About the Creators

- Terry Swanson, Author -

Walking in the footsteps of the Gibbs family, Terry Swanson served for ten seasons as program and site manager at the Gibbs Farm historic site operated by the Ramsey County Historical Society. She then coordinated the RCHS Investigate MN program for two years, a partnership to boost achievement for school-age children. A Minnesota historian, she specialized in public history in the Twin Cities area, also working at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. She made her home outside the Twin Cities with her husband and their dog, Lucy, surrounded by bee-friendly gardens.

- Peggy Stern, Illustrator -

Peggy Stern is a former site interpreter at Gibbs Farm where, under Terry Swanson's direction, she led tours and also crafted murals and signage to enhance the site. With a degree in fine art from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, she has also studied at Minneapolis College of Art and Design and at both Minnetonka and White Bear Centers for the Arts. Her drawings, paintings, and sculpture have been shown at Twin Cities locations including the Northern Lights Exhibition. She and her husband have two sons and live surrounded by art, nature, and two loving cats.

Plan an event!

Staff from Ramsey County Historical Society and Gibbs Farm are available for select appearances in Minnesota and the upper Midwest, tailoring events to a variety of topics and age groups. Get in touch with ideas for your own event.

Some options:

Book readings, discussions, and signings
Talks on the process of writing historical fiction
Talks and demos on creating art to enhance journaling and storytelling
Creative history-based activities
Ideas for inspiring interest in history

- Ramsey County Historical Society, Publisher -

Since 1949, the Ramsey County Historical Society has presented and preserved the history of Minnesota's Ramsey County. As part of that mission, RCHS runs the Gibbs Farm historic site in Falcon Heights, just north of Saint Paul— the place where Terry Swanson and Peggy Stern met. The organization publishes Ramsey County History magazine and books such as Little Bird That Was Caught by Anne Neuberger and Great Northern Iron: James J. Hill's 109-Year Mining Trust by James A. Stolpestad. RCHS also hosts the History Revealed program series, podcasts, and exhibitions. The public may make appointments to visit the RCHS Mary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs Burke Research Center at Landmark Center in Saint Paul. For more information, visit RCHS.com.