Historic
Hoosier Hills RC&D
JPG Heritage Partnership
February
19, 2008 Minutes
The Jefferson Proving Ground Heritage
Partnership met at JPG, Building 125 in Madison, Indiana at 7:00 p.m.
Attending:
Ken Knouf
Mike Moore
Leroy and Mary Harsin
Ron Harsin
Charles Dilk
Carl and Millie Busch
Minutes of the January 2008
meeting were approved.
Financial report: Balance
is $14,759.53. Of this, $7,824.10 are restricted funds for publication of the
Oral History Book, leaving $6935.43 in unrestricted funds. The cost of the exhibit
at the Jefferson County
Historical Center was estimated
at $5000, which leaves about $2000.
Reprinting of Old Timbers Book: The original printing was 240 copies and the second order was 200 copies. Big
Oaks Conservation Society will give $2000 for 200 copies. With focus on Old Timbers
Lodge, it is expected the book will sell. Ken made a motion to order 500 copies
(300 would belong to JPGHP and 200 to BOCS) at the quote price of $4967. Carl
seconded the motion; motion carried. A payment of 60% is required before shipment
and 40% after shipment. The usual time to print is 4-6 weeks. The dust cover from the first printing in the darker color with good definition in the picture was selected.
Website: Daily visits in February were 49, down slightly but holding fairly steady over the last year. Ron Grimes suggested putting oral history interviews on the website. Less than one-quarter of the space
is currently in use.
Exhibit: David Cart is expected to start construction in two weeks. Recently
Ron Grimes, Mike, and Ken reviewed the plans on site with tape laid out showing the area.
In the front, one side will shows things that have been lost, and the other side will show what is behind that ugly
chain link fence. The backside of the panels could be filled with additional
photos. Leroy and Charles have good pictures of their home places. George Bayless, Vernon Shepherd, Opal Wildman, and Evelyn Comer may also have photos. Bob suggested that a picture of the entrance gate in the 1940’s be a starting point.
Work Weekend at Old Timbers, May
17-18: Everyone is invited to work with BOCS from Saturday morning to Sunday noon to help with painting, window glazing,
cleaning floors, and other jobs. The organizers will provide pizza at noon and
a cookout in the evening. If you plan to stay overnight, bring sleeping bags.
Issue about Old Timbers Dam: Two places in Vernon
are in the flood plain of the Old Timbers Dam. The estimate to repair the dam
is $11.5 million and to breach the dam is $2.5 million.
Presentation on Old Timbers in
Versailles: Jim
Leveille’s talk, Past, Present, and Future of Old Timbers has been rescheduled at the Tyson Library at 6:30 pm on Thursday,
February 28. The library has furniture from Old Timbers. The framing on the massive chairs is impressive.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, March
18, 2008 at 7:00 pm at Jennings County Public
Library in North Vernon, Indiana.
Respectively submitted by
Millie Busch, Secretary
