A portion of page two of the Winslow House Register
One of our first digitization projects
In a large nutshell, digitization is the process of converting an analog format, say, paper, into a digital one, say, a pdf or jpg. Converting a paper format requires a scanner with an image sensor that “samples”/ outputs numbers that articulate a bunch of points on the image. That output is a digital representation – the more points, the better the sampling, the better the scan. After that, just maintain the integrity of that file for the rest of its lifecycle.
New Scanner – Old Project
The archive recently acquired a contactless, overhead scanner. We christened it with one of the oldest and most historically valuable ledgers in our collection, the Winslow House Register. The pages will soon be available to view online.
As a child, in the 70s, my parents taught me about Dred Scott. I thought the reason for this was that they wanted me to be aware of history, but I believe they also wanted to instill an understanding of my current environment. The story was often followed by “this wasn’t that far away, nor was it that long ago”. In the Dred Scott story, there was an added social lesson that accompanied the history one, which was that people will make promises they don’t intend to keep.
When I started working at HHM, one of the first things I looked up in the card catalog was Dred Scott. I was a little disappointed to find that there was only a photo of a “reenactment” of the marriage of Dred Scott and Harriet Robinson.
I looked for more information in Hennepin History Magazine and learned of another case that involved a freedom seeker who won her freedom in Minnesota after Dred Scott. The first article I found was by the museum’s founder, Joseph Zalusky. In the Summer 1964 issue, Zalusky wrote about a woman named Elizabeth Winston, who with the help of the Underground Railroad got free in MN and escaped to Canada. The article doesn’t conclude with her escape, however. Zalusky’s research has Eliza Winston returning to Mississippi to work for her previous enslavers within a year of winning her freedom. Wow, I thought. That’s horrible. But I couldn’t condemn this brave woman. She’s gotta eat, right? Maybe there were terms for her return. I could not wrap my head around this story, but I hoped the outcome was favorable for Ms. Winston.
Excerpt from Hennepin History Magazine, Spring 1968 article referencing the Winslow House Registry donation. The last sentence concludes with “in his father’s home.”
The Hennepin History Museum archive has a key piece of Eliza Winston’s story in the Winslow House Registry. Zalusky wrote articles about the Winslow House as well. In the Spring 1967 issue, he wrote of the hotel’s beauty, size, and attraction to southern enslavers who came up north with their families to escape the summer heat. He included the fact that the antebellum southerner was not without servants – paid or chattel. The appeal of the Winslow House wasn’t just it’s position overlooking the falls, but also that it looked the other way when Southerners checked in with their slaves.
Thankfully, Joe Zalusky was not the only person to research and write about Eliza Winston because her story has much more depth. Bill Greene told Eliza’s story through vivid court documents adding color and intent through statements given in affidavits.
Lastly, Christopher Lehman wrote a book about Eliza: It Took Courage: Eliza Winston’s Quest for Freedom. He timelines Winston’s freedom-seeking before she even gets to Minnesota, including the promises and gestures of freedom that kept Eliza in service to her owners. He fills in gaps dispels rumors with facts and tells all that can be known about Eliza Winston’s story. I was very glad to find that Zalusky’s report was based on rumor – Eliza Winston did not return to the south after reaching Canada.
All That to Say This
There will be an exhibit at HHM in October that pulls Eliza Winston off the page and makes her experience more tangible. I’m super excited to see our curator Alyssa Thiede’s vision for Eliza. Author, Christopher Lehman will be at the the exhibit opening on October 11, 2025. He will give a presentation and sign books afterward. The archive contributes its most valuable resource to the exhibit. There will be a copy of the Winslow House Register that visitors can touch, turn the pages and see the names of the guests, their servants, and formerly enslaved. FYI, p.104 is the one mentioning Eliza, however, she is not named. She is listed as “nurse” for the sickly wife of Mr. Christmas. Here’s a peek at the real deal.
Winslow House Register, 1858.
Written by Michele Pollard | Hennepin History Museum Archivist