Two Community Historians Receive Zapp Award At Stearns Museum

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- The Stearns History Museum has chosen two residents for its Zapp Historian Award for 2025.

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One recipient is Marian Rengel.  She worked for the St. Cloud Times as a writer and editor for almost 30 years.  In 2003, she was a founding member of the Minnesota Digital Library, which uses state-funded grants to digitize and host archival materials online at no cost.  Stearns History Museum was a pilot contributor to the project and, to date, has contributed almost 450 objects.  MDL now hosts over 60,000 objects from over 200 contributors.

Mike Knaak is the other recipient.  He was the successor to Myron Hall, becoming a photographer at the St. Cloud Times in 1975.  For over 40 years, Knaak chronicled St. Cloud area history in photography.

The award was presented on Monday at the Stearns History Museum.  It is named in honor of the Zapp family.