Historical Commission

Sterling Heights Historical Commission August 3, 2022 6:00 p.m. Meeting Meeting held at the Upton House Museum Minutes I. Call to Order Meeting was called to order by Bryan Wojciechowski at 6:03 p.m. II. Roll Call Present: Cynthia Appleton, John Connor, Douglas J. Harvey, Geoff Hoerauf, Stanley Ortwein, Bryan Wojciechowski, Tammy Turgeon, Garrett Gaina, Suzanne Hathon Excused: Nicholas Cavalli III. Approval of Agenda Motion to approve the agenda was made by Appleton, supported by Connor. Motion carried. IV. Minutes of June 2, 2022 Motion to approve the minutes of June 2, 2022 was made by Connor, supported by Appleton. Motion carried. V. Communications/Reports/Correspondence A. Written report from Garrett Gaina, PT Librarian – Local History/Archives Visitors in June and July were 33 for our regular tours and open houses and 238 for Sterlingfest. Received donation of additional SH HS memorabilia. Visited potential donor with a time clock from a local mushroom farm. Delivered Upton clothing to Howard Sutcliffe for conservation and retrieved them when completed. Display is now in the family history room in a display case moved from the civic history room. The intern desk was also moved to the civic history room. All posters with QR codes were installed in the parlor for all of the Historical Commission videos that have been created. Reference questions were answered and archive work continued. University of Michigan was contacted and will be providing us with the use of Holcombe Beach images that we can use in a display when the updated Holcombe Beach Michigan Historical Marker is installed. HVAC issues continue in the house. Facilities department has been notified. Contacted historical homes and found a vendor to create a new sign for the front of the museum. Waiting for pricing. VI. Unfinished Business A. Historical Marker Program No requests. B. Upton House Tours – August, September and October Volunteers August 14th – Turgeon and Ortwein September 11th - Harvey and Hoerauf October 9th – Appleton and Connor C. Historical Display Case in Community Center Thanks to Connor for his license plates display. He can remove it at the end of August. Pictures were secured from UofM for Holcombe Beach display. This will be done when the updated Michigan Historical Marker is installed. In the meantime, Gaina will work on a display for September-October that promotes the 2nd floor of the Upton House Museum with the school register on display as well as a poster with the QR code for the second floor tour. Other items can also be displayed from the second floor. Cynthia will work on a display for November-December that promotes Sterling Christmas at the Upton House Museum. D. Gravestone Cleaning Program 14 people attended the program (that was the limit set). It was very successful. Commission would like to hold this event annually in late June / early July on a Saturday. Appleton gave Turgeon the list of supplies needed. Turgeon contacted DPW and they will be able to supply water. E. Holcombe Beach Historical Marker Wording for the marker has been drafted. We are waiting for the state to send it to us for final approval/suggestions. Once that is done then it will be ordered and we will wait for it to arrive and then schedule a ribbon cutting event with UCS.  F. Sterlingfest Very successful event. A few former employees of Parks & Recreation visited the museum and pointed out where their offices used to be. One visitor in a wheelchair used the QR code for the 2nd floor tour. Two books and one DVD were sold. G. Upton House Clothing Restoration Hathon explained the process of the clothing restoration, how she found Mr. Sutcliffe, and how the clothing is now displayed. She thanked the commission for funding this important restoration. The commission thanked her for her hard work on getting this completed. VII. New Business A. Accessions Gaina will contact donor for mushroom farm time clock. Two cast iron pans were received from Harvey. B. Fundraising Wojciechowski provided information about other historic locations and what they provide and charge for photography on site. Commission discussed options for photography during the holidays. It was decided that a family holiday photo session was doable this year and that next year we could do a Santa session. Appleton contacted Millers that they can help us secure flowers to sell. We will have a flower sale fundraiser on the same day as the Plant Exchange. Appleton will schedule a date before the October meeting to have commissioners collect all items that we want to sell at the next Treasure Hunters Market in May and put them in the basement. Commission talked about the wainscoting that will be installed in the kitchen and needing it to be bead board. Commission would also like to get a dry sink and doors for the glass case in the family history room. C. Oral History Project Turgeon presented information provided by Michael Lombardini regarding an oral history project he is undertaking that focuses on politicians. VIII. Communication with Citizens Received a positive google business review for a tour. Received a stagecoach stop reference question that Appleton answered. IX. Adjourn Motion to adjourn was made by Connor at 7:51 p.m., supported by Ortwein. Motion carried. Next meeting: October 6, 2022 at 6pm