CONCEPTION…TO RAISING A MUSEUM
[Please note that some creative license
has been used in putting together the following information although the information has been checked for accuracy.]
Act 1, Scene 1 takes place in the PMI (Provost Motor Inn) coffee shop fall of 1999. Already seated and having coffee
are: Dennis Schug, Lawrence Muchowski, Cliff Pope, Cliff Haggerty and arriving on the scene is Doug Hall.
Dennis: “Hey Doug. Come on over here and join us. You’re just the guy to dive in to this discussion we’ve been havin’. Mavis, bring us another cup of coffee for this tired and dusty traveler.”
Doug: Sure, what’s on your minds.
Cliff: Well…(clears his throat) we been kinda throwin’ around the idea of a museum cause we all have heirlooms collecting cobwebs and dust, filling up our outbuildings and basements that tell a story of Provost area and people that’s
just goin’ to get forgotten or thrown away when we’re gone.
Doug: Heck yeh. I’ve got stuff taking up space, don’t want to just chuck it, but don’t know exactly what to do with it.
That’s a good idea but it’s goin’ to take a lot of work, time and money.
Dennis: Yes, but if we get enough people interested, it won’t be so bad. And I know there are local people who would want to get on board.
Lawrence: OK. Where do we start?
Cliff: Talk to the town. See if they are interested and willing to make space available for this kind of thing. Talk to
everyone we know and ask them what they’re willing to do to make it work.
Dennis: We can get some people together at our place to figure out how we can do this. How’s next week sound to you?
Cliff: You know, I got this old ……(scene fades out as they continue discussing a museum).
Act 2, Scene 1 in Dennis & Louise Schug’s basement October 12, 1999. People present are: Dennis & Louise Schug, Doug Hall, Lawrence Muchowski, Cliff Pope, and Lucille Peterson, Ruth Stempfle, Laurie Kobes, Bob Paulgaard. Everyone has said their
greetings and helped themselves to coffee / dessert and settled into their choice of chairs.
Cliff: Thanks everyone for showing interest. We need someone to take notes, Lucille (lifts her pen and paper)– thanks Lucille. If we’re going to make this work, we’re going to need commitment, time, money, energy and most of all creative thinking.
Dennis: We need to set up an executive committee and decide exactly what kind of museum we want, a traveling museum or a local one. Not just a run of the mill type, but one that is unique and draws interest for miles around.
Bob: I think we should contact other museums or government agencies that can tell us what we need to get started and give us information that will help us avoid pitfalls. But also give us a general idea how to do this. There might even be some government grant money we could tap into to get this off the ground.
Ed: We need to put together a mission statement and incorporate. Get The Provost News interested and have a general
meeting with the public invited to take part. This needs to happen soon because Christmas is coming and people will be focusing their thoughts and energies there and before you know it, it will be time for spring planting.
Louise: What types of displays are to be included, location, and what type of facility do we need to house the collections? Hey, maybe we could circulate a survey that will give us ideas for location, facility, fund-raisers and types of historical items.
Doug: We need to decide on a special theme like Drumheller which has bones, Donalda has lamps, Wetaskiwin has automobiles and aircraft while Cardston has carriages.
Lucille: I’ll contact The Provost News.
Dennis: Is November 16, 1999 OK for booking the Provincial Building for our first General Meeting? Good, now let’s put together an agenda.
(Fade out with Lucille writing down agenda items as they are called out.)
Act 3, Scene 1 November 16, 1999 at the Provincial Building meeting room filled with many of the towns people interested in the concept of a Provost Museum.
Dennis: I now call this first meeting for the purpose of creating a Provost Museum to order. I would like to introduce the people who are the catalyst group of this endeavor and welcome Joe Rosich, U of A graduate from the Faculty of History who is going to share some of his knowledge regarding provincial museums. We also acknowledge all of you who have taken time to come out tonight to share your ideas and support.
Joe Rosich: This locality has been inhabited less than a hundred years and as we enter the next millennium, it is an opportune time to zero in on the past. ‘Retro’ is in!
Even the small existing museums need to change in order to keep the public and the tourists interested. The most financially successful museum in Alberta, Rutherford House, generates both income and interest through educational programs and private bookings such as weddings and photo shoots. They operate both a restaurant and a gift shop, plus donations at the door. I cannot stress too strongly that there needs to be some plans in place for ongoing activities that will draw the people to the facility.
Also, your senior citizens are your greatest resource, stay in touch with them and cultivate their memories because they take a wealth of history with them when they are gone.
Dennis: Thank you Joe. Now people, we want you to envision the future museum. Tell us what you think it should entail.
Laurie Kobes: We need a location that is in or near town, perhaps near the highway or across from the senior’s lodge or auction mart, close to population to deter vandalism. The 10 acres near the trout pond with room for expansion and close to utilities would be a good location.
Bob Paulgaard: We could have a multicultural display of all ethnic groups in the area. Perhaps a miniature village with school, church, railway, “Eaton” house, hip roof barn with cemented pads for farm machinery.
