Museum board elects officers, informed of train stopping over Nov. 12

PRESCOTT – Cody Jackson, Samantha Ingram and Daniel Brown were elected to the Nevada County Depot and Museum’s board of directors.

This was done at the museum’s annual meeting Thursday afternoon. Officers were also elected with Paul Ridgell named president, Larry Jones, Jr. vice president and Judy Duke secretary/treasurer.

Duke, the museum’s curator, said getting a cover for the caboose will be expensive, but it needs to be done as the caboose is being damaged by the weather. It was suggested the caboose be painted annually, but this won’t stop the problem. She said the roof leaks and puddles inside the rail car.

The board agreed and will look into getting bids for a shelter. The board will draw up specs for the shelter, which will include poles and a tin roof.

She pointed out the financial report doesn’t include the Prairie D’Ane property on the museum’s list of assets, though it does show Elkins Ferry. Duke has talked to the museum’s accounting firm, Dalrymple Accounting, about correcting this oversight.

Once the annual meeting was over, the regular meeting was held. The group was told Union Pacific will be bringing its Big Boy steam No. 4014 through Prescott on Nov. 12. The train will be in town overnight and will block the Olive Street crossing. This train, some 1,500 feet long, is making a transcontinental tour marking the 150th anniversary of UP.

Duke said the museum will be kept open longer when the train arrives, as it’s been said the train has a following and there could be as many as 2,500 people coming to town. She pointed out the Prescott Police Department and Railroad Police will provide security and no one will be allowed on the tracks to take pictures of the train. Any pictures will need to be taken from behind the fence at the depot. She added there will be no admittance to the train.

Duke talked about the log cabin found on Greenlawn Street. She said the museum received a donation to buy the cabin and the owner, Rudy Sullivan, agreed to sell it for $1,000. The cabin was discovered when the City of Prescott began tearing down the house put up around it. It’s been learned the cabin dates back to 1861 and originally stood on Miller’s Hill at the edge of Prairie D’Ane.

Duke said the cabin will have to be dismantled and stored.

Ridgell said the logs will be numbered and tagged and any good wood will be used. The problem, though, is where the logs will be stored. James Duke suggested contacting Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, about using part of the Potlatch property for storage as there’s plenty of room there.

The cabin is roughly 18×20 feet, Duke said. The cabin can be erected in the visitor’s center, which will be on Hwy. 19 when it’s built and preserved.

Peggy Lloyd talked about Civil War markers for the area. She’s submitted the grant application but hasn’t heard back. If approved, she said, five markers will be purchased four around $3,000. The signs will be cantilevered with information on both sides. One sign will contain information about the natural history of the battlefields, while another will detail the Camden Expedition. The idea, she said, is to have a sign showing the units of the Federal and Confederate troops on a sign as well.

There was discussion about keeping the property up. Jones said it’s difficult to keep 800 acres bushhogged, especially with the thorn trees there.

Ridgell said trails need to be built that won’t wash away in the rain. If this is done the land can be opened to the public and the pond used for fishing. He said grants are available for building trails, and this is something the board needs to look into

Duke told the board she’s concerned about the entrance as it looks ratty and needs to be bushhogged. Jones said he’ll talk to the mayor about this and doesn’t see any problem with the city helping.