Museum Board gets new members

By Staff, 10/20/17 10:00 AM

PRESCOTT – Four new members of the Nevada County Depot and Museum’s Board of Directors were voted in at the organization’s annual meeting Thursday night.

The new members are: John Stewart, James Duke, Theresa Tyree and Ronnie Vandiver. Vandiver wasn’t in attendance at the meeting. The board also lost Traci Graham.

Under old business, the Carolina Church was a major topic of discussion, with the group discussing whether or not to try and save the structure. Board President Paul Ridgell said two bids had been received for renovation work. One from Lawrence Windows for $2,500 and the other from Mark Silbey for $3,630. Ridgell said both contractors know the condition of the church and suggested going with Lawrence, whose bid included replacing the rotted wood on the exterior of the building, priming and painting it and replacing eight windows and frames, and agreeing to supply the paint.

Duke said initially someone else had been lined out to do the renovation work, but was killed in a car wreck.

Ridgell told the board Lawrence will put his bill in writing, but wants half up front and the rest when the job is done. The board agreed to go with Lawrence Windows on the project, and ask the company to secure the building until new doors can be installed. He added the museum recently received $6,250 from the city and this should more than cover the job to be done.

Board member Peggy Lloyd said the board needs to find a purpose for the structure as well.

Lloyd updated the group on the Moscow Cemetery grant, saying the board will need to come up with $870.67 for its part. She asked permission to pursue a second grant to have more work done on the cemetery and headstones. Overall, she said, the project will cost around $25,000. However, the work is done with an 80-20 grant and 10 percent of the restoration work can be in-kind labor, leaving only 10 percent to be paid for in cash. Overall, 75 headstones will be preserved when the project is completed.

Ridgell pointed out the cemetery has no money and needs to be able to raise funds to make it a perpetual care cemetery.

Under new business, the board was told around $21,000 is needed to purchase the Prairie D’Ane Civil War Battlefield property. Duke said several pledges haven’t come in yet, and a patron has agreed to furnish what funds are needed when the Oct. 31 deadline arrives, to make sure the land can be bought and preserved.

Duke told the panel Margaret Ivy’s daughter sent an old picture of a train and the town to be put on display at the museum. She also updated the group on how the “Penny Candy Store” went over during the recent Fall Festival and Trade Days. She said the museum borrowed an antique candy weight scale from the Hwy. 67 Flea Market to be used during the event, which saw 48 visitors come to the museum with a lot of youngsters shocked at being able to buy candy for a penny. After returning the scale, Duke said, it was brought back and donated to the museum.

She added the museum will have a booth set up for Trick or Treat on Elm Street on Oct. 31. She asked for, and was given permission, to purchase a book on “The Iron Mountain Road” about railroads in the region, and includes a segment on the Nevada County Depot and Museum.