Video
Stories told in moving images—glimpses of the people, places, and waterways that shape this ongoing journey.
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Artist On Art: Wes Modes, Artist Interview
Artist Activist, Wes Modes came onto Artists on Art, June 18, 2014, to talk about his newest project, The Secret History of American River People, a slow meandering trip down the Mississippi in a shanty boat collecting stories. Using audio, video, and digital media, Secret History archives and presents oral histories of major American rivers,…
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Secret History Summer 2015 Kickstarter
We are excited to announce the Secret History Upper Mississippi Expedition Kickstarter! Thanks to your support, last summer we traveled across country with the Shantyboat to the Mississippi River and spent a month gathering stories of river people. We interviewed dozens of folks, adventures, scientists, storytellers, river rats, boathouse people. Then we came back and…
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Maiden Launch (vintage remix)
The shantyboat Dotty’s maiden launch. Dropping a completely untested boat into one of the largest rivers on the continent.
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Life On the River – 2015 Trailer
The amazing Secret History River Life trailer by filmmaker Monica Yap.
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Jessica Bierbrauer and Lost History
Jessica Bierbrauer, director of the Great River Road Visitor & Learning Center in Prescott WI, talks about personal stories that are lost or buried.
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Ice Fishing Shack on Lake Winona
One of my goals in returning to the Upper Mississippi was to talk to people using the river in its frozen state. I’d been hearing stories of ice fishermen for years on Prairie Home Companion, but had never seen or experienced it.
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La Crosse Boathouses
Down in La Crosse for the day, I hung out for a bit where boathouses line both banks along the partially frozen Black River.
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Ice on Frog Slough
The other day I had just finished talking to the great people at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum which boasts an amazing collection of art by European masters and contemporary artists. I had a moment or two before my next interview so I went down to the river where the boathouses on Frog Pond had…
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Experiments with Multimedia
The production team and I are working on cutting various transitions between segments in the Secret History Web Documentary. Here is a sweet river moment I wanted to share. It makes a nice soothing backdrop for a nap.
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Shantyboat at FIGMENT Oakland
A Secret History exhibited at FIGMENT in Oakland, a one day art festival that brings Burning Man values of creative expression, gift economy, and participation to our urban environment.
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Lauren Donovan and the Creepy Guy
Lauren Donovan, who kayaked the length of the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to New Orleans, talks about an unexpected meeting while camping along the river.
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Sunset on the Sacramento Delta
A relaxing evening at sunset from a recent trip on the shantyboat on the Sacramento River.
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Ken Lubinski on the Resilience of Nature
Ken Lubinski, river ecologist at the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center in La Crosse talks about a winter walk and the resilience of nature.
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Lauren Donovan on Nearly Drowning at Lock 11
Lauren Donovan, who kayaked the length of the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to New Orleans, talks about nearly drowning in Lock 11 near Dubuque, Iowa.
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Peter Rachleff on the Creativity of Poor People
Peter Rachleff, Professor of History, talks about how poor people in the Twin Cities have historically used the sawn ends and off cuts from the sawmills to build shanties.
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Shantyboat Runabout
Today we powered up Mr. Johnson and motored about in the tiny Boom Island marina we have been moored at since we launched. Hazel and I crossed under the pedestrian bridge and out into the wider river.
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We Turn To The River – 2014 Trailer
The Secret History lyrical trailer from the talented Lauren Kincaid-Filbey with footage from the Sacramento River Delta.