The Boalsburg Village Conservancy

The Boalsburg Bicentenary

http://boalmuseum.com/200th.ideas.htm

6/17/08 update:

Any person or organization who wants to help plan or participate in the Boalsburg 200th anniversary activities can contact BVC President Chris Lee at 814-466-9266 or chris@boalmuseum.com, or attend a planning meeting to be scheduled in June 2008, at 7:30 pm at the Harris Township meeting room on East Main Street in Boalsburg.

Below are the results of six prior meetings held from April 2007 to April 2008. The changes made at the April 24, 2008, meeting are in italics. Let us know (at the contact info above) of your ideas for the 200th or if you'd like to help with one of the ideas already listed in the chart.

A chronological listing of events is at the end, to create urgency.

Boalsburg Bicentenary in Harris Township: 

On April 24, 2008, community members met to further discuss ideas from the February 13, 2008, meeting which they would like to move forward for the Boalsburg Bicentenary. The following list of ideas has been marked with names of those interested in advancing each idea. Please let me know of any corrections or edits needed.

 If there is no name next to an idea, that idea is not being advanced at this time. Please let me know if you want to advance one of these abandoned ideas.

Chris Lee will convene the next meeting on June 25 or 26 (to be determined soon) at 7:30 PM at the Harris Township meeting room on East Main Street in Boalsburg and will focus on the desired outcomes and what steps need to be taken by whom to bring about those outcomes.

Theme of the Boalsburg 200th:

“Two Hundred Years of Community”

Sub-themes will be “200 years of…” geared towards specific events, such as:

October 11, 2008, Boalsburg Multicultural Columbus Festival: Two Hundred Years of Cultural Heritage –the Scottish-Irish, Africans, Germans, Italians, eastern Europeans, Asians, Russian, etc.  Celebrating the many cultures which have shaped Boalsburg’s 200 years.

Explore:

