H. Alden

Records are sparse from the early period of the Association’s history but continue to grow in size as the years progress.

On March 26, 1932, the Alumni Association was incorporated in the state of Minnesota. The bylaws called for the association to be run and managed by a Board of Directors. Board members were to be elected for terms of office.

In 1965, an alumni executive director was hired to help plan and expedite events and services offered through the Alumni Association. Though its not clear how this position related to the director of alumni relations position, its likely it was the same person doing two different but related jobs.

In the 1966 Handbook for Chapter Coordinators, it states that the general purposes of the Alumni Association are:

• To promote the objectives of St. Cloud State College through the establishment and maintenance of contact between the college, its graduates and its students.

• To promote effective interest in and loyalty to St. Cloud State College on the part of its alumni and the public in general.

• To foster and encourage good scholarship and to offer awards and appropriate means of recognition for excellence in all forms of educational endeavors of various kinds contributing to the welfare of St. Cloud State College.

The specific purposes of the Alumni Chapters and Coordinators are:

• To be a communication link between the Alumni Association and the graduates.

• To sponsor annual alumni reunions.

• To assist the Alumni Office in the updating of alumni records.

• To serve in the advisory capacity to the Alumni Board of Directors.

• To identify potential leadership among Alumni Association members.

• To assist in the growth of the Alumni Association program.

In 1963, the association began presenting the Distinguished Alumni Awards to former outstanding students. The awards were (and still are) made during the annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner on Homecoming weekend.

Also taking place during Homecoming is the annual meeting of the Alumni Association. The membership is given the financial statement of the Association and program reports are given by both the Alumni Director and Alumni President. Every two years, Association officers are elected at the annual meeting.

St. Cloud State University procured the house that is now known as the Alumni House on November 17, 1972. The house was designed by a local architect named Louis Pinault and built in 1924 by Hubert Hansen. The house was built for Dr. Claude Lewis, who was a prominent surgeon and was also the brother of famous author Sinclair Lewis. After the death of Dr. Lewis, his second wife sold the house to L. Ferne Atwood in 1964. The state then purchased the Lewis-Atwood home due to the accelerating growth of the university grounds.

A notable event that was presented by the Alumni Association was the 125th Anniversary of St. Cloud State University. The official kick-off took place on September 10, 1994 at the Capitol grounds in St. Paul. The festivities included a relay-style event called “Journey to St. Cloud” which featured various modes of transportation from the steps of the Capitol to the campus in St. Cloud. According to Bob Dinndorf, SCSU Alumni Association Executive Director, “We want the transportation in the journey to mark progression from historical to modern. The journey will take place along Highway 10. We would like to feature special events in the communities along Highway 10.” (Letter, dated April 19, 1994)

George Alderink was born in 1889, he married Bessie Toussaint and had four children. Alderink was a Minnesota state representative from District 55, serving from 1954 until 1958. Alderink lived in Pease, Minnesota until his death in 1977.

Isabel was the daughter of Claude Lewis, who was the older brother of author Sinclair Lewis.

The Aero Club was established in the fall of 1948 through the initiative of faculty and students, including WWII veterans, who were reluctant to give up flying as a way of life. The club began with a war surplus Link trainer but the following year they aquired the club's first aircraft, an Aeronca. In the 1950s the club joined the National Intercollegiate Flying Assocation (N.I.F.A.) so their team, called the Flying Saints, could compete in air meets. The Aviation program at SCSU ended in 2014.

The use of the title of "provost" began in 2002. As of 2023, the person who holds this position is also the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.

The site of 21MO20 first came to Birk’s attention in 1972 via a Little Falls resident who recalled finding artifacts in an uncultivated corner of his uncle’s farm field in 1965. In 1978 Birk examined these artifacts and discovered that they contained 18th century ceramics. Research revealed a candidate for the site's identity: Fort Duquesne, build in the winter of 1752-1753 by voyageur Joseph Marin. Birk realized the potential of the site and conducted a quick survey in 1980 but had to wait until the newly-formed IMA could sponsor an initial dig in 1982. Further excavations in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1988 produced many artifacts and structural details, but no definitive evidence of the site's identity. The site was added to the NRHP in 1984 and remained a centerpiece of the IMA's outreach activities throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Birk took an interest in the French presence in Minnesota early in his career, stemming from early projects for the MHS including testing at the site of Fort Saint Charles in 1974. As early as 1982, probably inspired by the discovery of 21MO20, Birk began considering a "major study" of French activities in the region that would synthesize archaeological investigations at various fort sites with the written historical record. Birk gathered material for this study throughout the 1980s and 1990s and published multiple articles and studies of limited scope with the intent of incorporating them as eventual book chapters in the larger study. By the late 1990s this planned study had the working title "The History and Archaeology of the French Regime in Minnesota." Birk seems to have worked on this project only sporadically following the collapse of the IMA and no extensive draft of the final manuscript is known.

