VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – A couple of generations ago, “Minnie J. Nielson” was a household name in Barnes County and across the state. Minnie was the daughter and granddaughter of early Barnes County pioneers. She came to Valley City from Michigan with her parents, Wylie and Jean Stewart Nielson, in 1880. They farmed northwest of Valley City and operated a farm supply store in town for many years, in partnership with Minnie’s uncle, Robert Baillie. Minnie taught at Valley City High School and went on to serve as Barnes County Superintendent of Schools for 14 years. In 1918, she was elected as North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction, a post she held for eight years. Her time in Bismarck was tumultuous, as it was during the years of North Dakota’s “great socialist experiment”, engineered by the Non-Partisan League. After leaving office, Minnie traveled nationally and was a much-sought-after public speaker. She was a true visionary, and her contributions to the education field are still felt in North Dakota today. Her story is fascinating and worth keeping alive for future generations.
The Barnes County Historical Society Lecture Series Season 24 Presents: “Minnie J. Nielson: Valley City’s Education Superstar.” The presentation will be held by Tim Burchill at 7PM Thursday, November 21st at the Barnes County Museum.
Tim Burchill was born in Valley City in 1961 and raised on a farm in the northeast corner of Barnes County near Pillsbury. His parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents all farmed in Barnes County, so his roots run deep in the area. Tim attended school in Pillsbury and Page, graduating from Page High School in 1978. He attended Valley City State College, and graduated from Concordia College in 1982, with a degree in hospital administration. In the fall of that year, he began a 39-year career in health care administration at Kenmare, North Dakota, ending with a 14-year stint as administrator of Ave Maria Village in Jamestown. Tim retired in 2021. Since he was a child, his lifelong passion has been the study of North Dakota history. He has a collection of several thousand books, maps, and other materials pertaining to our state. He is married to Christine, and has two sons, two stepchildren, and two grandchildren. Tim’s dad, Nyle Burchill, was once chair of the Barnes County Historical Society, and passed away in June 2024. His mother, Arlene, is now a resident of Bridgeview Estates in Valley City. Tim plays the piano, organ, and accordion, participates in music ministry at two churches, is a longtime active member of Kiwanis, and serves on the local hospital board. He and Christine also operate a small non-profit farming project in Liberia, West Africa.
All Lectures are at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum and held in conjunction with Valley City State University. They are free and open to the public.
For more information contact Wes Anderson at 701-845-0966. Barnes County Historical Society 315 Central Ave N Valley City, ND 58072.