Research the Heritage

  1. House tours – museums and flowers –
    1. Gwen Bunnell will coordinate this activity and will solicit the homes to be included. Gwen talked with Nancy Park of Aaronsburg who coordinated a house tour there. Gwen will talk with Nancy in April.
      1. Feb 13: Suggestion: Include houses in Linden Hall, perhaps on a different date and as part of the “Linden Loop” hike/bike event in early May 2009 (first one taking place May 4, 2008). Len Rockey will check with the people in Linden Hall and then contact Gwen.
      2. Feb 13: Harvey Manbeck suggests including the old Boalsburg High School and Boalsburg ElementarySchool students. Bill Miller is president of the Boalsburg High group, but they meet in 2008 and 2010, not 2009. Harvey will check with Bill Miller and see what’s possible.
    2. Charge a nominal fee to raise funds. The revenues can be run through the Boalsburg Village Conservancy, overall sponsor of the 200th and a tax-deductible non-profit.
    3. Plan on 10-15 minutes per house. Keep it within walking distance, but include the Boal Mansion.
    4. (6/11/08 update: ) Gwen Bunnell has assembled a book on how to do the house tour and has briefed Katie Ellis of West Main Street who will coordinate the event. She is assembling a group to help out. The likely date is May 24, 2009, the Sunday before Memorial Day 2009.
    5. Jim Keener recommends having hosts in each house both for information and for security purposes.
    6. Displays in houses:
      1. Quilts
      2. Farm tools from Jeff Biddle?
      3. Gert Aron suggests celebrating Nelson Wood and his wood carvings – the Fire Hall sign, the house markers, etc.
      4. Flowers will be arranged by the Boalsburg Garden Club – Phyllis High
    1. Nancy Crane will help at Boal Mansion
  1. Renew walking tour book (An American Village) with McMurry PSU research –
    1. (6/11/08 update) Bob Cameron will take over from Randy Ploog to rewrite “An American Village” and possible create a web-site with similar information. Target publication date, Memorial Day 2009.
      1. One way to do it may be a tri-fold brochure walking tour of Boalsburg and its buildings and a web-site with more detailed information. The web site could have interactive videos of buildings for use by students.
        1. Bill Wallace can shoot the buildings as they stand today for such a web site. Perhaps we can get a grant from the Central PA Visitors and Convention Bureau hotel tax tourism fund, similar to the grant obtained for the publication of the Boalsburg history brochure by the Boalsburg Village Conservancy.
        2. Jim Keener will see if there is a knowledgeable Boy Scout who can do the website.
      2. The blue book “Boalsburg” An American Village” could also be updated for schools and local people. This would not require a large printing, particularly since so many copies of the original booklet still exist.  The tri-fold brochure and the accompanying web site can handle most of the information needs.
      3. Dennis Ricker has compiled the information from ten of the McMurry student reports. Bob Cameron will work over the summer on the remaining 33 reports.
      4. Heritage Museum tours currently include some walking tour
      5. Do any more houses need to be numbered and have a BVC plaque applied?
    1. Bob will create a new book, not an addendum to the existing “American Village” book. Existing copies should be given to the schools.
      1. April 21 report from Randy – he needs help!
        1. Have copies of all student reports. Need help sifting through them, identifying what’s most important. For example:
          1. Glean a paragraph or two per site for a written re-edit of the Boalsburg walking tour? Glean the following details for each house:
            1. Date of earliest deed
            2. Date of first structure and of present structure
            3. Demographic: occupation of occupants through time. Any on-site activities.
          2. A longer reference book that refers to the original reports on file at the Heritage Museum and includes a chronology per site: year lot purchased, house built, addition made, etc.
          3. A web site with an aerial view of Boalsburg, schematic map, move cursor over a house and a pop-up tells you the history of that lot or structure. Get a web-design student. But need content firs (see section 1 and 2 above).
      2. Feb 13: Randy reports:
        1. I have borrowed the bound volumes from the Heritage Museum.  I found only three, representing three of Sally McMurry's classes.  I have borrowed the missing volumes from Sally, copied and bound them so, when I am finished, the museum will have a complete set.
        2. The student papers do not duplicate subject buildings.  The papers address 42 different buildings, which is over half of the structures with numbered plaques.
        3. My first goal is to familiarize myself with the content of the papers and determine what format, what type of information is of the greatest interest, and in what form this information should be presented.
        4.  Mrs. Harpster lamented that the museum has boxes of the "An American Village."  Her view is that a revised version of the booklet would mean the existing booklets would be wasted.  In the other hand, the booklet is 22 years old.
        5. Given Mrs. Harpster's views and the expense of printing, I want to explore the possibility of a web-based guide to Boalsburg buildings.  It could be more affordable.
        6. I have not contacted Frank Horner from Oak Hall yet, but I will.
    2. The book should be published by Memorial Day 2009. It could be released as a CD.
    3. Professor Sally McMurry suggests an interactive web site with a map. Jim Keener will find out who the BSA webmaster is and see if he/she could help.
  1. Histories
    1. Susan Evans is interviewing old-timers on tape –

i.                    Susan Evans will help coordinate interviews with older residents. She can work with media specialist Bill Wallace of WPSU who can help with coordinating the results.

a.       Bill discussed what the end product will look like, e.g. a gallery display at the Heritage Museum with text and photos; transcription of the tapes; entry into the PastPerfect computer program at the Heritage Museum.

b.      She has already interviewed Amber Keene and Bob Burrell and will do so again.