Marlene Pope: Yes, and a log house, oil industry artifacts and interactive sites where the following generations can participate in activities that were once done by hand.
Dennis: We also need to come up with some ideas on how to generate funds to support the museum.
Cliff Haggerty: How about a toy and collectible show, maybe a gigantic auction? Some other ways would be to sell memberships, friends of museum purchase a ‘plow-share’ (engraved/gilded) with their name. There’s also donations from municipal/urban governments, corporations, service clubs and private enterprises.
Dennis: Good ideas. Now, what do we envision being in this museum?
Leslie Spees: How about agricultural, household, hospital and school items.
Louise Schug: Possibly we could collect cars, photographs, or business related items.
Marion Kelch: Maybe there could be showings of private collections for a period of time to keep the displays from
becoming stagnant.
Bob Paulgaard: OK. But in talking with people knowledgeable about this sort of thing, they recommend that the items be
donated because the logistics of accepting items on loan can become a real problem.
Lawrence Muchowski: We also need to keep interest in the museum fresh by having special tours, threshing bees, exchange of artifacts, pioneer days, a barn dance, campground, restaurant and visitor centre.
Dennis: Great! Thank you all for your input and we hope to be able to call upon all of you for your participation. Now for the executive positions… We have names for each of the positions but if any of you would like to volunteer, we’ll take it to a vote.
President: Dennis Schug
1st Vice President : Bob Paulgaard
2nd Vice President: Laurie Kobes
Secretary: Marlene Pope
Treasurer: Cliff Hagerty
Directors: Doug Hall
Norbert Holzinger
Cliff Pope
Allan Hauck
Lawrence Muchowski
Joe Bolz
Ed Schaber
Laurie Kobes
Committees:
Building : Grant Stinson
Grant Applications: Lucille Peterson
Fund Raising: Cathy Kayser
Public Relations: Joe Bolz
Marion Kelch
Recording Artifacts: Connie Austin
Leslie Spees
Laurie Kobes
Ruth Stempfle
Dennis: Any contenders? Good. All positions are filled by acclamation. But we still need more volunteers for the Building
Committee, Fundraising Committee, and a Membership Chairman as well as a phoning committee. So spread the word. We also need historical information so that events that occurred over the past decades can be recognized.
Doug Hall: I move that we form a Museum Society.
Grant Stinson: I second that.
Dennis: Everyone agree? (all hands raised) Carried!
Thanks again everyone for coming out and giving your input. Now the entire executive is asked to stay for our first executive
meeting.
(The rest of the audience mills about and leaves talking excitedly about their ideas and expectations while the executive gather into a smaller group around a few tables)
Dennis: All right everyone, we’ve been here quite a while but we have to get the ball rolling on this so we need to set up
some priorities. Marlene, ready to take notes? (she nods yes) Good.
Lawrence, will you approach Fish & Game regarding the land near the trout pond?
Lawrence: Yup.
Dennis: Cliff, can you get an account set up at the Credit Union for the Provost and District Museum Society?
Cliff: I’ll get on that this week.
Bob: We need to set up a membership policy, I move that lifetime memberships be sold for $20. per person,
Laurie: I second that.
Dennis: Everyone in favor, carried.
Leslie: Maybe we should have a contest to design a logo. The winner would receive a free
membership as well as recognition for creating an acceptable logo. We’ll need one for letterhead, pins etc.
Dennis: Good idea. Now our next executive meeting will be November 30th at my place if that’s good for most of
us. (group nods yes or raises their hands)
Next general meeting will be here at the Provincial Building January 11th.
Joe, will you get a notice in The Provost News about the next general meeting for two weeks before the meeting? (Joe lifts his
hand yes) Thanks Joe.
Laurie: I’ll come up with a design for membership cards for the next executive meeting.
Dennis: OK everyone. I think we’ve come a long way towards birthing a museum. Great job. Keep your thinking caps on and bring your ideas to the next meeting.
Meeting adjourned.
Act 4, Scene 1 takes place at the Provost & District Museum Building Sept. 11, 2007. The meeting is already in progress and the regular business has been addressed. Present are Agnes Whiting, Betty Varty, Colleen Ferry, Ann Angeltvedt, Norris Pahlke, Cathy Hnatuk, Warren Schug, Donna Haggerty. VP Betty chairing the meeting.
Betty: Our grand opening is scheduled for October 19, 2007. We need to discuss the day of the grand opening. Any suggestions?
Agnes: Perhaps we could do a chronology of events that got us to where we are now.
Ann: Sure, We can say that the Museum society was formed in November of 1999, became a member of the Alberta Museum Society in June 2001 and the town deeded the land by the trout pond to the museum in June 2003 and that the Museum obtained their Alberta Societies number in March of 2000 and year end is October 31st of each year.
