OCONOMOWOC AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM
QUARTERLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING
At the Museum
1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by President Don
Wiemer at
2. Secretary’s Report: It was moved by Fran Durkin and seconded by Shirley Hinds to suspend the reading of the previous quarterly meeting’s minutes and approve them. Motion carried.
3. Treasurer’s Report: Hilton Neal reported that the Society is in good financial shape due to a recent $10,000 donation. As a result, a balanced budget will be achieved by fiscal year’s end. Those desiring specific information or wishing to view financial reports were asked to see him at the conclusion of the meeting.
4. Administrator’s Report: Nancy Lins requested that all attendees sign
the visitor’s log which was being passed around. Detailed reports of her activities were
available on the front table for those interested. Lins announced that coupons were available on
the back table for 10% discounts at Sharnell’s Deli, and that another “Deli
Dollars” day will be sponsored by Sharnell’s on August 21, with 10% of the
day’s non-catering proceeds returned to the OAHS&M. She announced that a special fundraising
benefit, “A Night at the Museum,” will be held on Friday, August 8 at
5. Committee Reports:
COLLECTIONS: Marjorie
Day reported that 49 accession groups have been made to date this year, including
wedding dresses, vintage hats, a Vietnam War era charcoal drawing of a
helicopter and a brick from the original
EDUCATION: Barb
Hirsch reported that her committee focuses on educating the community about the
museum and its purposes. A key element
is assisting the school district with its fourth grade concentration of
EXHIBITS: Shirley Hinds reported that minutes from her committee’s most recent meeting were available on the front table. Most of the committee’s work has been focused on the almost-finished Draper Hall display. Her group has taken over off-site display responsibilities from the Local History Committee, such as in the Oconomowoc Public Library and elsewhere. The most recent library display, which ends August 1, is an “ice cream social” display that also includes information on the upcoming “A Night at the Museum” fundraiser. The committee is interested in having new members join their efforts.
LOCAL HISTORY:
MEMBERSHIP: Barb Elwood-Goetsch reported that membership is stable and encouraged non-members to consider joining following the meeting. Dues for seniors are
$12 single/$24 couples, $15 others/$30 couples and $2 for students. A special effort is underway to renew delinquent memberships. Those joining between now and October 31 will have their dues applied to the next fiscal year as well as the balance of the current year.
PROPERTY AND MAINTENANCE: Neal reported there is a need for additional docents and greeters during the museum’s hours of operation on Friday through Sunday afternoons. Those interested were asked to contact Lins. Recent museum upgrades have included fresh painting of the front doors, the addition of a bulleting board in the front hallway and clean-up resulting from flooding during a recent heavy rainstorm affecting the former shooting range in the basement.
SPECIAL EVENTS: Wiemer reported on the new logo for
the OAHS&M and shared the design. The Branding Committee has been working
on other branding-related projects. New exterior signage is in progress and the
elk on the front lawn has been fenced-in with appropriate signage
displayed. He encouraged attendance at
the “Night at the Museum” fundraiser on August 8. Fran Durkin interjected that outstanding
silent auction items will be available and attendees were encouraged to bring
their checkbooks. On Sunday evening,
August 10 the annual Ice Cream Social (featuring Mullen’s Dairy ice cream) will
be held at
6. Old Business: No report.
7. New Business: Wiemer announced that Ruth Behling has recently retired from a multi-decade commitment to the OAHS&M. He read and presented a lengthy proclamation to Ruth which highlighted many of her outstanding contributions, including serving as quarterly newsletter editor since 1984. Behling received a standing ovation of applause and appreciation. Behling addressed the group briefly saying she has enjoyed her years with the Society and that the newsletter was her favorite volunteer activity, a true labor of love.
8. Adjournment: The meeting ended at
Following the business meeting, John Eastberg, a historian
at the
Respectfully Submitted,
Margie Krauski, Secretary
LOCAL ARCHITECTURE PRESENTATION RECAP
Presented by John Eastberg, historian of
Oconomowoc Area Historical Society and Museum
Speaker John Eastberg was born and raised in
His lecture focused on the architectural achievements of
Ferry & Clas Architects, who designed over 300 known buildings in
Buildings of note in the Oconomowoc area they designed are:
The pavilion of Draper Hall (defunct)
The Anna Peck home on
Pabst family home (mansion) on
Over 20 buildings and homes that were part of the original Pabst Farms (many now defunct)
Oak Knoll on
Scutter Cottage on
Rock Terrace, the original home of
On
Ferry Cottage on
Clas’ own home on
The original Oconomowoc Lake Club on
Over 20 buildings and homes that were part of the original Pabst Farms
The La Belle Cemetery mausoleum vault near the main entrance
Photos and details of many of these buildings were shared
and questions were taken from the audience. The presentation ended at