MINUTES OF THE BARNES AREA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION MEETING

OF MAY 18, 2006

 

 

The meeting was called to order by Vice President Dave Pease at 9:00am.

 

Members of BAHA present: Dave Pease, Carol Pease, Helen Ruprecht, Nori Newago, Bob Oberstar, Linda Oberstar, George Martin, Kurt Kuhlman, Judi Scholz, Mike Bowes and Lu Peet.

 

The minutes were distributed to all members by Secretary Lu Peet. Motion (Helen Ruprecht / Carol Pease) to approve the minutes as presented. Call for discussion. Motion carried.

 

The Treasurer’s Report was given by Treasurer Linda Oberstar as follows:

 

Checkbook Balance as of 4/20/2006                                                   $             4,874.33

 

Centennial Book Sales                                                                        $              307.00

 

Petty Cash                                                                                          $               (15.00)

 

Checkbook Balance as of 5/18/2006                                                   $             5,166.33

 

CD One for $10,000.00 matures on November 29, 2006, at 4.32%

CD Two for $10,000.00 matures on February 16, 2007, at 4.32%

 

Motion (Carol Pease / Mike Bowes) to approve the Treasurer’s Report as given. Call for discussion. Motion carried.

 

Dave Pease asked how many books we had on hand. Linda Oberstar said about 48-50. It was suggested that we order more books. Linda will inquire on the cost of 500 and will order them if the price is right, otherwise she will order fewer books. Linda will get back to other members before she orders.

 

Lu Peet spoke on the note cards. Advanced Printing had sent a draft of the cards to her. It was suggested that an additional card be included with the pack of 4 cards to show what the four different cards would look like. Lu will see that this is done. The price of the cards was discussed. The group felt that $6.00 for the 4 cards would be the price. The address of BAHA will also be added to the back of the cards. Clear container envelopes will also be ordered. We want to have them ready for the flea markets this summer. These dates are June 17th at the Hideout in Couderay; July 8th at the Town Hall sponsored by AARP and July 15th at the VFW.

 

Helen Ruprecht presented the Elk Report as follows:

Date May 18, 2006

The following events have developed since the April Report:

  1. Catherine Khalar from the Brule DNR put the elk statistics discovery on the DNR web site. She has left the information on the web site and thinks it is a way to help deliver information on BAHA’s attempt to build a local museum.
  2. I had a telephone interview from Wisconsin Public Radio Superior who will be airing the article on the Public Radio Station. To my knowledge, the airing date has not been set.
  3. The Ashland Newspaper is running a short article about the elk.
  4. Dr. Hudson has completed investigation on the marks found on the bones. She believes that they are “butchering Marks”. This she believes tends to help date and enhance the events surrounding the find.
  5. Dr. Hudson had the results back from the first Carbon Dating. The results were not conclusive. Therefore, retesting the bones with the accurate and evolved test is required. Since this test costs more, Dr. Hudson is paying for this test with the BAHA money that was specified by BAHA. The first test returned an estimate of between AD 1480 and AD 1640. That means the test has a 95% chance that the rib is only about 500 years old. Therefore, a second test with more accuracy is needed. This result does not eliminate the possibility of the elk remains are thousands of years old, but opens up more questions that must be answered. We must keep in mind that what ever the conclusion, the Silver Beach Elk is and always will be part of Barnes.
  6. Dr. Hudson is expected to do some work at the dive site within a couple of weeks. The date of her work has not been set as of today.
  7. Dr. Hudson would like to meet with the BAHA members when she is up here. She wants to exchange thought, questions and discuss the on-going efforts. Therefore, I will advise that a special meeting should be set up to accomplish this. Since the time is Dr. Hudson’s, we will have to let BAHA members know when, where and if the meeting will take place.
  8. Dave Carlson, the producer of the TV program “Northland Adventures wants to do a segment for the program. Dates, etc. have not been set as of today.

 

Submitted May 18, 2006

Quentin Ruprecht

Elk Committee Chairman

 

Helen said that she thought Dr. Hudson would be coming up around the week of Memorial Day or the week after that. There was discussion of having the news releases after the second carbon dating.

 

The building site was discussed. Lu Peet reported that the Town was not successful in obtaining the additional parcel from Mosinee Paper Company. The Town is still agreeable to having part of the Town Site for the BAHA museum site. Linda Oberstar said she had tried to contact the owner of the land at the corner of Birch Lake Road and County Highway N with no response. Judi Scholz said that she would call the Wisconsin Historical Society to see about having one of the state’s archaeologists at one of our meetings. We need to have something in mind as to what we want our museum to be. Linda Oberstar said it was worth a try. Nori Newago said that there is a woman in Eau Claire that we should be contacting (not sure of name). We should start with her. Nori will get her number and get back to Judi on it. There was discussion that we need to have a five-year plan for the museum. There was further discussion on the different sites, parking and traffic patterns, etc. Land and building are parallel ideas. On Tuesday June 6, 2006, the BAHA will meet at the Town Hall at 1:00pm

 

Judi Scholz spoke on some historical articles she had. She would like everyone to bring their articles or items each month to our meetings.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:30am.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Lu Peet

Barnes Area Historical Association Secretary

Dated June 9, 2006