    1. History of industries in township – logging, farming, etc.
    2. Update 2/4/08: Phil Sauerlender’s is developing a three part series on the Boal Troop before, during and after World War I which might possibly work into the 200th's publications. 
      1. Bill Wallace should contact Phil to get historical photos from him for the photo project. He should also check the Boalsburg photos collected at the Centre Furnace Mansion. See Angela Breeden, CFM staff.
  1. Compilation of maps, census, family data and photos – Amber Keene as contact person. Coffee table book? –
    1. Harvey Manbeck and Harris Twp Lions are interested in a repository of photos, videos and old movies from Harris Twp/Boalsburg residents to contribute to the folk history of the community and, as time and resources permit, edit and produce a composite CD.  Bill Wallace is interested in the end product being cataloged, labeled, and put online.
      1. Harvey, Bill and Greg are a committee for the photo compilation. They will set up a table on Memorial Day 2008 to inform people.
        1. 6/11/08 update: Bill:
          1. On Memorial Day 2008 a number of people with Boalsburg connections but who no longer live here signed up and said they have items, including one man who has old site plot maps. Bud Graham had talked with him (name? Fisher?)
          2. The Lions Club will make a place available for events to gather photos.
          3. Amy Farkas will put in an appeal for old photos in the upcoming township newsletter.
          4. Bill talked with Bob Potter about fund raising ideas for the project.
    2. Randy will ask Earl Kesler if the Heritage Museum can be such a repository
    3. Amy Farkas will put an appeal in the January 2008 Township newsletter asking for contributions. Feb 13: Amy Farkas reports this was done in December and will be done again in the upcoming Township newsletter.
    4. The committee to make a photo book of Boalsburg’s 200 years will be: Harvey Manbeck, Randy Ploog, Bill Wallace and Greg Fredericks. Feb 13: Harvey Manbeck will convene (not coordinate) the group with the goal of gathering, arranging and describing a meaningful collection.
    5. Bill Wallace and Annie-hannah Mancini will coordinate any photographic activities, including processing historic photos. There may be some costs of materials to pay.
    6. Margie Tennis reports Frank Horner of Oak Hall is working on a book on the Oak Hall school house and part of Boalsburg. He was at the April 2007 Cracker Barrel Conversation. Randy will contact him (861-1210).
    7. Margie will bring the Haines Township 200th book to the early 2008 meeting as an example of a publication.
  1. Compile history of transportation in area (trains, airfield and tavern) – create display to educate the public
  2. Research and compile history of Boalsburg – tap into community and county resources; verify and collate sources. Would Bud Graham like to organize this?
    1. John Wainright will check with Margie Tennis to see if she would like to be involved. She has expressed an interest.
    2. Chris Lee has some Penn State history interns’ research into primary sources, including 18th century warrants and records in Bellefonte of the October 1808 map laying out the village and May 30, 1809, sale of lots.
    3. Jim Keener will check with Charlie Hess about Shingletown history.
  3. Compilation of folklore/crazy stories 

Create:

Plan events, create publications based on research, create a vision of the past and for the future

  1. Vision 2020 –
    1. Bob Igo and the Harris Twp Planning Commission. The PC has discussed this at a couple of meetings. Bob attended the ValleyVision 2020 session on September 20, 2007, which talked about not just growth forecasts, but how the character of the area could change.

                                                              i.      Collect existing actual and forecasted data to develop a map of existing planned growth

                                                            ii.      Workgroup meeting – Sept ‘07

ii.                  Feb 13: Bob will contact Kellianne Foster of PSU who does visualizations of zoning and subdivision regulations – how they would look built out. Meanwhile, the Planning Commission is working on present day zoning and subdivision regulations to promote “design for community” – traditional neighborhood design, walkable neighborhoods, etc.

    1. Update: Amy Farkas: The Planning Commission has been discussing “Design for Community” and elements of neighborhood design, including development outcomes, demographic trends and visioning. They anticipate a community meeting of some kind on the topic. 
    2. Chris Lee: The Planning Commission should keep in mind the distinction between
      1. “Design for Community” land use regulations
      2. a “Vision 2020” session envisioning what our community would look like built out ideally and what it will look like built out using the current land use regulations and how to bridge the gap between the two.
  1. School essay contest –
    1. Barbara Grignano will coordinate a school essay project on the Boalsburg 200th. The essays will be displayed at the Boalsburg Heritage Museum.
    2. Gwen Bunnell reported that grades five or six include novel writing, which may fit in with the 200th too. Update: Jean Vadella reports that grade 5 is no longer on novel writing, but on persuasive writing.
  2. Commission play based on history of Boalsburg/Harris Township –
    1. Jerry Sawyer reported that he could work on a play about Boalsburg history with some drama added. He is a producer for WPSU and has written two musicals performed at the Boal Barn Playhouse. A commission for the play is possible, but not very likely.
    2. Jerry reports the play could involve a grandparent and child of a family new to the community viewing the three ladies statue with the grandparent teaching the child. Another possibility is an mystery drama centered around the Columbus Chapel with an artifact being discovered in the chapel and people pursuing it.
    3. Possible venue: Mount Nittany Middle School. Greg Fredericks will talk with Susan Hipp.
    4. Tom McClary, new president of the State College Community Theater at the Boal Barn Playhouse is interested in this. This may be a pre-season production in May 2009. The SCCT will read and critique the work before it is presented.
    5. The play includes lots of Boalsburg history with an interesting turn of events at the end. Sixty-five pages have already been written with more to come.
  1. Contest to find authors and songwriters
  2. Annie-hannah will create a Boalsburg 200th logo for consideration, using the Boalsburg HS colors of Blue and Gold. 6/17/08: Chris has emailed Annie-hannah for an update about this.

