History Notes- - Waseca County Historical Society

We want to thank the following individuals and organizations
for recent assistance. These are generous,
wonderful people!
George Kastelle and Don Wynnemer upgraded museum
lighting again! We have long wanted to replace the fluorescents
in the Gift Shop with track lighting. Don Wynnemer
provided another cost-saving project, in time for the
first Spring Luncheon on March 27. Also in early March,
Darv Tollefson and his STS Team helped move artifacts
to new permanent shelving, and other heavy lifting
around the museum. We welcome new LDS volunteers,
Elder Wheeler and Elder Salmond. They help regularly
on Mondays and Wednesdays. These volunteers lend assistance
to the newsletter mailing, artifact processing,
signage, etc. Thanks to John Pribble for transporting
new display panels to the museum. To Mert Schwarz for
exploring Courthouse Park and the old Wilton town site
near his property with Joan Mooney. This was in preparation
for the 5 th graders trip to Courthouse Park on May 5.
Many people helped with The Townships: 150 Years of
Grassroots Government exhibit—Thanks to Tammy
Wynkoop and Linda Karst of the County Recorder’s
Office with their assistance in directing us to the original
1850s survey maps of Waseca County townships. To
Joan Manthe, County Auditor for assistance with
Courthouse artifacts—the 1857 County Commissioners
Minutes Book, surveyor’s equipment, and historic county
embosser. Thanks to Elaine Breck and Anita
Gostomczik, Mel Strand, and the Blooming Grove
Township Board for assistance in presenting the Blooming
Grove portion of the township exhibit. Thanks to
Scott Hildebrandt and the St. Mary Township Board
for the loan of their historic voting booths for the township
exhibit. To WCHS member Sharon Haley for the
gift of a State Sesquicentennial flag for our museum
events. To Eric Erickson and Clear Lake Press for exhibit
prints, and also for Chautauqua posters. To Joe and
James Monahan for lifting and moving exhibit panels,
cases and artifacts. They did so generously after their
regular work day. To Hazel Owens and Norma Witt for
serving cake and coffee at the April 5 Township exhibit
opening. To Sandy Prechel for family photo and narrative
for The Townships exhibit.
More thanks go to Jeff Huelsnitz for bringing in the
rented “manlift” on April 9. Now ALL the smoke alarms
are wired especially the one high on the ceiling beside the
dome! To Don Wynnemer and Dan Swenson who con-
Thanks to Spring Volunteers!
5
tinue to set-up our new artifact shelving in the basement
storage area. Thanks to Trevor Kanewischer and the
Waseca County Fair Board for caring about Hodgson
Hall upkeep. They will be adding rock around the foundation.
Phillip Lee, Troop 85 Eagle Scout is working with
Joan Mooney on new native Minnesota plantings on the
south end of Hodgson Hall. More is in the planning for
next year. Thanks to the Henry Lewer family, the Winegar
family and Waseca Floral for sponsoring new historic
county fair image banners for the exterior of Hodgson
Hall in time for the 2008 Waseca County Fair.
Thanks to Becky Kohnert—Recently she stopped in the
museum and offered her volunteer services for the summer!
Becky is a 2007 Waseca High School graduate and
sophomore at Luther College, Decorah, IA. Becky is majoring
in History with a minor in Museum Studies. She is
already providing great assistance.
A very big thank you to the E. F. Johnson Foundation
for grants approved for WCHS—$7,000 for the 2009
Chautauqua, and $5,000 for the Waseca County Timeline.
We are very grateful to this hometown foundation benefiting
so many area organizations, non-profits, schools
and special projects.
Thanks to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans for the
$250 match to our August 6 Fundraiser at the Waseca
Pizza Ranch. Com and say hello to board members
and volunteers!
NEW 2008
WASECA
ART PRINT
A new whimsical
illustration of
Waseca, MN, showing
our many historical
sites, and
sponsors— the
businesses and
organizations of
Waseca. Available
now, ready to
frame: 17 1/2” x 21
1/2”—$10 at the
Museum Gift Shop,
or order by mail,
add $5 for postage
& handling, payable
“WCHS”