October 2008
Historic Preservation Association of Bourbon County
HPA Happenings
October 2008
New Annual Meeting Date 2nd Tuesday of November
The HPA Board of Directors has voted to change the date of the annual meeting from
March to November, and the dues time period will be January 1st to December 31st each
year. Therefore, our annual meeting will be the second Tuesday in November, which falls
on the 11th this year. The meeting will be at the Old Congregational Church at 7 p.m.
Many members pay their dues at the annual meeting, and the board hopes that following
the calendar year will help everyone keep track of their membership.
Annual dues are now as follows:
Single Membership: $20 Sutler: $50 Century: $100 $Executive: $200
Fort Scott will open the holiday season the first full weekend in December with
“Homes for the Holidays” and “Moonlight and Mistletoe.” These events are the primary
fundraisers for HPA.
The twenty-ninth annual Homes for the Holidays tour Saturday, December 6, and
Sunday, December 7, includes two homes and one church, in addition to the Scottish Rite
Temple. The Blocker home at 8th and National is one of the grand old houses of Victorian
Fort Scott. Extensive restoration work over the past few years has brought this
majestic home back to its former elegance. The childhood home of Ralph Carlson at 705
Clark is a nineteenth century house that has been redone with a 1940’s theme. The
warmth and ambiance of a family Christmas permeates this home.
The First Church of the Nazarene at 3rd and Margrave is the third tour site. The
congregation started at what is now the Old Congregational Church in 1919. After
several location changes, the present native stone building was built in the 1940’s. The
church will be the venue for musical presentations throughout the tour weekend. Ralph
Carlson has graciously volunteered to coordinate the music. If the “Streetscape” project
is completed, there could be some additional music in the downtown area! The Scottish
Rite Temple will be open again this year on Saturday and Sunday to display the wellknown
collection of beautifully hand-painted backdrops. Fort Scott National Historic
Site is planning special events for the weekend, in addition to the Candlelight Tour.
Moonlight and Mistletoe, the special Friday evening tour on December 5, features
the turn of the century home of Mary and LelandWood at 601 South Crawford, in
addition to the other tour homes and the church. Alight buffet and a glass of bubbly
await each guest at the Wood home. This tour is limited to 100 guests, and the ticket
price is $20. This ticket can be used for admission to events on Saturday and Sunday.
The sixteenth annual Stocking Stuffer, located atArnold Arena at Fort Scott Community
College, offers a wide variety of craft and gift items, in addition to baked goods and
brisket lunch. This is the perfect place to pick up a Christmas gift. Admission is free.
Note that the hours of The Stocking Stuffer are different than the tour – Saturday, 9 a.m.
until 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Carolyn Crystal, the Stocking Stuffer
chairman, has been working hard and already has quite a few wonderful vendors lined up
for this year’s event.
HPAMatches City Grants for
Historic Preservation
Homes for the Holidays Tour Set for Dec 6th & 7th
Historic Reflections
of Bourbon County
HPA is now able to give $500 grants to
match selected City of Fort Scott grants to
owners of historic buildings for maintenance
such as painting and tuckpointing.
Recipients thus far have been Judy and
John Renard of Country Cupboard, Phil
Hammons of Hammons Realty, and
Darlene Shoemaker of Darlene’s Antiques.
Other possible recipients according to
Dale Bunn of the City of Fort Scott
include the Courtland Hotel and the J&W
Sports building.
Recipients make application to the
City, and HPAmakes matching grants on a
case by case basis. Steve and Elaine
Buerge also have agreed to make $200
grants to selected recipients for painting.
The book by Don Miller and Fred
Campbell, Historic Reflections of Bourbon
County, is filled with wonderful old
pictures from our past, and makes a perfect
gift for any occasion. It will become a
collectors’ item and may be purchased for
$38.57 from Citizens Bank downtown,
Uniques &Antiques Flea Market at 7 N.
Main, the Lowell Milken Center at 4 S.
Main, or by calling Fred Campbell Jr. at
223-2061 or Don Miller at 223-6423. Fred
and Don will be happy to autograph your
book.
HPA is grateful to the above businesses
for their support. The principal owed to
the bank by HPA for the book is now about
$6,500. Once the loan is paid, all proceeds
from book sales will go to HPA.
Get your copy of this one-of-a-kind
history of Bourbon County while they last!