 Construct:

Historic Preservation, Make Lasting Reminders

  1. Redo signs at Diamond (acorn signs and sign by Duffy’s).
    1. Chris Lee will work on the signs in the square, including the one by the pump at Duffy’s. Cindy Shaler will help with signs on the diamond.
      1. Feb 13: The Boalsburg Village Conservancy board has authorized up to $200 for a redesign of the sign at Duffy’s to make it more understandable to visitors and to contain an overview of the village history and shape of the streetscape.
    2. Bob Sutherland and the Scouts are interested in refurbishing some signs as a Scout project.
      1. Feb 13: Amy Farkas reports the Township Parks and Rec Committee is meeting with a scout for an eagle project and she will suggest the signs as the focus.
      2. Amy Farkas is on top of this. The Township will pay for the materials. Scout Ben Anderson may do this. Parks and Rec might be involved too.
    3. Amy Farkas reports the Township will pay for the materials for the sign repair if it is a Scout project. The Township crew will also fix the bases of the signs. Jim Keener and Bob Flipse will spread the word to the Scouts.
  2. Building bandstand on Square –
    1. Harris Twp Lions, if the many challenges and site limits can be overcome. Amy will meet with Harvey Manbeck of the Lions and Zoning Officer Todd Shea to discuss what the regulations are about the square.
    2. Amy Farkas met with Harvey Manbeck. There are many challenges including electric and water lines and the Christmas tree in the way. The outcome is doubtful.
  1. Rebuild barn at Heritage Museum – Apparently this is already going on.
  2. Monument at Military Museum – ceremony and rededication: Joe Horvath suggested that the original cross monument at the gate of the Boal Mansion be restored. The Military Museum has the cross, which has bullet holes in it, but it is unlikely that it would be available to install in the original monument and there is no money now from the Commonwealth to restore the monument on the Military Museum grounds. Joe says this will not happen for the 200th, but maybe later.
  3. Preservation activity at Boal Mansion
  4. Time capsule with history of town. Feb 13: Amy Farkas reports the Township will do this and focus it on the entire Township, including the publications generated for the Boalsburg 200th. Bets are being placed on finding an old time capsule wherever we finally decide to stash this current time capsule.
    1. Amy will look for an Eagle Scout to do this in 2009.

 Celebrate:

