What We Did in 2007
We had many visitors at our Meeting House during the year – school groups, Boy Scouts, a Franklin Township. H.S. 50th Reunion class, visitors who came on our Open Hours days (1st Sat. and 3rd Sun., March–October). Perhaps a total of nearly 400 persons!
School groups included: Walking Tours and visits to the Meeting House for four 3rd grade classes (120 students) of Adams Elementary School on May 25, and 100 Arlington Elementary 3rd grade students on Sept. 26 Dave talked to 28 3rd grade Nativity students in their classroom about “Indians, Treaties and Buffalo” on Oct.23 , and on Oct. 30 they visited the Meeting House and went on the Wanamaker Walking Tour. Eight 2nd grade Acton Elementary Boy Scouts, Troop 104, leaders and parents visited on Wed. evening, May 16,
Students doing research under their teachers’ guidance came, a group from Kitley Intermediate and a group from Bunker Hill, Elementary. Our society is cooperating with Kitley History Club, and also helping teachers at Bunker Hill Elementary in making a permanent Historical Exhibit.
We were pleased to share in the production of “Flashbacks of Franklin Township,” a musical production by Acton teacher and drama coach, Jan Pifer. Held at the FC auditorium for two nights, March 23 and 24, the play was based on our latest book, From Indian Trails to Interstates by David Ostheimer. We had a table in the lobby where several of our members greeted guests, sold our publications and memberships, and where David autographed copies of his book.
We sponsored our 4th Annual Quilt Show on Sat., April 21, at the Acton UM. Church. We had a lovely exhibit of 58 quilts, and 80 additional visitors.
We shared an opportunity for Franklin Central student and Boy Scout of Troop 104, Steven Crawley, to earn his Eagle Scout Award, and for our society to benefit from the work he and his fellow scouts, parents and friends did to trim and re-fence the Big Run Cemetery. At the completion of the project, we had a special program on Sun., June 10, where we expressed our appreciation to Steve and his supporters, and honored the Cemetery with a sign designating it as a site on the National Register of Historic Places, and on the State Register of Historic Sites and Structures. Larry and Diana Stevenson donated the sign, which stands in a landscaped area developed by Dale Walton.
Steven chose to have his Court of Honor, where he received his Eagle Scout Award, at the Meeting House on Sat., Sept. 8. Every seat was occupied!
We shared in Memorial Day Celebrations in Acton on May 28, participating in the unveiling of the township’s first Historical Marker, the DAR’s monument to Acton Camp Ground. The monument is on the camp ground site, at the corner of Southport and Acton Roads. The 20 acre grounds will become an Indianapolis Park.
We gave a copy of our latest book, From Indian Trails to Interstates, A History of Franklin Township, Marion County, Indiana, For Young Readers to each fourth grade teacher in the public and parochial schools in the township, and a copy to each school library. We also gave a copy to the Franklin Road Branch IMCPL. We have also sold about 200 copies of the book. It sells for $10, and has received many favorable comments.
We had 1000 new color brochures printed, and bought 1000 more pencils with our name and website printed on them. We give each student who visits the Meeting House a pencil. Out website (www.fths.org) has received 4922 hits. Alena Van Arendonk keeps it up-to-date. We also get quite a few queries on genealogy from it, and other questions. . Diana Stevenson has been answering these.
Larry and Diana Stevenson have made a laptop computer available to us, and are beginning to put all our holdings on line.
We took two “jaunts” this summer – a trip to Aurora, Indiana, to visit a historic home in September, and in October, a visit to Hughston “Woody” Wooden’s 1880s barn.
We participated in Old Settlers Day, on Sun., June 24, the Fenton Fair and Bunker Hill Elementary’s 90th Birthday celebration, both on Sept, 29, and the Acton Craft Fair on Oct. 27. We will have a table in Wanamaker Feed & Seed at the Christmas in Wanamaker Celebration on Sat., Dec.1.
The Society received many gifts this year , including the pump-organ once used in the Big Run Church, a scale-model of a “feeder barn,” photographs, clothing, Middle School yearbooks, tools, Bunker Hill Post 220 American Legion minutes and photos, papers relating to the F.M. Churchman family, FC 2006 Yearbook, an Acton High School letter sweater, an oil painting of a historic home in Parke County,.
We added 16 new members, with several of our regular members converting to LIFE Memberships.
We lost three members by death: James Wilson, Leroy Compton, and Jack Peek A memorial fund for Leroy currently has gifts totaling $650.
We had the trim on the Meeting House repaired and painted, and the out-building painted and re-roofed.
We will have had 10 Board Meetings, and four newsletters.
Sylvia will receive an Indiana Historical Society Hubert Hawkins Award for local history on Dec. 3. She was – without her knowledge – nominated by Dave Ostheimer and Diana Stevenson.
We thank Kasie Foster and the Informer staff for all the publicity they give us, and for selling our publications.
As president, I thank all the members for their support and interest, with special thanks to the Board Members. A very special thanks goes to those who help with groups who go on the Wanamaker Walking tour, and visit Big Run Cemetery, and the Meeting House.