Historical Commission Meeting Minutes - June 14, 2023

OPENING:
The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chair Coughlan at 7:15 PM, technical difficulties accessing zoom caused the delay.  Secretary Evans announced that the meetings would no longer be recorded, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Secretary Mark Evans continued with Member Roll Call and introduction of guests.

1. Paul Stephens – Chair (joined after roll call)
2. Dawn Coughlan – Vice Chair/ Liaison to OCHS
3. Mark Evans – Secretary
4. Donna DiPrinzio - Treasurer
5. Patty DeFroscia
6. Tom Parr
7. Lisa Shields
8. Jamie Evans
9. Leah Jennings

Historical Commission Member Attendees: 8 = Quorum (7 in-person, 1 remote)
Historical Commission Members Absent (3):

1. Cathy Callahan – Excused
2. Lorraine Tindaro – NS 

Historical Commission Guests (1):

• Chris Parr

Approval of 5/17/23 Minutes
Vice-Chair Coughlan asked if there were any comments or questions regarding the minutes of our 5/17/23 meeting. Hearing none she asked for a motion to approve the minutes of theMay 17th meeting.
Moved by Tom P
Second by Patty D
Vote called by Vice-Chair Coughlan
Motion passed 9-0
OLD BUSINESS:

1. MEMBERSHIP
   1. Nothing to report. Active membership stands at 11.
2. SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS
   1. SPACKMAN FARM
      1. Mark said he’d cover this under TTVW
   2. MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA
      1. No report
   3. HISTORICAL PRESERVATION
      1. Mark said he is still working on Hx Resource list but has been slowed by TTVW preparations. It’s about to become time sensitive again as the BOC is restarting Zoning meetings.
   4. CALN AT RISK
3. EDGES’ MILL HISTORIC DISTRICT UPDATE
   1. No report
4. SCHOOLHOUSE TOURS
   1. Tom P reported there were 7 guests, including 3 teachers who were fascinated.
5. OCHS LIASON REPORT
   1. Dawn C shared that the OCHS was excited to be a part of the TTVW and she was accumulating a list of volunteers. So far there has been an interest in being tour guides and working the OCHS and Refreshment tables.
   2. The Annual OCHS picnic and meeting will be held at the home of Patty DeFroscia on Sunday July 23rd at 4pm. All members are welcome, please sign up and consider bringing a course for the meal.
6. FINANCE UPDATE
   1. Donna D reported that we continue to have a balance of $771.56 remaining from our $1200.00 annual budget with expenses expected for the TTVW.
7. 2023 TTVW AND STEERING COMMITTEE REPORT
   1. STEERING COMMITTEE REPORT
      1. The Steering Committee met at the farm Saturday June 3rd to get a look inside all of the buildings and to begin the cleanup process. We came away with a priority list.
      2. Friday June 9th, Tom, Chris, and Mark spent some hours working inside the farmhouse.
         1. Great progress was made in the Kitchen and Living Room by removing decades of dirt, soot, and dust. 
         2. Brought down a couple of artifacts from upstairs to use as props: the 1942 mantle clock (which Tom has now cleaned up), and a turn of the century ceiling light fixture with glass globes (which Tom also cleaned up)
      3. Tuesday June 13th, Tom, Chris, Mark, and Jamie worked
         1. Cleared out 1st floor office of contents.
         2. Cleared out LR closet.
         3. Scraped peeling paint and plaster from ceilings and walls.
         4. Hung 2 antique ceiling light fixtures where the melted ceiling fans were in the Dining area and Office.
         5. Painted the wood covering broken windows black and hung exiting valences above.
         6. Dusted and waxed banister and stair rails in LR
         7. Dusted and waxed Mantle in LR
         8. Cleaned interior windows.
         9. Joe Shanley from the County PC came out and shot drone footage of the tour route.
      4. Next workday is scheduled for this Friday the 16th at 10am
         1. Farmhouse plan is to wet mop stairs and first floor, wax all stairs LR and partial stairs off Penrose Porch
         2. Upper Barn plan is to sweep and wet mop floor.
      5. Mark shared an updated TTVW PPT that included up-to-date “after” images 
   2. TRANSPORTATION UPDATE
      1. At their May 25th meeting, the BOC, township manager and Ingleside manager agreed to lend us 6 gold carts to provide accessibility for some of our tour guests. Tom P added we would need 5-6 volunteers to drive them.
      2. Anonymous donors contributed $2100 to rent an air-conditioned Replica Historic Trolley to ferry guests down the hill and back.
   3. PUBLIC WORKS UPDATE
      1. Repaired the rain gutter on the front of the house.
      2. Built the bridge needed to close the gap so tour guests can walk up to the door of the smokehouse/schoolhouse.
      3. Cleared away more overgrowth and killed weeds and poison ivy around the house.
      4. Cleared out the upper barn leaving a fresh pallet for us to play with.
   4. DISCUSSION
      1. In Keeping up with the theme of Time Machine, they discussed using each room on the first floor of the house for a different time period. Using museum stanchions, 5 visitors at a time can be allowed shallow access to enter the Living Room, the Dining Area, and the Penrose Porch? Living Room: Colonial to 1850’s, Dining Area: View of Colonial kitchen and 1930’s and 1950’s Kitchen ware and dining area? Penrose Porch: 1930’s and 1940’s - colonial ceiling close up, using mirrors, visitors will be able to “see” inside the 1930’s office.
      2. Robust list of props to be provided by OCHS and HX Com members: dress Forms, kitchen tools, farming tools, etc.
   5. SCRIPT, CASTING, LOGISTICS, VOLUNTEERS
      1. Lisa Shields reported she had a rough draft of Thomas Spackman’s script and read it to the group who were blown away.
      2. Mark reported there will be 6 speaking roles, only 1 of which was cast. There will also be 3 non-speaking roles, and multiple non-featured background cast of all ages and time periods, sprinkled around farm.
      3. Paul S led a thorough and spirited discussion revolving around the economics of the farm family during each period portrayed. That early-mid 19th century growth of railroads and better transportation led to more prosperity, and the civil war created a boon time for farms that could produce goods for the war effort. He discussed what crops were probably grown, what was produced for market and what was for self-consumption. Same with the livestock. They were also producing leather and due to the sawmill suggests they were also providing wood. Paul stated that Spackman-Davis Farm with its barn, smokehouse, springhouse, and farmhouse is a fairly complete example – basically what was needed for a working farm.   

 
NEW BUSINESS:
There was no new business.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS:
There was no new business.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Stephens asked for a motion to adjourn.
Moved by Mark E
Second by Donna D
Vote called by Chair Stephens
Motion passed 9-0
Meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM
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