In 1973 Birk began researching the fur trading fort along the Snake River long identified as "Connor's Post" after local fur trader Thomas Connor. Birk's research disproved that Connor, who was illiterate, could have authored the journal that described the construction of the fort, indicating instead the British North West Company trader John Sayer as author. In 1976 the MHS updated the site's name to the North West Company Post in recognition of this fact. Birk's research culminated in a nearly 500-page report on "the history, ecology, and archaeology" of the fort site published in 1980, by far his most ambitious publication to that date.

In 1989 Birk published a re-edited transcription of Sayer's 1804-05 journal, part of a series of regional history publications for the Cross Lake Association. He returned to Sayer again for his Master's thesis, completed in 1999, which incorporated much material from his 1980 publication. In 2004 Birk published a short treatment of the same material called "The Messrs. Buid Comodiously," written for a popular audience. Birk turned to Sayer once again in 2014 for an improved and expanded version of his thesis to be published as "Life at Sayer's Fort," a manuscript left finished but unpublished at the time of his death.

In 1985 Birk surveyed the site of an 1839 Methodist-Episcopal mission within the Little Elk Heritage Preserve, beginning an interest in Minnesota's nineteenth-century Protestant missions that lasted the rest of his career. In 1988 Birk, representing the IMA, collaborated with the Cross Lake Association (CLA) of Pine County to edit and publish three sets of historical documents: John Sayer’s Snake River Diary, a set of correspondence regarding the historic community of Chengwatana, and the records of the Pokegama Mission in the Snake River Valley. The first publication came out on schedule in 1989, but the project hit a snag the following year when the CLA pulled out, leaving the IMA to complete the work mandated by the project grant alone. Birk produced the second publication in 1992 as “Purveyors of Salvation: The Pokegama Mission and the Protestant Mission Movement among the Southwestern Ojibwe.”

Birk, however, immediately began working on an expanded version of the same work that was nearly published in 1997 before being dropped for unknown reasons. Birk seems to have returned to the project in 2009, but died before the final manuscript could be published.

Doug Birk’s involvement with Cass county began around 1979, conducting field surveys and surface collections at Gull Lake in connection with wastewater treatment projects. Elden Johnson previously identified sites in the Gull lake area in the 1970s and Birk identified more sites from 1982 to 1984 with Northland Archaeological Services. Birk conducted surveys for sites that were disturbed by road construction, including a 1979 survey of areas around Brockway Lake. There currently are 301 known precontact or early contact (Dakota) Native American archaeological sites in Cass county. An additional 217 sites are located within the Chippewa National Forest, nearly all of which were occupied during the Woodland Period.

The modern-day Camp Ripley takes its name from an early frontier army post called Fort Ripley that operated from 1848 to 1878. This post was the result of a treaty with the Winnebago tribe. It was located on the west side of the Mississippi River, just below the mouth of the Nokasippi River.

Doug Birk first began surveys at Camp Ripley in 1986 with Kolleen Kralick and Jeff Tollefson, completing his final report in 1988. The surveys were authorized by the Corps of Engineers as part of a program to assist the Army National Guard in preparing a Historic Preservation Plan. Further surveys were conducted by other archaeologists during the years of 1990 to 1995 including Rebecca Otto and Virginia Gnabasik that cite Birk’s previous work at the camp.

Doug Birk’s investigations of mounds in Minnesota began in the 1970s but was renewed in the early 1980s when he and Elden Johnson became interested in new, non-destructive methods of studying mounds. Birk continued work on mounds throughout the 1990s and beyond with many other colleagues. Areas with mounds covered by this series include Cass, Morrison, LeSueur, Aitkin, Carlton, Koochiching, St. Louis, Itasca and Crow Wing Counties; Mississippi Headwaters; Pillager Gap; Pine River; Mille Lacs; Various lakes such as Gull, Leech, Cross, Norway and Rice; Also Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Birk conceived of a summary history of the town of Little Falls in the late 1980s, prompted by a survey project for Minnesota Power and a long-standing desire to increase community support for the preservation of the LEHP. Birk produced many drafts of this work from 1991 to 1999, titled variously "In the Heart of the City," "Through the Heart of the City," and "A Most Remarkable Rapids," with the consistent subtitle "A History of the Mississippi River at the Little Elk Heritage Preserve and Little Falls." Distribution of this manuscript in its various versions appears to have been limited.

