Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-05-14 Historical Preservation Committee Minutes May 14, 2018 CALL TO ORDER Chairperson, Mavy Wright, called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. The meeting was held at the Euless City Hall, Euless. MEMBERS PRESENT Doris Brown,Al Browning,Joe Cannon,Weldon Cannon, Iris Elliott, Norma Lively, Marilyn Long, Don Martin, David Massey,Veva Lou Massey,Anniece McKanna,Suzy McCormick, Gary Parker, Helen Payton, Linda Pool, Peggy Vandiver and Mavy Wright. STAFF PRESENT Director of Parks and Community Services, Ray McDonald, Recreation Manager Frank Ocampo and Project Coordinator, Ofa Faiva-Siale. VISITORS PRESENT Mayor Linda Martin and Patty Benoit. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Don Martin made a motion to approve the minutes. Al Browning seconded the motion. All were in favor,minutes approved. TREASURER'S REPORT The previous balance was $10,907.30. There was a total deposit of$31 leaving a current balance of$10,938.30. STATUS OF CURRENT PROJECTS 1. Docents and Volunteer Report/Recruitment—Linda Pool and Mavy Wright a. The city held a plant swap during open house on Saturday,April 14, 2018 and it was a success. Highly recommend teaming up with the City and doing events together to increase open house attendance. There were 41 visitors at open house. b. A group of about 20 people from First Baptist Church of Euless will be touring Heritage Park on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 10 a.m. c. Another group from Wichita Falls,Texas will be touring the facilities on Thursday,June 21, 2018 at 10 a.m. H PC MTG 061118 Page 1 of 4 d. Mavy Wright and Linda Pool have been giving special tours themselves; however,anyone on the committee is welcome to help serve as docents if they want. e. Staff previously asked to be updated with the name and count of each special tour group that visits for their Director's Report to council. Ms. Pool and Ms. Wright will update Ofa Faiva-Siale on future tours. f. A docent volunteer sheet for open house on Saturday,June 9, 2018 was passed around. 2. Acquisition—Joe Cannon has a panoramic photograph of the First Baptist Church of Euless that he would like to drop off to the Museum on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. It was mentioned that a copy of the photograph may already be on display at the Museum. 3. Inventory—Marilyn Long a. Barbara Collier said she would be working on the inventory during the summer. 4. Facebook—Linda Pool a. Will post photographs from the Plant Swap/Museum Open House event. b. If anyone has anything they would like to post please send them to Ms. Pool. 5. Plaque—No Report 6. Display Signs—No Report 7. Publicity/Program/Speakers—Mavy Wright a. Asked if the committee would be interested in having Quanah Parker's Great- great-grandson, Lance Tahmahkera, return as a speaker.The committee was very interested in the idea. Ms.Wright will contact him for a future visit. 8. Historical Albums—Marilyn Long a. Completed the Fallen Officer Album.Will meet with staff to scan the album for the inventory. b. Still working on the Churches Album. c. Still working on the Cemetery Album. d. Working on the Founding Families Album. e. There is an extensive City Album. f. An Audie Murphy Album is completed. g. The sub-committee will continue to meet on Wednesdays to work on the albums. 9. Heritage Park—Gary Parker a. Framed the "Volunteer Fire Fighter" photo and hung it up in the Museum. 10.Artifact Recovery—No report 11. Historical Tree Program—No report 12. Evolving History—No report CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 1. Bill Byers, Faye Stinneford Gary Fieldsend, Helen Voss and Barbara Collier were unable to attend today's meeting. HPC MTG 061118 Page 2 of 4 2. The fans were distributed during Arbor Daze. They were also handed out at open house this past Saturday and they were a big hit. 3. Spoke with Koko Udoka, a city employee and a member of the Mosier Valley community, regarding advice in preserving the history of the Mosier Valley Cemetery and/or area. The following was discussed: a. Mr. Udoka's grandparents live in Euless and they are members of the St.John the Baptist Church in Mosier Valley and descendants of the community. b. Benny Tucker has been a great contact over the years for Mosier Valley and he may be able to contribute to the initiative. C. Patty Benoit suggested that Mosier Valley community and the Mosier Valley Cemetery might be eligible for a Texas Historical Commission "undertold story" grant,which covers the cost of the State Historical Marker and researcher to compile the documentation (markers are about$2,000). The THC gives preference to topics of minority communities. d. The committee was agreeable to the idea, as Mosier Valley is a location similar to Calloway Cemetery. They are not inside the Euless city limits but are historically connected to Euless. e. Another staff member named JoDan Shelton also lives at Mosier Valley. 4. Betty Fuller still recognizes James as her husband. COMMITTEE REPORT 1. Weldon Cannon is on the Bear Creek Cemetery Board. He recently attended a meeting. a. Cemetery is filling up to the point that they are only accepting family members of previous burials at the cemetery now. b. Lucas family(of Lucas Funeral Home) has relocated to the cemetery.They have disinterred some family members from a different cemetery and moved them to Bear Creek. c. There is a special section designated for Fallen Hero's and memorials for Military members, First Responders, etc. d. They have a Baby Land section and it is almost full. They are referring customers to Calloway Cemetery. 2. Gary Parker reported on the following: a. Regarding the frames and photographs in the Museum; indicated that the current frames are plastic, cheap and suggested replacing the frames. There are at least a 100 or more frames to be replace. b. Descriptions of the photographs are on the outside of the frames. Expressed concern that if the descriptions fell off,there would be no way to know which description belong with which photo. c. It was suggested that the frames can be taken apart and have the descriptions placed inside the frames. d. Weldon Cannon felt that some frames were period appropriate and should not be changed. HPC MTG 061118 Page 3 of 4 e. Some felt the committee should finish projects like the Blacksmith Shop, purchase of new cabinets, etc. before starting new projects. f. Some agreed to look into the idea while others felt the current frames did not need to be replaced. g. Suzy McCormick made a motion for Gary Parker to work with Frank Ocampo to acquire an estimate for the cost to re-frame the photographs in the Museum and report back to the committee. 3. Al Browning felt that the Euless Museum was not the Smithsonian and that re- framing the photographs was not a priority. He felt the frames were in good condition and suggested spending the extra funds on getting the Blacksmith Shop ready so it can be used for whatever purpose it was built for first. a. Some members were unsure about the status of the Blacksmith Shop and what was left to be done and if the shop was supposed to be used as a working blacksmith shop or was it only for display. b. Mr. Browning said it was previously mentioned that the shop leaked and the ceiling was too low and the "traveling blacksmiths" cannot hold demonstrations inside. c. After a brief discussion, Mayor Linda Martin suggested asking the City Fire Marshal to attend the next meeting to answer any questions about the building. d. Suzy McCormick made a motion to ask the City Fire Marshal to speak to the committee. Peggy Vandiver seconded the motion. Motion approved. 4. Weldon Cannon spoke about the water tower that is painted on the mural at the museum. He initially indicated that the water tower was the Euless Nursery Water Tower. He recently found photographs he took of the Euless landscape in the 1950's. After studying the photographs,he realized he might have misidentified the water tower on the mural. The correct water tower name can be included in the next print of the mural brochure. ADJOURNMENT Al Browning made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Peggy Vandiver seconded the motion. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m. Respectfully submitted by: Ofa Faiva-Siale City of Euless Parks and Community Services HPC MTG 061118 Page 4 of 4