- Thank you to all our donors and fund raiser workers for making the restoration of the Lodge Hall exterior possible! This was the year’s big project and supported totally by private donations and fund raisers. It was an awesome accomplishment. Rotted wood was repaired and vinyl siding installed with new windows and doors. The historical components were maintained as much as possible on the north face which included historical restoration of those windows. Gutters and downspouts were added and landscaping improved on the south and west sides. “The Restyling Specialists,” “Wadsworth Construction,” and “Brandel Landscaping” were the contractors for the project. Insulation was also added to the Lodge Hall attic in December. This work was completed by “House to Home Remodeling.”
- Thank you to our donors and to the “Clayton County Foundation for the Future” and “Aureon” for grants received toward the “Lighting Up History” project. This entailed changing out the remaining old light fixtures and bulbs at the brick museum with new LEDs. “B&M Electric” completed the project. The basement at the museum is noticeably brighter as a result!
- Thank you to the “Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation” for the grant of $10,000 towards “Improving the Museum Environment.” This project will include an update to the heating system at the museum and the addition of air conditioning. “Meyer Mechanical” began work on this project in December. Matching funds are being provided from 50% of the redemption receipts from the nickel cans/bottles collected by the car wash.
- Digitization of all the available Garnavillo area historical newspaper issues was finally completed by “The Advantage Companies” and a link to these newspapers is available on the Society’s website “research” page along with links to other communities’ historical newspapers.
- Digitization of historical photographs on the “Iowa Heritage Digital Collections” website continues with help from the Garnavillo Public Library.
- New exhibits this year at the museum included: the 1902 Crestmobile, a new Civil War exhibit, and access to the community clippings scrapbooks of Edna Dickman and Louise Meyer (over 60 years’ worth).
- The Berns Texaco Softball exhibit is currently on display at the New York Life office. We look forward to moving this exhibit to Historical Society property during 2019. Thank you to L’Dean Berns and his family.
- “Iowa Website Design” completed a major face lift to the Historical Society’s web site page.
Thank you to all our contractors, donors and workers who made these projects possible!