May 2021
Hopefully, you were among those who attended the annual meeting of the historical society on April 25th, and who helped celebrate our 90th anniversary. If you weren’t here, you didn’t get the information that although 90 years is surely some kind of record, we found out that there are some local organizations that pre-date us by many years. The Anthem Masonic Lodge No. 284 and the Scott City IOOF and Rebecca Lodges were established in 1886! Isn’t that amazing! And of course we know there are several churches in the community that have already held centennial celebrations.
Nevertheless, we celebrated our long history in this community through Stephanie Fisher’s excellent program which linked many of our earliest settlers with their homestead claims, several of whom were original members of the Scott County Historical Society. And, of course, we also enjoyed a special (and delicious) celebration cake made for the occasion by our own Tava See.
The business meeting included election of officers to the Board of Trustees, returning Alan Graham and Ruth Dunn to the board, and adding new member, Barb Wilkinson, who replaces Marian Nolan.
And now it’s on to the exciting events of the week of June 4th-6th. The All-School Reunion will bring in friends and family from around the country to enjoy the usual activities, but there are some very special events taking place during this reunion.
FIRST: At 1:00 on Saturday, June 5th, the long-awaited unveiling of the statue of our town founder, Maria DeGeer, will take place at the location of Maria DeGeer’s original homestead claim shanty, between First National Bank and Lawrence Reality. This will include a speech from Mrs. DeGeer herself, presented by reenactor, Marla Matkin. The 7’ bronze statue of Maria DeGeer is the creation of Scott City’s own multitalented artist, Jerry Thomas.
The site will include the Scott City Historic Walking Tour which will feature historic buildings and sites in the Main Street Area. Tour maps, brochures, and an App information will be featured on the interpretive sign at DeGeer Corner.
SECOND: At 3:00 p.m. Jerry Thomas will be unveiling 15+ new paintings and artifacts displays featuring one of a kind National Treasures in the Jerry Thomas Gallery at 905 West 5th Street (El Quartelejo Museum)
The museum will be open selected hours during the reunion. Schedule is as follows:
Friday, June 4th: Regular hours 1-5 p.m.
Saturday, June 5th: 2:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 6th: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
We have many duplicate copies of SCHS annuals, which will be offered for a donation during the reunion. Be sure to check for any you might wish to own.
The March newsletter contained a long list of members lost over a very short period of time. Add to that list another of our faithful members, Florence Daubert. Along with the families of Lloyd K Fouser, Kay Mohler, Dean Fairchild and Mary Armstrong, Florence’s family designated the museum as the recipient of her memorial gifts. Our sincere thanks to these families and the many others who have honored us this way across the years.
We have gained some new and renewing members, so please welcome Paul and Mary Kasselman, Fred and Jana Brittan, Marilyn Krebs, and Darrel and Marilyn Miller. Our membership currently stands at around 230. Pretty awesome for an organization which began with only 29 members 90 years ago! The Scott County Historical Society is alive and well!
JUNE 4-6TH ~ ALL-SCHOOL REUNION