New board elected at annual museum meeting
PRESCOTT – A year’s worth of information was presented at the annual meeting of the Nevada County Depot and Museum Board meeting Thursday afternoon.
Judy Duke, museum curator, got things started by telling the panel the museum was approved for a small grant of $2,500, which was used to have a new elevation sign made and installed, a new flag and pole, along with landscaping. The sign and flag have been purchased, but because of the hot summer, the landscaping hasn’t been done yet, but should be handled soon.
Peggy Lloyd talked about the Moscow Cemetery grant, saying she hasn’t heard from the Texas Restoration company, but has received a bill from them. The company reportedly repaired 28 headstones, though 29 were listed to be done. Lloyd said she will apply for a new grant next month, which should be the last one needed. She added the City of Prescott “donated” the labor from seven city employees to help clean up privet hedges at the cemetery.
Duke pointed out the grant to do the cemetery work was for $9,000.
Lloyd said a black cemetery was found in the back of the other cemetery, though most of the graves were little more than depressions in the ground. They’ve been marked with flags so they can be found again. Few had markers or headstones.
Pete DeWoody, a member of the board, asked if some of the grant money couldn’t be used to erect a monument for everyone buried there. He was told this is possible, and there could be more graves to be found, but any further work will be done next year. Lloyd said the grant was a 90-10 with the museum’s 10 percent in-kind labor.
An application has been approved for $2,000 for a double-sided historic marker recognizing Thomas McRae. This, Duke said, is a 50-50 grant, and McRae’s family was contacted to help the museum reach it’s part. The museum, she added, will be required to pay $1,000 plus a one-time $250 maintenance fee, and managed to raise $1,400 for the project. The goal, she continued, is to have the sign ready and put in place by McRae’s grave in D’Ane Cemetery by Dec. 21.
The goal, she said, is to have historical markers put up every year. The next one planned will be for Ila Upchurch and $100 has already been donated for it.
In talking about the old Nevada County Jail, Duke said it doesn’t qualify for the National Historic Register, but does qualify for the Arkansas Historic Register. The county, she continued, is looking at using the building and doing interior remodeling. She met with Nevada County Judge Mark Glass, letting him know nothing could be done to the building’s exterior, except putting it back in its original form. Once this is done, the jail could qualify for the national register.
From there it was on to the caboose. Duke said repairs need to be done to the caboose as soon as possible as the platform on the far end has rotted and is dangerous. Because of this the caboose has been closed to the public. In addition, the seals around the windows are rotten and need replacing. The museum, she added, has the money for these repairs, which will cost about $2,100. She pointed out around $20,000 was spent to get it moved and it doesn’t make sense not to take care of it.
Paul Ridgell, a member of the board, said along with the repairs, an awning needs to be installed to cover the caboose. The panel agreed and will get three bids for an awning. Rough estimates discussed figured the awning would run around $7,000.
The final order of business was the election of a new board. The new members are: Corbin Merriott, John Brannon, Justin Lawrence and Jerry Hightower.