Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society

May 7, 2009 -7:00 pm

Peninsula Township Hall

 

Agenda

 

I.                    Social Time:

 

II.                  Program:  Jenni Lau Glysson and Jean Franklin Lau will present a program called “Seven Generations on Old Mission Peninsula”.  The presentation will concern their family’s original homesteaders, and stories about the following generations, as well as their home at Old Mission, which has been in the family for 83 years, and its connection to the big dock there.

 

III.               Business Meeting:

A.     Meeting called to order.

B.     Announcements & Community News

 

IV.              Monthly Reports:

A.     April Minutes –  Anita Klein

B.     April Treasurer’s Report- Warren Berthelsen

C.     Committee Reports

 

V.                 Old Business: 

A.      Log Cabin Day

 

VI.              New Business: 

 

 

VII.            Adjournment:

 

 

Note:  To review the proposed changes to the bylaws you can click on a link at the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society web site.



 

 

 

Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society

April 2, 2009 – 7:00 pm

Peninsula Community Library

 

Minutes

 

I.                   Social Time:  Refreshments were provided by Verla Jamieson.  Thanks Verla!!  The cookies were great!

 

II.                Program:  Steve Kelsch presented a wonderful program on the early steamers that sailed the Grand Traverse Bays, stopping at Old Mission, Neahtawanta, Omena, Suttons Bay, Northport, and Traverse City.  The program was wonderful and Steve’s historical pictures were great!

 

III.             Business Meeting:

A.    Meeting was called to order at 8:15 pm.  Thanks to Bob Dean for finding our wonderful speaker for tonight.

B.     Announcements-

1.      Donna reports that Samantha Tengelitsch is sick tonight but if anyone has one of her forms they could turn them into Donna and she would get them to her.  Samantha is still working on getting permission to have a ceremony at the Old Mission High School for the 100th anniversary of their time capsule on May 6th.

2.      Cory Golden who is a student at NMC is looking for any stories or local history about the Metropolis.  The Metropolis sank in the bay just south of Old Mission Point in 1886 and was salvaged in the mid 1970’s.  Please call Corey at 231-342-2329 if you have any information.

3.      Samantha Tengelitsch also reports that she has been in Grand Rapids at their archive building looking for information about Grand Traverse stones that were dug up in the 1870’s.  Her comment was WOW!  Donna thinks this might be an upcoming program?

 

C.     March Minutes – Anita Klein

1.      Motion to approve – Bob Schermerhorn

2.      Seconded – Paul Burns

 

D.    March Treasurer’s Report – Warren Berthelsen

1.      Motion to approve – Cal Jamieson

2.      Seconded – Bob Dean

 

IV.             Committee Reports:

A.    Newsletter/ Website – Steve Lewis reports that the Newsletter will be out in 2 or 3 weeks.

B.     Tree Committee – Cal Jamieson reports that we have 35 trees coming and we know where 18 of them will go.  We may place the remaining trees along Center Road just south of Shorewood.  We will need volunteers but we are not sure when.  We are also hoping that the Boy Scouts will help.  Cal will call for volunteers when the trees come in.

 

C.     Archives – Ann Swaney who is on vacation gave Donna a note that Patti Rudolph has donated 3 volumes of diaries that were written from 1882 – 1898.  I.M. Roberts who was the wife of Judge Lorin Roberts wrote the diaries.  The diaries are very hard to read.  If anyone is interested in helping to transcribe them, please call Ann Swaney or Donna Hornberger.

 

D.    Dougherty Home Site – Marty Klein reports that there is a display window at the main Library about the Ice House.  The display will be there until the end of the month.

 

E.     Hessler Log Cabin – Paul Burns reports that the cabin will be opened on May 2nd.  The annual clean up will start at 9:00 am and coffee and donuts will be provided.  It shouldn’t take long since we didn’t store everything in the attic last fall.  We just need to clean the windows, sweep, and dust, remove the shutters and the corner protectors.  The light keepers will open, close, and clean the cabin on a daily basis.  In September, Paul plans to take a new inventory of the contents.  A new tree will be planted in the fenced in area to the left of the cabin.  Paul hopes to plant it before the clean up.  Paul will also do some landscape clean up around the three trees that are growing together and plant some red flowers around the area.  In addition, he hopes to put in some more diamond dust along the paths in May or June.  A volunteer list for the opening clean up will be passed around.  There was some concern about the lights going out in the cabin last year so Paul will be putting spare bulbs in the cabin.  The bulbs can than be changed by the keepers as needed.

