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Kudos to the county historical society

Kathy Fimreite

Minot

I would like to recognize and thank the past and present boards of the Ward County Historical Society.

I don’t think many people realize the hard work they have done the last several years. They (and often their families) and volunteers have put in work above and beyond what normally is expected of a group of volunteers.

When the flood hit in 2011, they had the task of rescuing and repairing all of the Pioneer Village buildings. The grounds were in water for quite a while and many items were damaged. Many of the people who worked on projects at the grounds had their own flood issues to deal with too.

Those of you who worked with FEMA know what paperwork was involved — multiply that by several buildings. They managed to recover and, with amazing volunteers, made it into a beautiful sight.

Just when the Village was starting to get on its feet, so to speak, the eviction notice was issued and the board had to regroup it’s priorities and try to fight for the right to stay. This involved lots of hours of meetings and paperwork while still trying to keep the Pioneer Village active and afloat. Once the board decided to accept the last court case decision, then they had to start meeting many, many times to look at land offers/options and find ways to afford a move. The time frame was incredibly short – from last fall to June 15, 2019, to get everything in place and be moved!

I applaud their tenacity and devotion to a great cause. How many people would be able to find the time and energy to do all they have done?

One of their fundraisers was The Great Gatsby Gala last week. It was a fun event that required a lot of work to set up. There were many individuals and businesses who have been so helpful in donating time, money, and offers to help with getting settled. Their work is still continuing since $1 million to $2 million (conservative estimate if you think about it) is needed to reestablish a whole town site in a new location.

Our heritage is an important thing to remember and cherish whether our families have been here for less than 100 years or for thousands. Again, a huge kudos to the Ward County Historical Society Board.

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