Cathy: Sean Smith should be acknowledged for drawing up the plans for the main building November 2000, the engineer hired was Peter Miller from Lloydminster and Verna (Hanson) Davis donated a 1974 Chev Malibu Car which was just the beginning of many donations by Verna.
Norris: Yes, and Bill Carter donated the Steinsleigh School in March of 2001 and the Western Ridge School became available as well in April but they weren’t moved on to the museum site until December of 2001.
Colleen: (Excitedly) And the T. Eaton House, the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church and the Bachelor house were all moved by Olmstead and Sons Building Movers of Craigmyle, AB by February 2006. And we should acknowledge the Lutheran church for raising $11,000. towards the moving of the church.
Agnes: (with laughter) Remember Bob put up $1,000. at the April 2001 meeting and challenged the other members to do the same? Doug Hall and Dennis Schug jumped right on that and made the same commitment.
Bob: And we got Provost’s first fire truck, a 1948 Dodge that was in Lamont and they wanted to know if we wanted it back in August 2007.
Doug: (Gets up and pours himself a cup of coffee, dancing his way back to the table) Don’t forget the suitcase dance fund raiser we held in October 2001 with a draw for a trip to Las Vegas and we also did a casino in Red Deer, September of 2005 to raise funds.
Betty: Doug, didn’t the museum purchase the water tower from you and wasn’t Joan Lee’s windmill moved to the museum site in April ’05?
Doug: That’s right.
Lawrence: April of this year we took on the running of the Annual pumpkin raising contest in memory of Dennis Schug. Hey, we could have a plaque with Dennis’ picture on it made acknowledging Dennis as the instigator of the museum and have a reveal at the grand opening.
(Everyone excitedly agreeing and putting forth ideas of what the plaque should read and look like. Fade out.)
Act 5, scene 1 Inside the museum, May 30, 2009 Bob Paulgaard, Betty Varty, Colleen Ferry, Louise Schug, and Agnes Whiting are rehashing the day and events leading up to the Reinventors grand opening.
Betty: Is everyone as tired as I am? (A few nod their head and say yes) But it was a really great day. We had a good turn out of people, antique cars and trucks for the car show and we didn’t do too bad with the sale of hamburgers and hot dogs.
Bob: Good. Remember how this all started. The Partners in Motion television production airs the Re-inventors Matt Hunter and Jeremy MacPherson who dig up original patent designs to build and test inventions from the past were looking for places to display these inventions. Bert Roach, Provost’s Economic development officer came upon the opportunity after talking to a town councilor from Kipling, Sask. After further investigation myself, Kim Larson and Bert Roach approached the Partners in Motion and a five year renewable contract was signed. Approximately 20 exhibits arrived with more to come as space becomes available. The Oct 15, 2008 The Provost News interviewed Ron Goetz and he said “Some of the patents have never been made and some of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions were never tested and we have proved da Vinci was a genius.” He also said, ”Provost would not have been our first choice…but the leaders from Provost were so keen on having this invention; the attitude is so good in the community and helps with our decision to keep the collection together.”
Agnes: I’m looking forward to seeing the 4,000 sq. ft. addition being built this year thanks to the MD of Provost kickstarting the funding with a $50,000 donation.
Colleen: It was really great of the hosts of the Re-inventors to judge the local inventions. Warren Heisler of Cadogan took first place with his exhaust gas recovery system. Maybe we could make this an annual attraction.
Louise: This has been a landmark day for the museum and Provost, and I for one am tired and ready to rest for a day or two but you know we really need to get the bachelor’s house ready for viewing. What are we going to use to preserve the wood floors?
(Everyone gets up and starts moving towards the doors saying their goodbyes)
Dates & Donations of Note:
June 2000 Kinsmen donated $2,000. and commit to help in future financially & in physical labor.
March 2001 Kinsmen donated $2,000.
Lions donated $1,000.
September 2001 Lottery Board approved grant for $4,000.
Doug H donated 6 foot spruce
November 26, 2001 Stainsleigh School moved to Provost museum grounds
December 2001 Suitcase dance made $2,668.
February 2002 Community Lottery Board $6,000.
Raffle $2,188.87
May 2002 Fence installed
Verna Davis donated $5,000.
August 2002 John Rennie donated siding.
March 2003 Verna Davis donated $5,000, 2 dolls and a painting for a raffle.
April 2003 CFEP granted $22,270.
May 2003 Doug Hall donated 24 yards of gravel for entrance.
September 2003 Joan Lee donated windmill
Gertie Bozer donated a cook stove and CPR wagon
December 2003 Received old Bachelor’s House
Enermax $500.
Penn West $300.
April 2004 Fish and Wildlife donated old covered wagon
UFA donated a greenhouse for a raffle.
June 2004 Our Saviour’s Church (Lutheran) voted to move church to museum site and fundraise to help move the church.
August 2004 Water well completed
December 2004 Robert Hahn completed a three dimensional scale model of site.
