James J. Hill film center stage at Hill Farm Historical Society’s Spring Dinner

Attendees packed North Oaks Golf Club’s ballroom on Friday, May 19, to enjoy the Hill Farm Historical Society’s (HFHS) Spring Dinner, headlined by guest speaker, award-winning filmmaker Stephen Sadis. Sadis produced and directed “The Empire Builder: James J. Hill and the Great Northern Railway,” a four-hour, four-part documentary film devoted to railroad magnate Hill’s life and accomplishments. A social hour was followed by dinner accompanied by clips from “The Empire Builder,” with added commentary from Sadis. Completed last fall, the film examines Hill’s impressive influence on our nation’s early railroad development, agricultural innovations, financial and political decisions, and environmental conservation—just to name a few spheres of American life that James J. Hill helped shape. The film can be rented on demand and a DVD set can be purchased by visiting greatnorthernfilmworks.com.

Filmmaker Stephen Sadis addresses attendees of the Hill Farm Historical Society Spring Dinner on May 19 at the North Oaks Golf Club. Sadis’ documentary film, “The Empire Builder,” focuses on James J. Hill.

Hill Farm Historical Society invited filmmaker Stephen Sadis to speak at the 2023 Spring Dinner. From left to right: Larry Paulson, Minnesota Transportation Museum in St. Paul; Scott Hippert, Executive Director of the Minnesota Transportation Museum in St. Paul;  Mark Haidet, Senior Major Gifts Officer at Minnesota Historical Society; Stephen Sadis of Great Northern Filmworks; Paul Dickson, Director, HFHS; and Eileen McCormack, former Director, HFHS.