August 3, 2010

 

The Spencer County Historical Society met on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 in the Rockport Library Genealogy Room.

 

The meeting was called to order by the president at 6:30 PM with 8 members present.

 

The minutes from the last meeting were read and approved.

 

The treasurer’s report was given. 

 

The treasurer read several comments from membership renewals.

 

The treasurer read a letter from a member concerning the records of the Grandview cemetery.  A member is going to check into how the records have been recorded.

 

As it was time for the election of officers, a motion was made and seconded that the Society retains the same officers as last year.  A member moved that the nominations be closed.  The motion carried.  The officers for 2010-2011 are:

            President                      Steve Sisley

            Vice-president              Duane Walter

            Secretary/Treasurer      Patricia Dawson 

 

 

There were several requests for monetary assistance, some of a maintenance nature.  These items were tabled.

 

It was mentioned that the Lincoln Nature Center had opened in Lincoln State Park in Gentryville, Indiana.  The Industrial Technology class at South Spencer High School helped with the display cases in the Nature Center.

 

A member mentioned that the “Think Lincoln” committee has some money to spend.  This might be a source of money for a Lincoln project as long as the committee has money available.

 

A member had talked to a commissioner about the two grants that had been received for the Huffman Mill Bridge.  There had been a list of “needs” for the bridge made by the Friends of Huffman Mill Bridge, but they had not been contacted by the Commissioners.

 

The first grant was smaller and was for maintenance to have the bridge re-cabled and fixed-up.  The second grant was for raising the bridge and restoring it to its original single span configuration.

 

The member asked for the Society’s stand on the Huffman Mill project.  The Society supports the smaller grant to have the bridge re-cabled and fixed-up, as neither Spencer County nor Perry County appear to be able to afford the additional money required for the second grant.

 

The Society felt that if the bridge was fixed, that would be a good location for a marker.

 

A member asked if part of the grant could be used for a marker.  She also asked if schools used the location as part of a field trip.  It was mentioned that the bridge used to be a part of Perry County’s Dogwood Tour.

 

The president mentioned the possibility of having a commissioner attend a meeting to discuss the plans for the bridge.

 

It was mentioned that Bob Nicholls’ has completed his book, Intrepid Pioneers:  The Family of Athe Meeks III, about the Meeks family and the Meeks Massacre.  The book has a lot of local history.  Mr. Nicholls has donated a copy of the book to the Genealogy Room.

 

The president gave an update on the refurbishing of the David Turnham historical marker located in front of Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, IN.  The marker has been stripped, cleaned, etched, and given a couple of coats of primer to cover and seal it.  The next step is painting the letters.

 

There was a discussion about getting the markers at the Boner Bridge replaced.  A member is to contact Grandview Aluminum Products about the cost, as they were the ones that made the original markers.

 

The president read a letter from Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc. concerning the Spencer County/Rockport River Terminal (RRT)/Mid America Terminals (MAT) who is in the process of developing a 900 acre river port.

 

A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting.  The meeting adjourned at 8:30 PM.

 

The next meeting will be September 7, 2010 at 6:30 PM in the Genealogy Room.