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Boys Totem Town Land Preservation
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Historical Benefits

Totem Town began in 1908 as the Ramsey County Home for Boys, on E. 7th Street in St. Paul. Five years later it moved to a log house and a frame barn on 80 acres at its present site. The current dormitory was built in 1936, and the campus was renamed Totem Town in 1957 from the local practice of converting dead trees on the property into totem poles.
- StarTribune.  Kevin Duchschere
, May 2013

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History Matters

Historical &b Social Justice Benefits

Historical:
  1. Native American Historical Significance - to this end we can get cultural and archeological surveys done on site.  Partner with appropriate agencies to make sure this happens.  The historic village of Kaposia was just below the BTT land betwen the bluffs and the river.  It is believed that this area was also used by the Native Americans and it is highly possible that Native American Dakota artifacts will be found here.
  2. Historical significance of 100+ years of BTT as part of the  juvenile justice system and it’s story, different models it’s used over the years to help the boys, the impact it's had on the different cultural groups that had their sons sent there, different nature ideas they’ve used over the years (animal husbandry, skiing, Frisbee golf, fitness course, trail maintenance, sweat lodges, campfires, firewood business/activity, gardening, etc), the educational system that was use and its effectiveness, etc.
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