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Veterans to Step Down from the
Board
All good things must come to an end. Unfortunately for the museum
that includes service on the Board of Directors. In August two of
our dedicated members will step down: Marilyn Abariotes and Dawn
Nielsen will each have completed six years of service. Both are
officers of the Board and both will be missed.
Dawn
Nielsen is currently vice-chair of the WCHA Board. She is on the
board of the Blair Historic Preservation Alliance as well and this
serves as a common thread to make both organizations stronger in
voicing concerns for the history of Washington County.
An English teacher at Blair High, she believes that we need board
members from around the county to advocate for their “corner of the
county” and to form a unified body for the entire county. Dawn also
is involved in presentations with her husband of history readings of
Danish settlers. When you see her walking around Blair, wave and say
hello.
Marilyn
Abariotes is our current Secretary and has been a volunteer for a
number of events as well. She is an Iowegian who graduated from Dana
and stayed to become teacher and librarian for the Blair Schools.
She and her husband raised their family here.
Upon retirement in 2003, she was encouraged to join the WCHA where
her interest in history, old homes and antiques made a good fit. She
is also involved in the Friends of the Blair Public Library, AAUW
and several other organizations. She plans to stay involved in the
Museum and encourages everyone to be willing to serve if asked. It
will help you awaken a passion for history of the county.
Dawn and Marilyn will be honored at a reception following the Annual
Meeting of WCHA on August 9th. Stop by and thank them for all they
have done for WCHA and the Washington County community.
THANK YOU!!
Needs of the Museum
I know it seems like we are always looking for something. Well some
immediate needs are: People to help keep our flower beds in order
this summer at the museum.
People to help supervise our summer events. We are always looking
for volunteers to help with school visits and to do demonstrations
People to help with cataloguing our collection.
Donations of items from the unincorporated communities of the
county. This is our next exhibit and we would like it to be a big
one.
Scanners, painters, organizers and helpers.
New members of the Guild
After a number of years of service, Wanda Miller has indicated she
would love to train someone to take over the care of the genealogy
records, funeral notices, etc. This is something that involves
working several hours a couple times a month to file the records.
Give us a call or email us and make our day.
See You At The Museum!!
From the Director
As summer approaches, so does the increase in attendance. We hope
that this year we will reach new heights.
We wish to thank Martin Marietta for helping us with our summer
classes. We will also be holding W-CHATs, activities at Fontanelle
and of course our big event: Tractors Tall and Small.
As is the job of the Director, I not only have to look at this
summer, but I must also think ahead to fall and winter and even make
some plans for next summer. Please visit us often at our web site to
see what is going to happen.
One of my major goals has been to make this museum children
friendly, but also offer programs for adults. This is also true of
our sales area. We have a number of new items so come and check out
the dinos and pioneers..
Stop by to see us at the Washington County Fair and at Gateway to
the West. We hope to do some different things at each event.
We are always looking for volunteers to help us with a number of
projects. Help of all ages is wanted and appreciated
The Tool group from Omaha is currently looking over our collection
and promised to help us create an exhibit in the future. If you have
an organization that can lend your expertise to such an endeavor,
please contact us. We still have several thousand items to catalog
in our computer.
See You This Summer!!
From the Curator
The new exhibit at the Frahm House is on the clothing fashions of
the Edwardian Era, which spanned 1900-1910. The clothing being
displayed will show a shift from the dark, heavy fabrics of the
Victorian Era to a more comfortable, lighter fabric for men, women
and children. Many pieces are from Fred and Sarah , who wed in 1905.
In1906 daughter, Catharine was born. Come see the variety of lawn
dresses, children's and men's clothing.
Faith
See You At the Frahm House.
Summer At The Museum: A Frontier Fair
Enclosed with this newsletter is the trifold that was handed out to
students at all the elementary schools in the county. Please look at
the list of events and consider attending one or more. Some
activities are limited in attendance, so make sure there is space
still available before you come.
We are
excited to offer these classes and hope you are as well. It is part
of the effort to make the museum accessible for all ages and
interests. Please note there are some classes for adults.
We are
grateful to those that have offered to help with the teaching of
these classes. Since we are adding more staff as I write, I will
thank all of them in the next newsletter.
Don’t
forget we are open Wednesday through Friday and on Sunday at the
museum and Saturday at the Frahm House. Check the website for our
hours. Plan a day in Fort Calhoun.
History Day A Success
March
6, 2010, found 101 students, 10 teachers, 30 judges and assorted
other volunteers and parents assembling at Dana College for the
first NorthEast Nebraska History Day. While the day has been held
before at another site, this was the first time it was held at this
location with this configuration of counties involved.
Two of
the new schools involved were Arlington Middle and Blair Senior
High. The Blair delegation walked off with two medals.
Competition was held in five areas, all with the general theme of
Innovation in History. Students could enter as a group or individual
for an exhibit, a documentary, a website, or dramatic presentation.
Research papers by individuals were also permitted.
Top
three place winners were advanced to the state competition held in
April. Apparently the judges did a good job of selecting the
winners. One fourth of the contestants advancing to the national
competition came from the NorthEast District. There are six
districts in Nebraska.
Next
year we hope even more schools and students participate. The general
topic deals with treaties and will be officially released in August.
Check our website then for additional information. This is truly a
way to Awaken a Passion for our History. Some of the presentations
will be on exhibit at the county fair in August.
SEE
YOU NEXT YEAR!.
W-CHATs Continue
MarchOur monthly lecture presentation will continue through the
summer.
May
27th at 7 PM will be a presentation on life as a soldier during a
time of war. Those presenters at this time are S. J. Wachter, Pat
Hunsche, Wayne Winslow, Carl Lorenzen and John T. Beck. This will be
at the Blair Hospital meeting room on the lower level. This is an
opportunity to remember what Memorial Day is all about.
June
24th at 7:00 PM will be at Too Far North and will be a presentation
by the only Sate Senator ever elected from Herman, Senator Frank
Korshoj. Come early and check out the exhibit on Herman at the
Museum.
July
and August are still in the planning stages, but promise to be
interesting. Please check on the Web Site for what is happening on
the 4th Thursday of the month. As always, refreshments will be
served and a good time is had by all.
Check out W-CHAT!
Tractors Tall and Small II
After a great success last year and a little arm twisting this year,
the Tractors Tall and Small will be back on August 14, 2010 at the
museum. Judy and Marv Rohwer will once again chair the event. Some
of the best of last year will be repeated and new events and
displays will be added this year to make it even bigger and better.
Thanks to a generous donation by Abe’s Trash, we are well on our way
to making this a major success. We will once again have big tractors
outside and small tractors inside. We will also have the youth art
competition and vendors to sell farm related products as well as
food vendors available with your favorite items again this year. We
will also be raffling off several items, including another pedal
tractor.
New for the event will be a miniature display of farm related scenes
provided by the Omaha Area Miniature Association, a pedal tractor
pull for youth and one for adults, and as a special treat Der Kuntry
Pedlur will also put in an appearance.
With good weather we are promised to have even more tractors put in
an appearance up and down the street. Prizes will be awarded for
best tractor and display. Of course you are also welcome to see what
we have on display at the museum and at the Frahm House. So mark
your calendars now and plan to attend Tractors Tall and Small II.
See You At The Show!!
Contact us at WCHA 402-468-5740 or at
curator@newashcohist.org
or
info@newashcohist.org
or come to the museum: 102 N 14th in Fort Calhoun.
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