March 2005 Hon. Gary Mar approved the Town’s request to allocate the Legacy Grant to Bodo and the Museum.($300,000.)
April 2005 Verna Davis donated $3,000.
Lion’s Club donated $2,775.11.
September 2005 Verna Davis donated $1,000.
February 2006 Casino raised $26,648.73
Harley Davidson Motorcycle raffle raised $27,772.31
Purchase of water tower from Doug Hall for $13,000 over time.
Charlie Leachman donated all the work his staff completed.
March 2006 Girl Guides donated picnic tables.
Bench donated in Robert Menzies memory
Provost Glass & Door donated $1,000.
October 2006 1st Annual Pumpkin Fest/Farmer’s Market supper netted $1,097.50
Includes Farmer’s Market (10 am)
Pumpkins on display
Guess the pumpkin weight and 50/50 draw
Pumpkin carving
Face Painting
Silent Auction
December 2006 Fernie donated amount billed for work on Our Saviors Church.
April 2007 Verna Davis donated $3,000.
May 2007 Moved to purchase old fire truck from this area.
June 2007 World War II uniform donated
August 2007 Textbooks and equipment donated by Verna Davis of Edmonton
As well as an organ originally from Ribstone.
September 2007 Doug Page called to help with school set up.
Gravel from Ralph Maull and donation for grader and truck from Bozco
October 19, 2007 GRANDE OPENING
November 2007 Bill will donate his time and Judge Bradley will donate the wood to make a bookcase to preserve books.
Hugh Varty has bench, desk and other items for a CPR corner.
January 8, 2008 Dicks Studio preparing display of quilt.
Oscar Paulgaard Jr. & Bob Paulgaard repairing church.
February 2008 Larson’s donated $1,000. towards blinds for all windows
June 2008 Joyce Trenerry donated several items.
July 2008 Hugh Varty, former telegrapher set up railway display
August 2008 Ken Curtis of Cadogan purchased a cooler for museum
September 2008 Norris Pahlke donated stove.
January 2009 Erik Landmark – old plow, hand drill press
Brian Mattock – elevator scale
Provost IDA – old door, scales, measuring devices, powders, remedies, etc.
Roxie Greenwood – dining room table, chairs and sideboard, typewriter and cutlery.
February 2009 Valentine Social fund raiser.
March 2009 40’ x 100’ addition decided upon for Re-inventor’s display.
April 14 2009 Lions Club donated $5,000.
Executive as at March 9, 2009
President: Bob Paulgaard
V. President: Norris Pahlke
Secretary: Agnes Whiting
Treasurer: Betty Varty
Public Relations Committee: Bert Roach, Cliff Pope
Recording Artifacts Committee: Agnes Whiting, staff members
Fund Raising Committee: All members
Building Committee: Warren Schug, Bob Paulgaard, Norris Pahlke
Grant Committee: Betty Varty, Bert Roach, Agnes Whiting
Signing Authority: Bob Paulgaard, Agnes Whiting, Norris Pahlke, Betty Varty
2010-2012 An addition was built on to the museum to house the Re-inventors items and the continuous flow of donated items.
2011 The Alberta Visitor Information Centre relocated to the museum because the building is wheel chair accessible.2012
Blacksmith Shop converted from a granary donated by Wallis Pfeiffer.
2012 Tractor Pull/ Seniors and Student’s day. Became an annual event. Representation from the Fish and Game, RCMP, Provost Fire Dept., EMT, M.D. Grader, Fortis Alberta, Canadian Armed Forces, Town of Provost Public Works, and Battle River Implements have all been invited to participate and set up displays each year.
Lunch, and a tour of the museum have also been provided.
2014 Cement floors put down in the addition.
Granddaughter of J Brue, first store owner of Foss & Brue in Provost, dropped off memorabilia and history relating to her grandfather and family including pictures of first mercantile in a tent.
2014 Winterlude, an annual event provides horse drawn wagon rides, hot chocolate and cookies (sometimes pie too) and a visit from Santa, Mrs. Santa and elves.
2015 What an amazing year! The ceiling, walls and mezzanines are in place. Clean up after the construction was a huge project for the volunteers that came out and cleaned the main building as well as all the other buildings on the lot. It’s so exciting to see all the displays being set up in ‘Main Street Provost’ which represents many of the businesses that have existed in Provost since it became a town. The majority of the main building has been totally changed and reorganized. If you’ve been there before, come again, it will be like seeing a whole new museum.
Another change is the Travel Alberta Information Centre has been moved back to the teepee on highway 13.
Coffee Times!!! Started in 2015 and is now an annual event at the museum. A homemade, old time sweet treat is served. Towns people, seniors from the Lodge and Health Centre come in the Handi-van and everyone has a lovely time visiting, remembering and of course eating our treat.
WISH LIST FOR THE MUSEUM
Interesting school memories
Old fashioned clothes
Pitcher & basins
Pictures of the old bank
Old service station with pumps
Ice cream parlor
More volunteers
Board walk in front of the existing buildings
[Please note that some creative license
has been used in putting together the following information although the information has been checked for accuracy.]