Put on Festivals/Events

  • Joe Horvath suggested we use existing events and put them under the general theme of the Boalsburg 200th. For example, the October multicultural event, Hometown Christmas. Maybe Jerry Sawyer’s new play could take place as part of the October 2008 kick-off. There was general agreement and a possible schedule looks like this:
  • Boalsburg 200th: Celebrating 200 Years of Community  (see end for abbreviated version of 200th calendar of events)
    • October 11, 2008, Noon to 4 pm. Boalsburg Multicultural Columbus Festival: Celebrating 200 years of the many cultures which have shaped Boalsburg from the Scottish Irish forward. On the village square.
    • October 11, 2008, 7:30 PM. Boalsburg Bicentenary Ball, kicking off a year-long celebration of 200 years of history. At the Boal Mansion Museum.
    • December 2008. Hometown Christmas: Celebrating 200 years of Christmas. Feb 13: Amy Farkas will check with event chair Dottie Yukish to see what they want to do about the 200th in 2008. Perhaps “200 years of Christmas” including how different celebrations were 200 years ago.
    • April (or maybe early May) 2009: 200 years in nature’s beauty. Historic outdoor games, environmental clean-up. Perhaps plant an orchard. A Yoder Preserve and/or Blue Spring Park. Feb 13: Boy Scout Lute Ryan’s orchard project is already underway for 2008.
    • Saturday in early May 2009: Music at the Boal Mansion: “200 years of Music.”
    • A Sunday in early May: “The Linden Loop” hike/bike event (maybe including old wagons). Len Rockey will see about this.
      • John Wainright will contact bicyclist Paul Simpson about involving the Bicycle Coalition in this. Maybe they can find some old-fashioned bicycles (with big front wheels, called “ordinaries”). Chris has sent an email to John and Paul about this.
    • Boalsburg House Tour: 200 years of family home life. Date to be determined later this year.
    • Memorial Day Fireman’s Parade, May 23, 2009.The Boalsburg Fire Company has OK’d the idea of Township groups and neighborhoods preparing “200th birthday” floats on various themes for the parade, as was done for the American 200th in 1976.
      • Ron Kreidler will look into a Linden Hall float for this.
    • Possible date for Street Party: May 23, after the conclusion of the 5 PM Fireman’s Parade. Designed to build on all the house parties that take place then anyway and to bring more people to the Fireman’s parade and their carnival. With the band wagon there already and the streets closed, we’d just have to add a band and voila: a street party! Amy Farkas will check with the Fire Company about this. Clearly, if the Fire Company doesn’t like the idea, the street party will take place on some other date. Alternate street party dates: with house tours (whenever that will be) or as part of kick-off on October 11, 2008.
    • May 25, 2009. Memorial Day.
      • 200 years of history. Publishing new, updated book  “Boalsburg: An American Village” book and a coffee-table photo book of Boalsburg, then and now. Possibly on CD and website as well.
      • 200 years of transportation: possible auto show at the Military Museum, including the 1850 Boal Mansion stage coach.
      • Harvey Manbeck suggests: Have a booth for the new Boalsburg 200th publications (though many of the visitors aren’t too interested in Boalsburg history). The goal is to get the history into as many homes and schools as possible, “So the children will know…” (Ruth Corter, 1976).
      • Stan Smith reports: I will start to talk it up with our local Region of AACA ( Antique Automobile Car Association) that we need to plan for the 2009 Memorial Day car show to be something special.  The concept: have more pre-WWII cars show up. It would be nice to have all the brass cars (1900 to 1915) together - possibly at the Mansion and then the nickle era (1915 to 1925) somewhere between you’re the Mansion and the Military Museum.  Then the Classic's (1925 to 1942) with the collector cars (1946 to 1970 or so) at the Military Museum grounds.  Also it might pay to see what could be lined up in the way of horse drawn carriages and vintage bicycles as well.
        • Chris Lee says the Boal Mansion restored 1850 coach might be available for this, depending on the weather.
  1. Street party in village with music and games, on people’s porches, too. Include games – celebrating modern and traditional: See above schedule for the latest on the Street Party.
    1. Margie Tennis suggested a birthday cake as was done in 1976. Kim Morrison could bake it and Phyllis Kipp could help with the design.
  2. Neighborhood gatherings; Neighborhood floats in 2009 Fire Co parade – Butch Dry reports Fire Company is OK with neighborhood floats in the 2009 parade. Who will organize this? Get Linden Hall and Kaywood to participate, too.
  3. Hess Field baseball/softball tournament: Jim Keener suggested a ball game with old-fashioned rules and equipment. Jim will talk to the State College Spikes about a possible exhibition game at Hess Field.
  4. Spring Creek activities – model boat regatta, wading, etc.
    1. Model Boat Regatta for kids on Spring Creek – Admiral Gert Aron and the Harris Township Lions coordinate and plan. Kids build boats from specs (to be developed). Gert will work out the specs. The Lions Club will work with Gert on this event. Gert will also organize a “hot wheels” race, maybe as part of the spring event in the park.
      1. Gert Aron: This will be at the PA Military Museum, perhaps for nature day in April 2009 (Amy Farkas will coordinate this between Gert and the Parks and Rec Committee).
      2. It will go from one bridge to the other. Gert will see what the requirements of the Military Museum are. He will publicize it through the schools – it’s for kids.
  1. Ruth Corter Service Award (Township) –
    1.  Amy Farkas will implement this in 2009, probably at a Township meeting on C-Net. It will aim at recognizing someone who has done great things for the community.
  1. Boy Scouts to provide manpower at events –
    1. Bob Sutherland: The Boalsburg Scouts are ready to help in any way they can. Just ask.
  1. Lions Club to provide manpower where needed, too.
  2. Jim Keener will contact the Boalsburg Post Office about a special Boalsburg 200th cancellation. Jim reports the Boalsburg Post Office is interested but needs six month notice. The PO staff might volunteer a Saturday afternoon to do the cancellations as part of an event, maybe the October 11, 2008 kick-off festival or the Memorial Day 2009 event. We need to design and maybe pay for a cancellation. Jim is also interested in developing a history of post offices in Harris Township. Len Rockey will talk to Beth Ricker about any post office that may have been in Linden Hall.
    1. Jim Keener reports we have to purchase a cancellation device. Also, the Philatelic Society in Bellefonte has information on post offices in Harris Township. Jim will talk with Tom Horne of the Philatelic Society who is interested in this topic.
    2. Dennis Ricker has information on the Linden Hall post office history – maybe he has some on the Boalsburg post office, too. 

