This last month the weather has been so nice, no frost, so some projects that use to be done reluctantly, were pleasurable. The Memorial Hall was used twice for a reunion and a dinner. We traded rent on the kitchen to the Blue Grass Festival in exchange for advertising. When I have been uptown shopping, many people thanked us for letting them use the kitchen and some even commented they didn’t know the kitchen could be rented. Time will tell if that brings us more kitchen rent.
Open House/ Pioneer day was a success. There is no charge to go through the museum on this day and many of our out of town visitors felt they hit the jackpot. Roger Sprage brought in his chuck wagon and served his famous beans and the cowboy coffee was cooked over a fire. Biscuits (donated by Robert of Boogs BBQ) were available with butter and honey, also cookies and cold drinks were served. Doug Melton entertained people with his Adalat and some had to give it a try. There was a table of books for sale, some hot off the press. One about Miles City by Bill O’Neal and the other, Fort Keogh, 100 years of Research by Dr. Micheal McNeil and Dr. Bob Hough. They are a great addition to the books in our book store. The number of Visitors were less than last year but those who came, sat around visiting and seemed to enjoy the day.
On Sept. 10 th a group from Ist Interstate Bank came to work for the afternoon as volunteers, which is something they do every year on the same day. They worked with board members Sharon Moore, Leif Ronning and soon to be Museum Director Craig Grosinger to strip the paint off the school house. Some of them worked on other project around town and when finished they draw a name and award them with a check. We were fortunate to win the drawing and received a Check for $500. Leif and others have finished painting, when I came over the bridge that white really made me look, hopefully it will do the same to others and they will stop in to see the rest of the Museum.
We had some kids from the high school that were looking to take formal pictures outside. When they got here, I asked a mother first, then asked if they wanted to come inside and we’d put them in jail. Oh my, were they excited, they ended up in the saloon and as they left I heard one say “no one else will have cool pictures like us” Since this is the last curators report I will write before my duties change, I want to thank the volunteers who worked for us, Dorothy Zabroski, Gary Clarke, Eileen Entzel, Ingrid Brown, Janet Kline, Donna Murphy, Gloria Archdale, Jackie Stroh. And Douglas Ochsner. You will never know how much I appreciate you and the ones that came before you. This year one of them had open heart surgery, one went through cancer treatment and were back helping us as soon as they could.
These past 15 years have been a wonderful season in my life. I often tell people that I have had more of an education in the time I’ve spent here than all the other years of schooling I received. Some of the people I have met that come through the doors of this museum are people I would never have gotten to meet and learned about other ways of life. Or when you work hours to find the information that tells them something of their fore fathers and they get emotional, or when they laugh as you tell them a story or two. But mostly I want to thank you, the members of the Board that served now and back 15 years ago. I have met people I might not have ever known or shared experiences with. I treasure the time I spent with you as the Curator and look forward to my new role working with you and Craig as the new Director of the Museum.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bunny Miller- Curator