 

 

F.      Lighthouse – Fred Stoye reports that the Lighthouse will be opened the first of May and they still hope to open a gift shop this year.  They are also still looking for Light Keepers for the summer.

 

G.    Nominating Committee – Donna reports that we have two positions open this year, secretary and president.  Donna cannot run for another two-year term because she has another commitment.  However, she is willing to do what ever the new president would like her to do.  It could be program chair, refreshment chair, or nominating chair.  So if you are worried about becoming president and having to organize the programs, this is not the case.  Donna says that she has enjoyed doing it and will continue to organize the programs if the new president would like her to.  Paul Burns has stepped in as vice-president until next year.  Next year we will elect a new vice-president.  So please consider these positions when the nominating chairman gives you a call.

 

V.                Old Business:

A.    Log Cabin Day – Laura Johnson reports that we are pairing down a little this year.  The crafters will be there from 11 am to 3 pm. The letters did go out to the crafters.  The Log Cabin will be open and possibly the Light House.  If we don’t have enough volunteers for the Light House tours than the Light House Keeper will handle it and the money will go to the Township.  The Ice House at the Dougherty Home site will be open for tours the same day.  We will have flyers to hand out for this with directions.  Fred Stoye reports that it is possible that the Light House tower may not be open because of work that is scheduled to be done.  Visitors could still go into the Light House but not up into the tower.

 

B.  By-laws – The recommended changes (talked about at the last meeting)

      are on the back table.  In addition, they were available for viewing on our

      web site.  In addition to the changes talked about last month a suggestion

      was made to allow board members to make decisions by phone and/or

      email as well as meeting in person.  This was added under “Article IV-

      Board of Directors and Officers”.  In summary, all officers will serve for a

      two-year term.  The president and secretary will be elected in odd

      numbered years, and the vice-president and treasurer will be elected in

      even numbered years.  They will be overlapping terms so we would not be

      electing all officers at the same time.  The other changes we would like to

      make include the following:

1.      Article V – Duties of Officers A – adding, “the president shall be an ex officio member of all committees.

2.      Article V – Duties of Officers B – adding, “the vice-president shall also oversee all committee chairmen”.

3.      Article VI – Committees – Omit the Dougherty House committee.

There was no discussion on the changes so Donna asked for a motion to

accept the by-laws as changed.  Steve Lewis made the motion to accept

and Fred Stoye seconded it.  The motion was passed by the membership

with all in favor.

 

 

Note:  Our next month’s program will be a presentation by Jenni Lau Glysson and Jean Franklin Lau concerning “Seven Generation on Old Mission Peninsula”.  This program should be very informative and interesting.  Please plan to come.

 

The meeting ended with a short discussion about the “Barn Quilt Trails”.  Evelyn Johnson spoke about this new project of hers at out last meeting.  Donna Hornberger pointed out that this is not an OMPHS project.  There were some comments both for and against the project.  Some people felt it would deface our historical barns and some thought it was a lovely idea and would bring more tourists out.  Donna pointed out that the barns are on private property and it’s up to the property owners.  Penny Rosie reports that the Heritage Road Committee has not endorsed this idea.  More discussion followed. 

 

VI.             Adjournment 8:55 pm.

 

 

 

Attendance

 

Laura Johnson                         Betty and Dick Coleman        Tom and Gladys Maquire

Flo and Bob Schermerhorn     Carol and Steve Lewis            Jerry Ostlund

Paul and Jackie Burns             Stef Staley                              Fred Stoye

Cory Golden                           Cal and Verla Jamieson          Bill and JoAnn Cole

Anita and Marty Klein            Judy and Jim Hall                   Warren and Barb Berthelsen

Bob and Penny Rosi               Bob and Arlene Dean