Facilitate:

Publicity and Fundraising

  1. Publicity:
  • Write and distribute press releases –
    1. Chris Lee will coordinate publicity with Amy Farkas’ help and using Amy’s media list. She will send an Internet reference to Chris.

i.                    Voices, a local monthly newspaper, will do a series of articles on the Boalsburg 200th, including:

1.      For the July/August issue, she'll write about Boalsburg's history, using the renovation of a historic home or the historic homes tour as a jumping off point.

2.      For September, she'll write the "Future of Our Past" story about the museums of Boalsburg and the challenges they face.

3.      For October, she'll write about saving/maintaining small towns, which will look at Boalsburg, Philipsburg and elsewhere to talk about the economic viability of our small towns, what can be done to maintain or restore that viability, and what is being done to those ends.

ii.                  Possible article for Pennsylvania Magazine about Boalsburg, Memorial Day, the Heritage Museum for summer 2008 publication

iii.                Susan Evans is working on interviewing old-timers but she no longer has the time to talk with Mimi Fredman about a “Lunch with Mimi” article in Town and Gown early on to draw attention and participation. Dan Pencek is receptive. Chris emailed him about this 6/17/08.

iv.                Jim Keener also suggests “Where and When” because of its wide geographic reach.

v.                  Jim Keener will pursue PCN/Commonwealth Media Services to do a program on the 200th. Feb 13 update: Jim talked with PCN. Send the schedule to their calendar (free, use button at the bottom of their web site pcntv.com) and they may pick up on some of the events. 4/24/08: Jim reports this is unlikely, but they can include events on the PCN web site.

