The Skone Conservatory was created through a generous financial donation by Terry Skone, which provided for its construction and the artifact displays. Pete Humphrey, a Brainerd banker, part-time Anthropology instructor at CLC, and white man inducted into the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe, collected more than 200 Ojibwe artifacts, of which many are on display. The printed book collection includes more than 3200 titles.
Pete Humphrey’s collection of American Indian cultural materials forms the heart of the center. Literature from the center states that, “The main area is a museum housing interpretive displays on Ojibwe culture. It also includes more than 3,000 books, research material, cultural resources and programming on American Indian cultures and related issues. Because this collection has been assembled with a strong eye towards educational use, Pete wished it to be housed in an educational facility so that it will be used to promote greater awareness and understanding of American Indian cultures.”
