KENTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
KCHS BOARD MEETING of April 23, 2024
Motions: Terry Averbeck moved, Bob Rich seconded, that the minutes from the previous meeting on March 26 be approved. Motion passed. John Boh moved, Bob seconded, to approve the Treasurer’s report. Motion passed.
Vice-president Lietzenmayer, in the Chair, read the list of Calendar items:
Behringer Crawford Museum History Hour - every other Tuesday (with exceptions) at 6:30.
History Organizations Collaboration Meeting – Thursday, April 25, at BCM, 6:00 – 8:00.
History Day - May 4, 2024 (Derby Day).
Next board meeting – June 25, 2024.
Database - It was reported that President Weber has recently scanned old Bulletins on to the KCHS website.
Bulletin - Mailing envelopes will be printed on Wednesday. Printing and mailing the May-June Bulletin will soon follow. [Editor’s Note: printing was done on April 29, 2024. The color content did not print, probably because of a toner issue.]
Northern Kentucky Heritage - Editor Elaine Kuhn is waiting for one article. She passed around books inviting volunteers to review them.
Email Blasts & Social Media - A portion of board minutes are e-blasted monthly. Elaine might ask Arnold about also publicizing History Day. [Your Editor faithfully does. See below.]
Website - It was reported that some updating is still needed.
Old Business -Carneal House Historic Highway Marker: The application has been accepted. Pending are the steps toward installation of the marker with revised text.
Duveneck House - Paul Tenkotte thanked Vice-president Lietzenmayer for contact information. A group has formed that includes Covington preservation officer Kaitlin Bryan. (It will meet April 24.) Seeking satellite display space for art collection pieces, BCM Executive Director Laurie Risch wants to attend. The house’s structural foundation needs stabilization, the house restored, and, for a public venue, an elevator installed. A display of period furniture would be attractive, but the Duveneck family’s interior was probably mostly functional. The city has grant money and legal action might promote re-adaptive use. There is concern about the future of the old C. & O. Railroad Round House.
Student writing contest - Jean Collins is taking charge of the KCHS writing contest for the next school year. She proposes having high school students each compare the life of a Kentucky native with a living Kentuckian. They could be politicians, civic leaders, writers, sports figures, etc. She is compiling a list of interesting Kentucky natives. She proposes mailing invitations to high school English departments whose teachers would offer them to students eligible in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. She suggests recruiting English teachers for judging the student essays. Last year’s prizes of $500, $300, and $100 should attract contestants. Prize money donors could be sought. She will create guidelines for research and a format for the essays. Jean promised handouts at the next board meeting outlining her plans.
History Organizations Collaboration Meeting (April 25) - Beverages and finger food will be served. Over 50 people have been confirmed to attend.
ORVILLE Project - The website should be set up by the end of May. Ten partnering institutions have been confirmed from Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. An IMLS grant for digitalization is not available. Therefore, ORVILLE will apply for a private foundation grant. Digitalization of documents about Ohio River History is of the highest priority.
HISTORY DAY (May 4th) - Elaine handed out a colored flyer with a schedule of programs; with the floor layout on the back side; a 3-page description of presentations; and 2 ½ pages of speakers’ biographies. The letter inviting vendors has requested door prizes from each. Early-on patrons would be invited to take one. People are needed at the check-in tables and Elaine asked for volunteers to introduce speakers. [REMEMBER, ATTENDANCE IS FREE!]
New Business - Elaine reported that the library has recently scanned and indexed blueprints from the Cincinnati Architectural Iron Works which specialized in the construction of churches.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Our next meeting will be in June, since our Regional History Day was at the beginning of May.
BEHRINGER CRAWFORD MUSEUM
The Behringer Crawford Museum will be closed from now until February 12 for yearly maintenance and cleaning. They are still offering a wide variety of virtual programs and their bi-weekly History Hours that you can sign up for online.
Behringer Crawford Museum is also collecting stories about the Pandemic from people all over Northern Kentucky creating a documentary of life in the Pandemic. If you would like to add some of your personal stories please go to the website: https://www.bcmuseum.org/2-uncategorised/258-behind-the-mask