The historic community of Crow Wing City (Old Crow Wing) formed on the east bank of the Mississippi river opposite the confluence of the Crow Wing River, about 10 miles southwest of the current city of Brainerd, beginning in the 1820s. Crow Wing became an important link in the fur trade between Saint Paul and the Canadian Red River Colony and attracted a mixed population of European, white American, Ojibwa, and Metis settlers. Clement Beaulieu, a fur trader of French-Canadian and Ojibwa descent, built a prominent house at Crow Wing about 1849. Between 1870 and 1880 Crow Wing was abandoned in favor of Brainerd when the Northern Pacific Railroad routed through the latter community. Beaulieu’s house was relocated south, to the vicinity of Fort Ripley in 1880.

Birk’s involvement with the Beaulieu House began in 1985 when the property owners offered the structure as a tax-deductible donation to any interested cultural agency or nonprofit. A coalition including the IMA, the state Department of Natural Resources, the state Historic Preservation Office, the Crow Wing County Historical Society, and interested citizens organized as the Friends of Old Crow Wing formulated a plan to relocate the Beaulieu House back to its original location in what was now Crow Wing State Park. Birk conducted in-depth research on the house, its occupants, and the community of Crow Wing, and helped lead the relocation effort on behalf of the IMA. In 1988 the house was moved to a temporary storage area in the park. In 1990 Birk and IMA colleagues conducted a brief excavation of the original house site in preparation for the permanent relocation of the house, which was accomplished in 1993.

Birk's boyhood home of Pine River was surrounded by remnants of the "golden era" of Minnesota's logging industry from the turn of the twentieth century. As a teenager Birk spent much of his free time speaking to elders in his community and tracing the routes of abandoned industrial railroads through nearby forests. This project continued as a semi-hobby throughout his career. In 2009 Birk began collaborating with colleague Jeremy Jackson on a two-volume book series that would publicize the results of his decades of research, a project left unfinished at the time of Birk's death.

Birk was approached by the Wadena County Historical Society in 1990 to conduct archaeological surveys of several historic properties within the Old Wadena County Park north of Staples, Minnesota. Birk, who had briefly surveyed the area in 1972, returned to the area with IMA colleagues in 1992 and conducted excavations at the site of the Little Round Hill trading post. From 1995 to 2002 Birk conducted further surveys and excavations at the Cadotte trading post and the elusive "Aspinwall site." Birk also assisted the Historical Society and the separately organized Wadena Historic and Environmental Learning Project (WHELP) to design interpretive material for the site including signage and a proposed visitor center.

Chengwatana was a historical community near the present town of Pine City occupied from 1848 to the early 1870s. Chengwatana was the original Seat of Pine County and served as a military post in the 1860s. Railroad construction in the 1870s bypassed Chengwatana in favor of Pine City, and the former town disappeared as a result.

Birk conducted a brief, walkover survey of the Chengwatana site in 1988 for the Cross Lake Association (CLA) of Pine City in 1988. Later that year Birk agreed to include Chengwatana as a subject of a series of edited historical manuscript publications for the CLA, to also include John Sayer’s Diary and the records of the Pokegama Mission. Birk identified the correspondence of Judge Charles Daly, held by the New York Public Library, as the main source for his proposed “Chengwatana Papers.” This project ran into trouble when the CLA dropped their participation in 1990, leaving Birk to renegotiate the conditions of the grant funded by the MHS. As a compromise, Birk agreed to focus on the Pokegama Mission papers only (Purveyors of Salvation) and dropped work on the Chengwatana publication.

Birk led IMA excavations of Lieutenant Zebulon Pike's 1805 wintering fort site south of Little Falls in 1984 and 1985. These projects were made possible by scheduled maintenance on the Blanchard Dam, which dropped the Mississippi's water level and briefly exposed the normally underwater site. This was Birk's closest associated with a nationally-known historical figure, and he capitalized on the resulting publicity to promote the IMA and nearby LEHP. The end of the 1985 excavation was marked by a formal celebration of “Pike’s Fort Day” on September 26, an event proclaimed by Governor Rudy Perpich and featuring an address by Lieutenant Governor Marlene Johnson at the site.

No further site work was done, but Birk and the IMA kept up the production of Pike-related research and interpretation for the next decade. Immediately after the excavation the IMA began working on a travelling exhibit showcasing the history and archaeology of the site, a project that was finished in 1989 and renewed in 1995. In 1988 the fort site was entered on the NRHP. Finally, from 1990 to 1992 the IMA prepared a short documentary on the fort site and Pike’s travel route titled “Archaeology Beyond the Walls: Tracing Zebulon Pike’s Travels in the Mississippi Headwaters.”