Peter Limbert
Public & Digital History
Embedded Files
Hello!
Hello!
I'm the Collections Manager for the Olmsted County Historical Society in Rochester, Minnesota. My work focuses on bringing the rich cultural history of the American Midwest to life through active conservation, curation, and research. I also believe that the most important role a historian has is to bring awareness to the realities and injustices of the past. We must be unafraid to face the uncomfortable parts of our histories so that we learn never to repeat the mistakes of those who came before us.
I'm the Collections Manager for the Olmsted County Historical Society in Rochester, Minnesota. My work focuses on bringing the rich cultural history of the American Midwest to life through active conservation, curation, and research. I also believe that the most important role a historian has is to bring awareness to the realities and injustices of the past. We must be unafraid to face the uncomfortable parts of our histories so that we learn never to repeat the mistakes of those who came before us.
Since 2020, I've been strongly involved in public history work. I put my love for history into practice by working and volunteering with museums of all shapes and sizes, from small historical societies to national museums. During my career, I've spearheaded conservation efforts on large collections, managed the accessioning/deaccessioning of artifacts, designed both physical & digital exhibits, and facilitated public engagement programming for audiences of all ages.
I achieved a BA in History with a Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Northern Iowa in 2022, and an MA in History with a Certificate in Public History from Bowling Green State University in 2025.
To learn more about my research and professional background, feel free to email me or see my attached CV.
(712)-660-8029
plimbert@olmstedhistory.com
December
Famed Czech composer Antonín Dvořák was born on September 8, 1841 in the village of Nelahozeves to a rural background. Throughout his career, his work became highly prized for its integration of folk traditions into classical forms of symphonic composition. In 1892, he was awarded directorship of the National Conservatory of Music in New York, where his work was heavily influenced by the musical traditions of African-American and Native American communities.
In the summer of 1893, Dvořák decided he needed space to finish composing his most enduring masterpiece, Symphony No. 9 "From the New World." His secretary suggested that he could escape from the noise of the city by going to stay with some of his family in Spillville, Iowa, a small town with a predominantly Czech immigrant population. For the next roughly 100 days, Dvořák put the finishing touches on No. 9 and several other chamber pieces he'd been working on while staying in the upper floor of what would become the modern Bily Clocks Museum in Spillville.
Historians often link his stay amidst the prairie and wide open spaces of Iowa with the different elements of No. 9, particularly its open melodies and emotional scale. His stay also deepened his connection to the folk traditions of American immigrants which played a large role in the development of his personal style.
Dvořák would go on to be remembered as one of the greatest symphonic composers of the 19th century, ranked highly amidst contemporary masters. While some scholars debate which of his pieces should be considered his technical masterpiece, all agree that No. 9 is one of the most important symphonies ever produced for its role in blending Old World techniques with New World influences. To this day, it remains one of the most popular and most recorded symphonic works of its age.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse