In 1860 Peter Miller Gideon accomplished the impossible when he created an apple tree that would survive the cold and harsh weather of Excelsior, Minnesota. Even though everyone before him had given up, Peter wanted to grow fruit because there was a lack of local fresh fruit and the pioneers could not afford imported fruit. The apple, called "The Wealthy," after Peter's wife, was a turning point in history that launched the Minnesota apple industry. This line of apples thrives in cold weather regions and just keeps growing!
My interest in food led to my topic. I enjoyed discovering the root of Minnesota apples. I wanted a local and unknown topic, where one person made a big difference -- Peter Gideon. I started at the Minnesota Historical Society Library (“MHS”) to research and talk with librarians. I visited the Minnesota Arboretum and Peter Gideon’s house and orchard and took pictures. I contacted the Excelsior Historical Society and visited their museum. I visited the Pioneer Museum for oral histories and farming artifacts. I did research at the Wayzata and Ridgedale Libraries. I used online sources, including online books from the 1800s. I searched the picture catalog of the Library of Congress, Excelsior, and MHS. I attended the History Day Hullabaloo for help. My most valuable sources were the MHS Library biography card because it had great references and The Great American Apple Wizard, by James R. Curran, a history researcher living in Peter Gideon’s house.
As I researched, I realized my topic had more depth and much more to the story. The actual turning point of developing one apple tree that would grow in Minnesota changed apple horticulture and affects many of the apples we eat today. I had to cut interesting information unrelated to the core of my topic, like Gideon’s exact process to cross-pollinate trees. I included more detailed information from the 1900s and information about current day apples developed as part of the program started by Gideon.
I chose to present my topic in a website because I wanted to learn how to create web presentations and use many photographs. To put together my project, I talked to people, researched and had my notes. Then I started writing my textboxes and adding graphics. I was having a hard time finding sources and images from the 1800s, so I asked librarians and History Day Helpers for help. The elder Pioneer Museum volunteers showed me artifacts and we both had fun sharing the information.
Peter Gideon is important to study because it is a turning point in the survival of pioneers and growing fruit in the harsh weather of Minnesota. My topic impacted not only Minnesota but the whole U.S. It started the Minnesota apple industry with varieties that are still being researched, developed and grown today. I learned how to break a large project into smaller pieces and research a specific topic from sources other than the internet. I also learned how to create an effective website.
My interest in food led to my topic. I enjoyed discovering the root of Minnesota apples. I wanted a local and unknown topic, where one person made a big difference -- Peter Gideon. I started at the Minnesota Historical Society Library (“MHS”) to research and talk with librarians. I visited the Minnesota Arboretum and Peter Gideon’s house and orchard and took pictures. I contacted the Excelsior Historical Society and visited their museum. I visited the Pioneer Museum for oral histories and farming artifacts. I did research at the Wayzata and Ridgedale Libraries. I used online sources, including online books from the 1800s. I searched the picture catalog of the Library of Congress, Excelsior, and MHS. I attended the History Day Hullabaloo for help. My most valuable sources were the MHS Library biography card because it had great references and The Great American Apple Wizard, by James R. Curran, a history researcher living in Peter Gideon’s house.
As I researched, I realized my topic had more depth and much more to the story. The actual turning point of developing one apple tree that would grow in Minnesota changed apple horticulture and affects many of the apples we eat today. I had to cut interesting information unrelated to the core of my topic, like Gideon’s exact process to cross-pollinate trees. I included more detailed information from the 1900s and information about current day apples developed as part of the program started by Gideon.
I chose to present my topic in a website because I wanted to learn how to create web presentations and use many photographs. To put together my project, I talked to people, researched and had my notes. Then I started writing my textboxes and adding graphics. I was having a hard time finding sources and images from the 1800s, so I asked librarians and History Day Helpers for help. The elder Pioneer Museum volunteers showed me artifacts and we both had fun sharing the information.
Peter Gideon is important to study because it is a turning point in the survival of pioneers and growing fruit in the harsh weather of Minnesota. My topic impacted not only Minnesota but the whole U.S. It started the Minnesota apple industry with varieties that are still being researched, developed and grown today. I learned how to break a large project into smaller pieces and research a specific topic from sources other than the internet. I also learned how to create an effective website.
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