News: Neillsville - Clark Co. Jail Museum (17 Apr 2013)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Roberts, Horn, Krueger, Erpenbach, Meek

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) /2013

The 1897 Clark County Jail Museum (17 April 2013)

The monthly membership and board of directors meeting of the 1897 Clark County Jail Museum, Inc. was held Tuesday, April 2, at the Jail Museum.

President Steve Roberts welcomed everyone, called the meeting to order, and the secretary and treasurer’s reports were read and approved. He then reported on several items, including the great turnout at the Neillsville Area Chamber (Chamber) of Commerce Expo March 9, at the American Legion. Many people stopped by to look at photographs, ask questions and share memories. The winners of the drawing of two books were Marcia Horn (a copy of the soon to be released “Images of America - Clark County”) and Lois Galetka (a copy of the “Civil War in Clark County”).

April is always the month we begin spring cleaning at the Museum. Sue Krueger will post a list of cleaning tasks to be done in each room. Volunteers can feel free to help clean (dust, polish, wash, vacuum or sweep) any area they wish, as their time permits. Anyone who wants to help should make arrangements with any of the officers or call the Museum. The Annual school tours begin May 1, and plans are underway for Memorial Day weekend, when the museum opens for the summer season.

The directors approved the sponsorship of National History Day (NHD) T-shirts for each of the Neillsville Middle School students who will compete at the Regional NHD event in Eau Claire. Good luck to each of the 11 students with their projects.

Administrator and curator, Natalie Erpenbach, reported the museum’s annual IRS Form 990EZ has been completed and will be filed. She also noted the museum had been awarded a City Room Tax grant from the City of Neillsville Tourism Committee. New brochures will be printed with the proceeds. She also reported the museum has been working with the Neillsville Chamber of Commerce and the Clark County Emergency Management Department. Each of these organizations needed vintage or area photographs they could use for their Website or program display purposes.

Donations this month included many photos, including a set of 56 film negatives from the Clark County press and four photos from glass slides. Arrangements were made for the items to be printed and digitized with a copy made for the Press as well as the Museum. Work continues on research requests, book repairs and collection organization. Volunteer help with this area is always welcome.

Finally Erpenbach reported she will be one of the speakers at the April 22 annual meeting of the Clark County Economic Development Corporation, at the Loyal American Legion Hall. The event’s theme this year is “Rooted in Tradition,” and she has been asked to give a brief presentation on the business history (160 years!) of Clark County.

The publication of the “Images of America-Clark County” book is in the final stages with Arcadia Publishing Company. The book is scheduled to be released May 27, with copies of the book available for purchase at the Jail Museum and area bookstores and businesses, as well as online. All profits from this book will benefit the Jail Museum, the other Clark County historical societies and Web sites.

The annual meeting of the 1897 Clark County Jail Museum, Inc. will be held Saturday, May 11. All members are encouraged to attend as well as visitors and new members. Additional information will be available at a later date.

The next membership meeting, open to the public as always, will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the Museum, 215 East Fifth St. Neillsville. Call any of the officers or the museum office (715-743-2150) if anyone wants to help out, wants a tour, or wants to do some research on local history or families. Further information is available at the museum’s Web site: (www.1897clarkcountyjailmuseum.com) and also on our Facebook page: (www.facebook.com/1897CCJM).

Note: The two unidentified little girls printed with last month’s Museum report were identified as Della and Dora Meek, ages 11 and eight in 1910.