Act 1, Scene 1 takes place in the PMI (Provost Motor Inn) coffee shop fall of 1999. Already seated and having coffee
are: Dennis Schug, Lawrence Muchowski, Cliff Pope, Cliff Haggerty and arriving on the scene is Doug Hall.
Dennis: “Hey Doug. Come on over here and join us. You’re just the guy to dive in to this discussion we’ve been havin’. Mavis, bring us another cup of coffee for this tired and dusty traveler.”
Doug: Sure, what’s on your minds.
Cliff: Well…(clears his throat) we been kinda throwin’ around the idea of a museum cause we all have heirlooms collecting cobwebs and dust, filling up our outbuildings and basements that tell a story of Provost area and people that’s
just goin’ to get forgotten or thrown away when we’re gone.
Doug: Heck yeh. I’ve got stuff taking up space, don’t want to just chuck it, but don’t know exactly what to do with it.
That’s a good idea but it’s goin’ to take a lot of work, time and money.
Dennis: Yes, but if we get enough people interested, it won’t be so bad. And I know there are local people who would want to get on board.
Lawrence: OK. Where do we start?
Cliff: Talk to the town. See if they are interested and willing to make space available for this kind of thing. Talk to
everyone we know and ask them what they’re willing to do to make it work.
Dennis: We can get some people together at our place to figure out how we can do this. How’s next week sound to you?
Cliff: You know, I got this old ……(scene fades out as they continue discussing a museum).
Act 2, Scene 1 in Dennis & Louise Schug’s basement October 12, 1999. People present are: Dennis & Louise Schug, Doug Hall, Lawrence Muchowski, Cliff Pope, and Lucille Peterson, Ruth Stempfle, Laurie Kobes, Bob Paulgaard. Everyone has said their
greetings and helped themselves to coffee / dessert and settled into their choice of chairs.
Cliff: Thanks everyone for showing interest. We need someone to take notes, Lucille (lifts her pen and paper)– thanks Lucille. If we’re going to make this work, we’re going to need commitment, time, money, energy and most of all creative thinking.
Dennis: We need to set up an executive committee and decide exactly what kind of museum we want, a traveling museum or a local one. Not just a run of the mill type, but one that is unique and draws interest for miles around.
Bob: I think we should contact other museums or government agencies that can tell us what we need to get started and give us information that will help us avoid pitfalls. But also give us a general idea how to do this. There might even be some government grant money we could tap into to get this off the ground.
Ed: We need to put together a mission statement and incorporate. Get The Provost News interested and have a general
meeting with the public invited to take part. This needs to happen soon because Christmas is coming and people will be focusing their thoughts and energies there and before you know it, it will be time for spring planting.
Louise: What types of displays are to be included, location, and what type of facility do we need to house the collections? Hey, maybe we could circulate a survey that will give us ideas for location, facility, fund-raisers and types of historical items.
Doug: We need to decide on a special theme like Drumheller which has bones, Donalda has lamps, Wetaskiwin has automobiles and aircraft while Cardston has carriages.
Lucille: I’ll contact The Provost News.
Dennis: Is November 16, 1999 OK for booking the Provincial Building for our first General Meeting? Good, now let’s put together an agenda.
(Fade out with Lucille writing down agenda items as they are called out.)
Act 3, Scene 1 November 16, 1999 at the Provincial Building meeting room filled with many of the towns people interested in the concept of a Provost Museum.
Dennis: I now call this first meeting for the purpose of creating a Provost Museum to order. I would like to introduce the people who are the catalyst group of this endeavor and welcome Joe Rosich, U of A graduate from the Faculty of History who is going to share some of his knowledge regarding provincial museums. We also acknowledge all of you who have taken time to come out tonight to share your ideas and support.
Joe Rosich: This locality has been inhabited less than a hundred years and as we enter the next millennium, it is an opportune time to zero in on the past. ‘Retro’ is in!
Even the small existing museums need to change in order to keep the public and the tourists interested. The most financially successful museum in Alberta, Rutherford House, generates both income and interest through educational programs and private bookings such as weddings and photo shoots. They operate both a restaurant and a gift shop, plus donations at the door. I cannot stress too strongly that there needs to be some plans in place for ongoing activities that will draw the people to the facility.
Also, your senior citizens are your greatest resource, stay in touch with them and cultivate their memories because they take a wealth of history with them when they are gone.
Dennis: Thank you Joe. Now people, we want you to envision the future museum. Tell us what you think it should entail.
Laurie Kobes: We need a location that is in or near town, perhaps near the highway or across from the senior’s lodge or auction mart, close to population to deter vandalism. The 10 acres near the trout pond with room for expansion and close to utilities would be a good location.
Bob Paulgaard: We could have a multicultural display of all ethnic groups in the area. Perhaps a miniature village with school, church, railway, “Eaton” house, hip roof barn with cemented pads for farm machinery.
