Tuesday, May 1, 2007.

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM with 10 members present.

The secretary read the minutes of the last meeting. They were approved as read.

The treasurer's report was given.

The Boner Bridge Rededication to be held on Saturday, May 7, 2007 was mentioned. Congressman Brad Ellsworth is to be there. A schedule of events was handed out. Boner Bridge was preserved by the hard work of Steve Sisley, Duane Walter, and Dr. James Cooper. The president encouraged the members to attend the program.

It was also mentioned about the opening of Grandview's celebration. Opening ceremonies are going to be held on Saturday, May 7, 2007. There will be several things happening throughout the day. The Founder's Day Celebration culmination is scheduled for October 6, 2007. It was suggested that the Society might have a booth during the day.

A motion was made and seconded to renew our membership in the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. Motion carried.

There was more discussion on the upcoming Historian of the Year Banquet which will be held on June 9, 2007 at the Chrisney Youth and Community Center. The Historian of the Year to be honored is Kristine Manley. The Commemorative Historian is Joe Hargis. His son, Jerry Hargis, is going to be the guest speaker.

Jerry Hargis is writing a book about baseball in Spencer County. A motion was made and seconded to prepay for one book which is due to be available in September. Motion carried.

The treasure is to get the one day event insurance for the banquet.

There was more discussion on the walking tour for the scouts to be held on Mothers' Day in 2008. There was concern that this might be too much for the scouts as they will have been camping on the weekend and might be in a hurry to get home for school the next day. There was also the concern about transportation for the scouts. If the tour is held, it was suggested that people be placed at historic points and then they would talk about that specific place. The group would move to another site with a different person relating historic facts for that place.

After much discussion, it was suggested that if the tour didn't work out with the scouts, the group in charge of "How Far Would You Walk for A Book" should rethink what could be done to improve it.

A member brought up about a plaque honoring George Honig, the designer and supervisor of Lincoln Pioneer Village, for his work with the village. It was dedicated in 1951 and was found in storage at the village. The member had checked into having the plaque mounted along with a bronze casting that he had made of a plaster plaque of the village done by George Honig. A motion was made and seconded to help with the cost of the stone and mounting the two plaques. Motion carried.

A member mentioned several events that are to be held during the Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. There is to be a "Period Dress Ball" to be held in the Courthouse rotunda and a flatboat trip. The flatboat group has applied to the state for an endorsement to hold the reenactment of the flatboat trip. The states of Kentucky and Illinois can't logically have the reenactment as Lincoln took the trip from Rockport, Indiana.

There is to be a seminar on Lincoln to be held at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial on June 7 and 8, 2007. They will be having speakers who are knowledgeable about Lincoln.

It was mentioned that there is a book that the Genealogy Room should have about Lincoln. It was suggested that a member check the Internet to see if the book is available.

It was suggested that the Society advertise the books that we have for sale in the Owensboro, KY and Evansville, IN papers.

Two members mentioned that they were working on an idea that would deal with Abraham Lincoln growing up in Spencer County. They plan to bring a rough draft of the idea to the next meeting.

A member told about the renovation that is being done at the Rockport Elementary and at a meeting with the clerk of the works he had asked about the mural hanging in the entrance. It was done by George Honig. The clerk said that it was going to be taken down and demolished. The member informed the group that it was an historic work of art and most definitely needed to be preserved. He also mentioned that the present superintendent was a descendant of James Grigsby who is in the mural. The mural is going to be saved.

Several questions were asked: 1. Is the Association for Better Rockport still active? No one knew the answer. 2. What about Bess Ehrmann's plays? They are in storage in the basement at the library.

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM.

There will be no meetings held in the months of June or July. The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 7, 2007 at 7:00 PM in the Genealogy Room.