Why Oral Histories?
Did you ever try to tell a treasured story to your child or grandchild that a beloved deceased grandparent once told you?
Wouldn’t it have been great if your own child could have heard the story as you heard it – and been able to experience that special way that your grandpa or grandma talked – and seen that sparkle in their eyes?
Wouldn’t it have been great if you could have taped your grandparent so that you could sit down with your child and share in hearing the story as grandpa or grandma told it?
Giants of the Earth has been actively videotaping stories of senior residents and former residents as part of its Oral Histories collection. We have videos on everything from one room schoolhouses to WWII stories. We are in the process of editing our hundreds of hours of footage for display at our local cinema and on the internet.
Since the acquisition, editing, local and online storage, and family tree referencing for these videos requires considerable resources we hope you will help us out with your donations. Considering that it takes between 5 and 20 hours of highly skilled staff per hour of HD raw footage to complete the editing process, Giants needs your financial support to help continue this important project.
For many of our seniors, we have very little time to collect their stories. We ask that you please consider helping us out by donating to Giants of the Earth and mentioning that you want your donation to be used for our oral histories project.
If you or your loved one has participated in our Oral Histories project, we hope you will consider helping us financially to make this service available for others.
In the future, to encourage membership and meet our financial needs, members will have more access to our videos and priority in the taping of their family stories. However, if you believe, as we do, that our kids should have free access to these precious stories for inspiration, please consider making a large donation designated to our oral histories skilled staffing so that we do not have to worry about finances and can just focus on collecting these precious stories and providing real history to younger generations.
View our oral histories on YouTube
To view our most recent oral histories, visit our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to get notified of new videos!
Have a story to share?
Giants Members can apply to have themselves or their family members interviewed.
Since each hour of video usually requires about 10 hours of trained videographer work, please consider a donation of $100-$150 per hour of taping to help us cover our costs for this community service.
Apply to preserve your story
Our First (edited) Oral History Video from 2009. We have come a long way.
Participant Appearance & Materials Release for the Oral History Project
For good and valuable consideration, including my appearance in the Project named above, I hereby authorize Giants of the Earth Heritage Center and its contractors to record my name, likeness, image, voice and performance on film tape or otherwise, and to copy photographs and other artifacts I provide related to my interview (Materials). I agree that the Materials may be edited as desired and used in whole or in part in any form, format, manner or media, now known or hereinafter devised, for any distribution purpose, throughout the world in perpetuity. I understand and agree that the Materials may be used in the Project or in any other presentations at Giants of the Earth Heritage Center’s sole discretion. I understand that I have no rights to the Project, Materials, and any other products or benefits derived therefrom.
I represent that I have the right to enter into this Agreement and that my performance and the rights I have granted in this Agreement will not conflict with or violate any commitment or understanding I have with any other person or entity. I agree to indemnify and hold harmless Giants of the Earth Heritage Center from and against any claims, losses, expenses, and liability of every kind including reasonable attorney’s fees arising out of the inaccuracy or breach of any provision of this Agreement. I expressly release Giants of the Earth Heritage Center from any and all claims arising out of the use of the Materials.
This Agreement represents the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement and all rights hereunder, shall be fully assignable by Giants of the Earth Heritage Center. This agreement is entered into within the State of Minnesota/Iowa and shall be fully governed and construed in accordance with Minnesota/Iowa law as if this Agreement were to be fully performed within the State of Minnesota/Iowa without giving effect to principles of conflicts and laws. The parties agree to submit solely to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts of the State of Minnesota/Iowa to resolve any disputes arising hereunder.
Giants is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. EIN: 26-4545682. All gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Giants exists to serve you and your family: to help you discover your genealogy connections, to acquaint your children and grandchildren with cultural traditions, songs and language of their forbears, and further to honor the accomplishments of locals by preparing quality exhibitions of cultural and historic importance for you to enjoy.
Giants has many ways that you can join us in preserving and honoring the stories of those that first settled this area called Norwegian Ridge.
Giants of the Earth Heritage Center has many ways that you can join us in preserving and honoring the stories of those that first settled this area called Norwegian Ridge. One way is to give a one-time gift of $2500 and add the name of an ancestor who immigrated to the US to our “honored immigrant wall.” You can choose anyone who settled in this area, and if needed, we will help you research your family and record the story of the person you choose. Their name will be hand-painted in gold below a mural closest to the area of Spring Grove they first settled in. In addition to writing their name on the wall, we will publish the submitted story in our Spring Grove Bygdebøk. In addition, we will help produce a complimentary audio or video recording of you and any relatives you choose to join you, telling the story of your ancestor’s life in Spring Grove.
Plans for the Heritage Center include a video monitor that will allow guests to choose stories of the names written and quickly hear the edited tale of that person’s life. Another opportunity for honoring your forbears and helping Giants fund our mission is to name a room after someone you would like to acknowledge. Many rooms are available, including the main hall, the recording studio, the kitchen, the front porch, and others.