  • C-Net program
    1. Amy Farkas will talk with Cindy Hahn to make this happen. Probably a history of Boalsburg.  Cindy can work with Bill Wallace on this.
  • PBS (WPSU) documentary
    1. Jerry Sawyer will talk with David Price about featuring the 200th in a Pennsylvania Inside Out program. 4/24/08: Jerry: The interest is there, but they need a “real agenda” to interview about. Chris will get one to Jerry.
  1. Fundraising:
  • Bob Potter will identify potential sponsors and donors and solicit donations. Harris Township is donating $1,000 in 2008 for seed money.
    1. Everyone should email the dollar needs of their projects to Chris to gather and pass on to Bob to raise the funds. Chris sent an email Feb 16 to all asking for any dollar needs whatsoever and any leads on resources to funnel into the fund raising effort. Deadline for reporting back to Chris is Feb 21.
      • 4/24/08: Bill Wallace says there will be some hardware costs for the photo project. Gert Aron says there might be restoration costs for fragile 8mm film. Chris Lee reports he has a short pre-1920 film of Colonel Theodore Davis Boal in Boalsburg.
    2. John Wainright, Harvey Manbeck and Bob Potter will meet to discuss a rough budget and a business plan. Bob Potter will convene the group.
  • Memorabilia – souvenirs, blankets, I Love Boalsburg buttons, replica of three ladies statue; baseball hats; t-shirts
    1. John Wainright and the Conservancy will look into T-shirts. Bob Potter will help.
    2. Annie-hannah says Harriet Rosenberg is offering her design services for two T-shirts: a 200th and a general Boalsburg T-shirt. She has a good relationship with Collegiate Pride and can get the T-shirts at cost. Chris Lee emailed Annie-hannah for an update on 6/17/08.
    3. Annie-hannah suggests a uniform Boalsburg logo, not just for the 200th. Chris suggested the sign shape, the old pine tree silhouette as possible elements. John Wainright will look into design for such a logo. John Wainright suggested basing the logo on the Harris Township logo. Chris emailed Annie-hannah Feb 16 asking her to propose something.
    4. John will look into existing Boalsburg blankets.
    5. Chris suggested a friendship quilt like the one done in 1976. Who would quilt it?
    6. Souvenirs:
      • The emphasis of souvenirs is first on fundraising to support the event, and then on providing memorabilia.
      • Jim Keener has some samples from Wendall August Forge in western PA – mostly hammered aluminum. They tend to cost for $8-15 and require 4-8 weeks to turn around.
      • John Wainright suggests listing possible items and picking something that sells. The cheapest and most likely is T-shirts. Trivets and canvas bags have not sold.
      • Amy Farkas will ask Matt Hertert if Boalsburg merchants might be interested in selling items at their stores. This would not be consignment, but outright sale by the 200th to the merchants and a discounted price between the 200th’s costs and the suggested retail price. John Wainright, Jim Keener and Chris Lee will pursue this with Amy Farkas’ help.
      • 4/24/08: We must decide soon if we want Wendall August Forge items in time. They cost $15-20. Jim Keener will talk with John Wainright and make a proposal.
  • Mount Nittany Wine – special edition bottle
    1. Dick Bunnell will ask the Carrolls about a limited edition wine with a special Boalsburg 200th label and Mount Nittany sharing the profits with the 200th celebration. Dick reports the winery is interested and needs to know who to contact about what log to put on the label.
    2. 4/24/08: Dick Bunnell is back in town and will pursue this. They need a label and so we need a logo for this. Chris will contact Annie-hannah again about designing a logo.
  1. Participation:
    1. Greg Fredericks will get a representative to the committee from St. John’s and Zion churches. Jim Keener will help him contact Zion. Jim will also contact Harvest Fields (now Calvary Baptist) and the Baptists. We should show them the time line and ask how they would like to get involved.
    2. Greg brought a note from Amber Keene sent by a descendant of Andrew Stoup, who laid out the village in 1808. She should be invited to participate: Janet Scott of Conneautville PA.
    3. Boalsburg businesses should also be involved. Chris will contact Matt Hertert who has been organizing meetings of the businesses.
    4. Earl Kesler will ask the Heritage Museum  how they might like to participate in the 200th. Perhaps the 200th committee could suggest ways for the Heritage Museum to participate.
      1. 4/24/08: Susan Evans reports the Heritage Museum will have a display from her interviews with older residents, photos of the interior of the school, a display on Al Gingrich, the furniture maker.
    5. Beth or Dennis Ricker will email the Linden Hall Association to get some recruits for the 200th. There is lots of source material.
    6. Chris Lee will send the email list to everybody to help coordinating.
    7.  Jean Vadella, Principal of Boalsburg Elementary, attended the April 24, 2008, meeting on the Boalsburg 200th.

Abbreviated version of Boalsburg 200th Calendar of Events:

Theme of the Boalsburg 200th:

“Celebrating Two Hundred Years of Community”

A year long celebration some (dates and events are still tentative) with many sub-themes:

    • October 11, 2008, Noon to 4 pm. Boalsburg Multicultural Columbus Festival: Celebrating 200 years of the many cultures which have shaped Boalsburg, an American village, from the Scottish Irish forward. On the village square. This may morph into the 200th Street Party.
    • October 11, 2008, 7:30 PM. Boalsburg Bicentenary Ball, kicking off a year-long celebration of 200 years of history. At the Boal Mansion Museum.
    • December 2008. Hometown Christmas: Celebrating 200 years of Christmas.
    • April 2009: 200 years in nature’s beauty. Historic outdoor games, environmental clean-up. Perhaps plant an orchard. A Yoder Preserve and/or Blue Spring Park.
    • Boalsburg House Tour: 200 years of family home life. Date to be determined later this year.
    • May 25, 2009. Memorial Day.
      • 200 years of history. Publishing new, updated book  “Boalsburg: An American Village” book and a coffee-table photo book of Boalsburg, then and now. Possibly on CD and website as well.
      • 200 years of transportation: possible auto show at the Military Museum, including the 1850 Boal Mansion stage coach.
    • Date to be determined. Perhaps October 11, 2008, Noon to 4 pm. 200 years of life in the village. Street party. Possibly coordinated with house tours. Plus, “celebrating the celebration” and, finally, “creating community by celebrating community.”

Any person or organization who wants to help plan or participate in the Boalsburg 200th anniversary activities can contact BVC President Chris Lee at 814-466-9266 or chris@boalmuseum.com

The Boalsburg Village Conservancy

PO Box 451
Boalsburg PA 16827

http://boalmuseum.com/bvc.htm

 

This web page donated courtesy of

the Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum