Stearns History Museum Honors Two for Preserving Local History

(KNSI) – Two longtime contributors to documenting Stearns County’s past received the 2025 Zapp Historian Award from the Stearns History Museum.
Marian Rengel and Mike Knaak, both veterans of the St. Cloud Times, were recognized by the museum’s Board of Directors for their significant contributions to preserving and promoting the region’s history.

The annual award honors individuals who have made substantial contributions to Stearns County history through leadership, preservation, financial support, interpretation or other efforts. It is named in honor of the Zapp family.

Rengel spent nearly 30 years as a writer and editor at the St. Cloud Times. In 2003, she helped found the Minnesota Digital Library, which uses state grants to digitize and host archival materials online at no cost to users. The Stearns History Museum was among the pilot contributors to the digital library, which now hosts more than 60,000 objects from over 200 contributors. The museum has contributed nearly 450 objects to the collection. As a volunteer at the museum, Rengel writes articles for Crossings magazine and processes and catalogs the St. Cloud Times Photograph Collection.

Knaak joined the St. Cloud Times as a photographer in 1975, succeeding Myron Hall. Over more than 40 years, he documented St. Cloud area history through his lens, eventually serving as the paper’s photo editor and earning awards for his photographic work. Since 2023, Knaak has volunteered at the museum, processing the St. Cloud Times Photograph Collection.

The award ceremony was held on February 10th.

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