Volunteers will be needed for many different jobs: helping with publicity, decorating one of the sites, working at a house or the bake
sale – there is something for everyone! Contact Joyce Gobl at 223-1964 or Martha Jane Gentry at 223-0866 if you are willing to help.
HPA depends on your spirit of giving!
Tour tickets will be available at Country Cupboard, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Lyons’Mansion in late October. The ticket
price is $10. The tour hours are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday.
May 2008
The Big Move
On or before May 7, 2008, the consolidation of the museum collections into the MK &T Depot and the Sunday School room of the Old Congregational Church will be complete. A very special THANKS to Don, Flo, and Randy for organizing and accomplishing this huge task! A special thanks to Don Woods and his crew for transporting all the items to their storage locations.
Also, the return of the donated and loaned items has been going very well and could not have been accomplished without the efforts of Flo and Don. The stagecoach and harness are now safely back in Texas, having been picked up by it's owner. The return of the loaned or donated items will continue upon request and HPA's ability to locate any of the owners and/or their respective heirs.
On or shortly before May 7, the sale of the Ingham building will be completed. This could not come at a better time, because we have just received estimates that the Old Congregational Church needs $45,000 worth of masonry repairs and maintenance and approximately $15,000 worth in woodwork repair and painting. In 2009, we plan to apply for a Kansas Heritage Trust Fund Grant to help defray the cost of this $60,000 expense. Plans are underway for the "2008 Homes for the Holidays Tour," and I would like to take the opportunity to thank HPA members for their support and every member of the Board of Directors for their dedication and assistance through this very difficult and busy time for HPA.
Arnold Scholfield
HPA President
"Historic Reflections of Bourbon County" Update
Don Miller
This is a financial report that shows a balance due of about $7,500 on the printing cost of our book "Historic Reflections of Bourbon County." The break point for sales of the book is about 1,500, and HPA has sold nearly 1,325 books. When we hit the 1,500 point, the HPA cost of printing will be paid off and all proceeds will then go to HPA. Hopefully, readers realize that Citizen's Bank N.A. underwrote the book at a cost of $56,000, a huge investment and compliment for HPA as well as Fred Campbell and myself. Neither of us makes any money from the sale of the book. We wrote this book because the time and need intersected with funding. We hope that when you think of a gift or "thank you" for someone you will consider purchasing this book. We have about 700 of the 2,100 plus left. We have also teamed up with Jo Ann Henning, an artist and history lover. She has produced a companion colored map of all the places in the book, plus some of her additions, for only $16.50. This is a great visual way to locate those hard to find places as well as tracking railroads, homesteads, historic spots and county rivers. This map may be seen at the Milken Center and Citizens Bank downtown.
Book outlets are Citizens Bank N.A. downtown, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce, Lowell Milken Center, and Uniques and Antiques. They can also be purchased by calling Fred Campbell Jr. and me. This is the only book that spans the history of Bourbon county from 1842 to the present. It's a one of a kind book a $38.57. Fred and I are always happy to sign or personalize your book. We would be happy to ship your purchase to friends in the U.S.
Arts and Crafts Update
Carolyn Crystal
This is just a little news about our first 2008 Spring Arts, Crafts and Antiques Show which was held on April 12 and 13 in downtown Fort Scott in the former Ernie Williamson's Music Store. Carol Cook is the owner of the building and let HPA use the building to rent out booth spaces. Buisness was really slow because it was our first Arts and Crafts festival and the weather was cold, but I am already making plans for next year, hoping for a bigger and better show. Yes, now its time to start working on the Stocking Stuffer which is Dec 6 and 7. It will be in the Arnold Arena again. People have already booked ten spaces for the next show. I will be sending applications to vendors in August. So, if you know anyone who wants to rent a space, please tell them to call Carolyn Crystal, 620.223.5994 or 620.215.2286.
Homes Tour BBQ
We are already thinking about the 2009 Homes Tour and all of the action that takes place at the Arnold Arena on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, on December 6 and 7. This is a great time to have lunch, pick up some home baked goodies, and shop for a special gift from the many talented crafters in our area. This year will exceed you expectations.
We at HPA are truly appreciative of the clubs, organizations, and individuals who contribute to this successfull event. Please stay involved and volunteer you talents. You do make a difference!