Marlene Pope: Yes, and a log house, oil industry artifacts and interactive sites where the following generations can participate in activities that were once done by hand.
Dennis: We also need to come up with some ideas on how to generate funds to support the museum.
Cliff Haggerty: How about a toy and collectible show, maybe a gigantic auction? Some other ways would be to sell memberships, friends of museum purchase a ‘plow-share’ (engraved/gilded) with their name. There’s also donations from municipal/urban governments, corporations, service clubs and private enterprises.
Dennis: Good ideas. Now, what do we envision being in this museum?
Leslie Spees: How about agricultural, household, hospital and school items.
Louise Schug: Possibly we could collect cars, photographs, or business related items.
Marion Kelch: Maybe there could be showings of private collections for a period of time to keep the displays from
becoming stagnant.
Bob Paulgaard: OK. But in talking with people knowledgeable about this sort of thing, they recommend that the items be
donated because the logistics of accepting items on loan can become a real problem.
Lawrence Muchowski: We also need to keep interest in the museum fresh by having special tours, threshing bees, exchange of artifacts, pioneer days, a barn dance, campground, restaurant and visitor centre.
Dennis: Great! Thank you all for your input and we hope to be able to call upon all of you for your participation. Now for the executive positions… We have names for each of the positions but if any of you would like to volunteer, we’ll take it to a vote.
President: Dennis Schug
1st Vice President : Bob Paulgaard
2nd Vice President: Laurie Kobes
Secretary: Marlene Pope
Treasurer: Cliff Hagerty
Directors: Doug Hall
Norbert Holzinger
Cliff Pope
Allan Hauck
Lawrence Muchowski
Joe Bolz
Ed Schaber
Laurie Kobes
Committees:
Building : Grant Stinson
Grant Applications: Lucille Peterson
Fund Raising: Cathy Kayser
Public Relations: Joe Bolz
Marion Kelch
Recording Artifacts: Connie Austin
Leslie Spees
Laurie Kobes
Ruth Stempfle
Dennis: Any contenders? Good. All positions are filled by acclamation. But we still need more volunteers for the Building
Committee, Fundraising Committee, and a Membership Chairman as well as a phoning committee. So spread the word. We also need historical information so that events that occurred over the past decades can be recognized.
Doug Hall: I move that we form a Museum Society.
Grant Stinson: I second that.
Dennis: Everyone agree? (all hands raised) Carried!
Thanks again everyone for coming out and giving your input. Now the entire executive is asked to stay for our first executive
meeting.
(The rest of the audience mills about and leaves talking excitedly about their ideas and expectations while the executive gather into a smaller group around a few tables)
Dennis: All right everyone, we’ve been here quite a while but we have to get the ball rolling on this so we need to set up
some priorities. Marlene, ready to take notes? (she nods yes) Good.
Lawrence, will you approach Fish & Game regarding the land near the trout pond?
Lawrence: Yup.
Dennis: Cliff, can you get an account set up at the Credit Union for the Provost and District Museum Society?
Cliff: I’ll get on that this week.
Bob: We need to set up a membership policy, I move that lifetime memberships be sold for $20. per person,
Laurie: I second that.
Dennis: Everyone in favor, carried.
Leslie: Maybe we should have a contest to design a logo. The winner would receive a free
membership as well as recognition for creating an acceptable logo. We’ll need one for letterhead, pins etc.
Dennis: Good idea. Now our next executive meeting will be November 30th at my place if that’s good for most of
us. (group nods yes or raises their hands)
Next general meeting will be here at the Provincial Building January 11th.
Joe, will you get a notice in The Provost News about the next general meeting for two weeks before the meeting? (Joe lifts his
hand yes) Thanks Joe.
Laurie: I’ll come up with a design for membership cards for the next executive meeting.
Dennis: OK everyone. I think we’ve come a long way towards birthing a museum. Great job. Keep your thinking caps on and bring your ideas to the next meeting.
Meeting adjourned.
Act 4, Scene 1 takes place at the Provost & District Museum Building Sept. 11, 2007. The meeting is already in progress and the regular business has been addressed. Present are Agnes Whiting, Betty Varty, Colleen Ferry, Ann Angeltvedt, Norris Pahlke, Cathy Hnatuk, Warren Schug, Donna Haggerty. VP Betty chairing the meeting.
Betty: Our grand opening is scheduled for October 19, 2007. We need to discuss the day of the grand opening. Any suggestions?
Agnes: Perhaps we could do a chronology of events that got us to where we are now.
Ann: Sure, We can say that the Museum society was formed in November of 1999, became a member of the Alberta Museum Society in June 2001 and the town deeded the land by the trout pond to the museum in June 2003 and that the Museum obtained their Alberta Societies number in March of 2000 and year end is October 31st of each year.
