FOSS HOUSE
Underwood, MN / 2023 - 2025 / NRHP Evaluation and Nomination
New History found the significance others would have missed — and turned it into funding.
The Stakes
Built in 1869 and stewarded by the Women's Study Club, the Foss House had been significantly altered over 150 years. The club needed funding but had no clear path. A less experienced evaluator might have dismissed eligibility entirely.
The Outcomes
New History identified a rare single-pen Norwegian log construction type beneath the alterations. The house was listed in the National Register in 2025, unlocking grant programs previously unavailable — giving the Women's Study Club the resources to sustain the building for years to come.
The right expertise does not just find significance. It funds it.
Project Team Members
Steward: Otter Tail County Historical Society
Steward: Women's Study Club of Underwood