The Cedar Falls Iowa Historical Society is a non-profit organization that engages the community in celebrating, educating, and preserving local heritage—showing that history includes both the distant past and recent events.

The Society oversees several museums:

Victorian Home & Carriage House Museum
Ice House Museum
Little Red Schoolhouse
Behrens-Rapp Filling Station/Visitor’s Information Center

Each site offers a unique look into Cedar Falls’ cultural and industrial history through exhibits, educational programs, and community events.

My Role: Social Media Volunteer (2019–Present)

I contribute content to the Society’s social media channels to support its online presence and engagement.

Assist with the monthly content calendar by proposing ideas and providing research-based content
Design visuals in Canva to accompany posts
Write captions and content that highlight collections, events, and the Society’s historical mission

Through this work, I blend storytelling, design, and strategic communication to showcase collections and programs and grow online engagement.

Testimonial

"Valerie has been a creative collaborative partner, researching and producing social media content with me for the Cedar Falls Historical Society since 2019. She is intentional in making connections between the Historical Society’s events and exhibits and our online supporter base. She is thoughtful and accurate in her research and writing, and she brings a lighthearted sense of fun to her posts, which makes them interesting and engaging. Valerie does this work in a volunteer capacity, and I am grateful for her time and commitment!"

Diane Schupbach, Programming & Outreach Coordinator

Contributions

Word Games series

The Word Games carousel series was developed in conjunction with the Cedar Falls Historical Society’s exhibit “Alphabetical Artifacts,” which showcased an A–Z selection of objects from the museum’s collection. The series highlighted board games centered on spelling, letters, and words, complementing the Wonderful Word Games Open House that invited visitors to explore language-based games from the museum’s collection or their own.

Year: 2025

Platform: Facebook and Instagram

Skills used:

Short-form + instructional copywriting
Series structure + carousel design
Research and fact-checking
Visual asset sourcing and attribution

Vaudeville Variety series

Vaudeville Variety was a monthly social media series honoring standout vaudeville performers and their exceptional talents. Each post offered a snapshot of performers’ expertise along with a brief glimpse into their careers and unique stories.

Inspired by the Historical Society’s exhibit “The Rosenthals: The Show Must Go On,” the series encouraged patrons to visit the exhibit in person while introducing them to other influential figures from vaudeville’s eclectic history.

Year: 2024

Platform: Facebook and Instagram

Skills used:

Content planning for monthly series
Historical research
Long-form educational copywriting
Image sourcing and attribution
Monthly series structure + storytelling

🎭 Vaudeville Variety Series: Monthly Showcase of Diverse Acts!

Discover the vibrant and eclectic world of Vaudeville with us! Each month we explore the rich variety of Vaudeville acts from spirited comedies to soul-stirring musical performances, each installment touches on the acts that defined Vaudeville entertainment!

🎉✨#VaudevilleVariety #MonthlySpotlight #EntertainmentHistory 🎟️

Household Hints from Mrs. Beeton series

Household Hints was created to complement the Historical Society’s exhibit “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid: Servants in Cedar Falls.” This monthly social media series features tips from Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861), offering insights into running a Victorian household—some advice remains practical today, while other techniques reflect historical methods, providing a peek into how domestic approaches have evolved.

Year: 2023

Platform: Facebook and Instagram

Skills used:

Copywriting
Historical research and attribution
Adapting historical material for modern audience
Monthly series structure

On The Rocks cocktail series

Inspired by the 100th anniversary of the Ice House Museum, I created On the Rocks, a monthly social media series spotlighting classic cocktails and their historical context.

The series was built on the museum’s program, “It’s 5:30 O’clock Somewhere,” where a local craft cocktail expert led tastings of mocktails paired with appetizers for attendees.

Posts combined cocktail history with approachable recipes, making the classics enjoyable for a modern audience.

Year: 2022

Platform: Facebook and Instagram

Skills used:

Copywriting
Research and attribution
Content adaptation
Monthly planning & scheduling
Graphic layout and post design

Audubon series

The 25-post campaign for the Cedar Falls Historical Society was created to engage the community through a mix of storytelling, education, and visual heritage. Drawing inspiration from Cedar Falls, Iowa’s bird-friendly recognition, the series integrated John James Audubon’s historical illustrations with locally relevant conservation messaging.

The goal was to boost community engagement, highlight environmental awareness, and bridge Audubon’s works with the spirit of Cedar Falls today.

Year: 2021

Platform: Facebook

Skills used:

Long-form educational copywriting
Research and fact-checking
Adapting scientific information into accessible, reader-friendly content
Storytelling that supports community engagement
Visual asset sourcing and attribution
Audience engagement tactics and conversion alignment