Cathy: Sean Smith should be acknowledged for drawing up the plans for the main building November 2000, the engineer hired was Peter Miller from Lloydminster and Verna (Hanson) Davis donated a 1974 Chev Malibu Car which was just the beginning of many donations by Verna.
Norris: Yes, and Bill Carter donated the Steinsleigh School in March of 2001 and the Western Ridge School became available as well in April but they weren’t moved on to the museum site until December of 2001.
Colleen: (Excitedly) And the T. Eaton House, the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church and the Bachelor house were all moved by Olmstead and Sons Building Movers of Craigmyle, AB by February 2006. And we should acknowledge the Lutheran church for raising $11,000. towards the moving of the church.
Agnes: (with laughter) Remember Bob put up $1,000. at the April 2001 meeting and challenged the other members to do the same? Doug Hall and Dennis Schug jumped right on that and made the same commitment.
Bob: And we got Provost’s first fire truck, a 1948 Dodge that was in Lamont and they wanted to know if we wanted it back in August 2007.
Doug: (Gets up and pours himself a cup of coffee, dancing his way back to the table) Don’t forget the suitcase dance fund raiser we held in October 2001 with a draw for a trip to Las Vegas and we also did a casino in Red Deer, September of 2005 to raise funds.
Betty: Doug, didn’t the museum purchase the water tower from you and wasn’t Joan Lee’s windmill moved to the museum site in April ’05?
Doug: That’s right.
Lawrence: April of this year we took on the running of the Annual pumpkin raising contest in memory of Dennis Schug. Hey, we could have a plaque with Dennis’ picture on it made acknowledging Dennis as the instigator of the museum and have a reveal at the grand opening.
(Everyone excitedly agreeing and putting forth ideas of what the plaque should read and look like. Fade out.)
Act 5, scene 1 Inside the museum, May 30, 2009 Bob Paulgaard, Betty Varty, Colleen Ferry, Louise Schug, and Agnes Whiting are rehashing the day and events leading up to the Reinventors grand opening.
Betty: Is everyone as tired as I am? (A few nod their head and say yes) But it was a really great day. We had a good turn out of people, antique cars and trucks for the car show and we didn’t do too bad with the sale of hamburgers and hot dogs.
Bob: Good. Remember how this all started. The Partners in Motion television production airs the Re-inventors Matt Hunter and Jeremy MacPherson who dig up original patent designs to build and test inventions from the past were looking for places to display these inventions. Bert Roach, Provost’s Economic development officer came upon the opportunity after talking to a town councilor from Kipling, Sask. After further investigation myself, Kim Larson and Bert Roach approached the Partners in Motion and a five year renewable contract was signed. Approximately 20 exhibits arrived with more to come as space becomes available. The Oct 15, 2008 The Provost News interviewed Ron Goetz and he said “Some of the patents have never been made and some of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions were never tested and we have proved da Vinci was a genius.” He also said, ”Provost would not have been our first choice…but the leaders from Provost were so keen on having this invention; the attitude is so good in the community and helps with our decision to keep the collection together.”
Agnes: I’m looking forward to seeing the 4,000 sq. ft. addition being built this year thanks to the MD of Provost kickstarting the funding with a $50,000 donation.
Colleen: It was really great of the hosts of the Re-inventors to judge the local inventions. Warren Heisler of Cadogan took first place with his exhaust gas recovery system. Maybe we could make this an annual attraction.
Louise: This has been a landmark day for the museum and Provost, and I for one am tired and ready to rest for a day or two but you know we really need to get the bachelor’s house ready for viewing. What are we going to use to preserve the wood floors?
(Everyone gets up and starts moving towards the doors saying their goodbyes)
Dates & Donations of Note:
June 2000 Kinsmen donated $2,000. and commit to help in future financially & in physical labor.
March 2001 Kinsmen donated $2,000.
Lions donated $1,000.
September 2001 Lottery Board approved grant for $4,000.
Doug H donated 6 foot spruce
November 26, 2001 Stainsleigh School moved to Provost museum grounds
December 2001 Suitcase dance made $2,668.
February 2002 Community Lottery Board $6,000.
Raffle $2,188.87
May 2002 Fence installed
Verna Davis donated $5,000.
August 2002 John Rennie donated siding.
March 2003 Verna Davis donated $5,000, 2 dolls and a painting for a raffle.
April 2003 CFEP granted $22,270.
May 2003 Doug Hall donated 24 yards of gravel for entrance.
September 2003 Joan Lee donated windmill
Gertie Bozer donated a cook stove and CPR wagon
December 2003 Received old Bachelor’s House
Enermax $500.
Penn West $300.
April 2004 Fish and Wildlife donated old covered wagon
UFA donated a greenhouse for a raffle.
June 2004 Our Saviour’s Church (Lutheran) voted to move church to museum site and fundraise to help move the church.
August 2004 Water well completed
December 2004 Robert Hahn completed a three dimensional scale model of site.
March 2005 Hon. Gary Mar approved the Town’s request to allocate the Legacy Grant to Bodo and the Museum.($300,000.)
