Whitaker/Fletcher House and Kaufman Cabin Repairs
This summer saw some badly needed repairs at the Whittaker/Fletcher house. The metal flashing on the gable over the museum door was reattached by Chris Mullen. The top of the chimney was also repaired and a leak in the roof was fixed. We will never use this chimney but it’s an intrinsic part of this historic home built in 1911.
And More Needed
Some repairs are also needed in the Kaufman Cabin since rodents got in over the summer and have begun to damage the more vulnerable items on display. Much of the interior chinking needs to be replaced, baseboards need to be installed in the areas where they are absent, holes in the floor should be plugged and a broken window pane replaced.
Stonerose Storage Arrives
The shipping container that will house the Stonerose Interpretive Center material now stored in the attic of the Whittaker/Fletcher house has arrived and is sitting next to the Kaufman cabin in back of the museum. When it is painted with appropriate historic or prehistoric themed murals it will be an additional eye-catching feature of our “heritage campus”. It will also make space in the attic for more Historical Society material.
J. W. & Elizabeth Slagle House Gets Attention
The Slagle House was open one Saturday per month from May through August. It also received some maintenance work. The garden fence was stabilized By Jack Slagle with materials donated by Hall’s Lumber and the front porch was prepped and painted by Jack Slagle and Jean Delaney.
Ranald MacDonald Mural Panels are Here!
The full-size photo reproductions of the panels by local artist Charlene Payton-Holt, depicting the life of Ranald MacDonald,
are ready to be mounted for display at the site near the Midway Bridge where the originals were displayed. They are being stored in the J.W. and Elizabeth Slagle House while Eagle Scout Mark McGaffey prepares the shelter that will spare the panels the worst of the weather damage that required the repainting of the originals.
State Park Presentations
FCHS member Madilane Perry, assisted by President Alana Strauch and board member Ray Bilderback presented two lectures in Curlew Lake State Park in August. The subject was the old-time practice of cutting and storing ice from local lakes. Audience members were invited to use an ice tongs and see the ice “spud’ and saw used in cutting.