April 2005 Verna Davis donated $3,000.
Lion’s Club donated $2,775.11.
September 2005 Verna Davis donated $1,000.
February 2006 Casino raised $26,648.73
Harley Davidson Motorcycle raffle raised $27,772.31
Purchase of water tower from Doug Hall for $13,000 over time.
Charlie Leachman donated all the work his staff completed.
March 2006 Girl Guides donated picnic tables.
Bench donated in Robert Menzies memory
Provost Glass & Door donated $1,000.
October 2006 1st Annual Pumpkin Fest/Farmer’s Market supper netted $1,097.50
Includes Farmer’s Market (10 am)
Pumpkins on display
Guess the pumpkin weight and 50/50 draw
Pumpkin carving
Face Painting
Silent Auction
December 2006 Fernie donated amount billed for work on Our Saviors Church.
April 2007 Verna Davis donated $3,000.
May 2007 Moved to purchase old fire truck from this area.
June 2007 World War II uniform donated
August 2007 Textbooks and equipment donated by Verna Davis of Edmonton
As well as an organ originally from Ribstone.
September 2007 Doug Page called to help with school set up.
Gravel from Ralph Maull and donation for grader and truck from Bozco
October 19, 2007 GRANDE OPENING
November 2007 Bill will donate his time and Judge Bradley will donate the wood to make a bookcase to preserve books.
Hugh Varty has bench, desk and other items for a CPR corner.
January 8, 2008 Dicks Studio preparing display of quilt.
Oscar Paulgaard Jr. & Bob Paulgaard repairing church.
February 2008 Larson’s donated $1,000. towards blinds for all windows
June 2008 Joyce Trenerry donated several items.
July 2008 Hugh Varty, former telegrapher set up railway display
August 2008 Ken Curtis of Cadogan purchased a cooler for museum
September 2008 Norris Pahlke donated stove.
January 2009 Erik Landmark – old plow, hand drill press
Brian Mattock – elevator scale
Provost IDA – old door, scales, measuring devices, powders, remedies, etc.
Roxie Greenwood – dining room table, chairs and sideboard, typewriter and cutlery.
February 2009 Valentine Social fund raiser.
March 2009 40’ x 100’ addition decided upon for Re-inventor’s display.
April 14 2009 Lions Club donated $5,000.
Executive as at March 9, 2009
President: Bob Paulgaard
V. President: Norris Pahlke
Secretary: Agnes Whiting
Treasurer: Betty Varty
Public Relations Committee: Bert Roach, Cliff Pope
Recording Artifacts Committee: Agnes Whiting, staff members
Fund Raising Committee: All members
Building Committee: Warren Schug, Bob Paulgaard, Norris Pahlke
Grant Committee: Betty Varty, Bert Roach, Agnes Whiting
Signing Authority: Bob Paulgaard, Agnes Whiting, Norris Pahlke, Betty Varty
2010-2012 An addition was built on to the museum to house the Re-inventors items and the continuous flow of donated items.
2011 The Alberta Visitor Information Centre relocated to the museum because the building is wheel chair accessible.2012
Blacksmith Shop converted from a granary donated by Wallis Pfeiffer.
2012 Tractor Pull/ Seniors and Student’s day. Became an annual event. Representation from the Fish and Game, RCMP, Provost Fire Dept., EMT, M.D. Grader, Fortis Alberta, Canadian Armed Forces, Town of Provost Public Works, and Battle River Implements have all been invited to participate and set up displays each year.
Lunch, and a tour of the museum have also been provided.
2014 Cement floors put down in the addition.
Granddaughter of J Brue, first store owner of Foss & Brue in Provost, dropped off memorabilia and history relating to her grandfather and family including pictures of first mercantile in a tent.
2014 Winterlude, an annual event provides horse drawn wagon rides, hot chocolate and cookies (sometimes pie too) and a visit from Santa, Mrs. Santa and elves.
2015 What an amazing year! The ceiling, walls and mezzanines are in place. Clean up after the construction was a huge project for the volunteers that came out and cleaned the main building as well as all the other buildings on the lot. It’s so exciting to see all the displays being set up in ‘Main Street Provost’ which represents many of the businesses that have existed in Provost since it became a town. The majority of the main building has been totally changed and reorganized. If you’ve been there before, come again, it will be like seeing a whole new museum.
Another change is the Travel Alberta Information Centre has been moved back to the teepee on highway 13.
Coffee Times!!! Started in 2015 and is now an annual event at the museum. A homemade, old time sweet treat is served. Towns people, seniors from the Lodge and Health Centre come in the Handi-van and everyone has a lovely time visiting, remembering and of course eating our treat.
WISH LIST FOR THE MUSEUM
Interesting school memories
Old fashioned clothes
Pitcher & basins
Pictures of the old bank
Old service station with pumps
Ice cream parlor
More volunteers
Board walk in front of the existing buildings
