March 3, 2004

Welcome to the first “Notes from the President”.  This is where you can find the latest news about our Web site. This is also the place to find the latest news about Pine Creek Mill, Melpine School and the Muscatine area Buckskinners.  

Web Site Developments

Ethel Coffman and her staff at Pinecreek Studio have been busy improving our site.   Check out these improvements.

New links to other Web sites: 

• “Nye Family of America’s”

• A list of people known to be buried in the Nye cemetery near the mill

• New Mill City Museum in Minneapolis.

The Friends Newsletter is available.  This includes minutes of our meetings.

Photos of the 2003 Heritage Day, Old Mill Run car show, and Antique Tractor Show/ Old Time Music Fest

Photos of Melpine country school

Photos from the 2000 photo contest 

The “Traveling Miller” has been created. It is a way for mill fans to tell the world about mills they have visited.

Some information has been moved or rearranged.

Some Web site additions to look for in the future:

Photos and information about restoration of Pine Creek Mill.
Photos of Buckskinners’ events at Wildcat Den State Park.

Friends of the Mill plans for 2004

Friends has an ambitious agenda for 2004.   Some of them are described here.  Details will be available in our newsletter, which will be available soon.

Conversation with DNR staff

Friends of the Mill, Friends of Melpine and DNR staff met March 2^nd to share information and talk about the future.  The Buckskinners were also represented.  We had a very productive meeting with lots of issues discussed and actions planned. DNR support continues to amaze us. In addition to Wildcat Den staff, DNR was represented by regional supervisor TimYancey.  The Des Moines office was represented by Conservation Recreation Planner Angela Corio and Bureau Chief Kevin Szcodronski. 

Long range plan

A 5 year plan was developed last year.  It needs to be revisited and updated. 

Interpretive Program

We have huge plans for 2004.  We are planning an aggressive program of school tours.

We are making plans to be open for more hours. We are planning a program of educational activities for children and families for some Sunday afternoons.

To implement our plans we have applied for a $24,000 grant from the Roy J. Carver Trust.  These plans are so important that we have decided to proceed with them using our own severely limited resources in case the Carver Trust is not able to help us. Here is a summary of the grant request.

PROPOSAL:  We propose to create a program of educational activities to provide children and their families with an educational, fun and affordable way to spend the day and develop an appreciation for the Mill, for the people who used it, and for the role it played in Eastern Iowa’s history.  The program includes 4 components: 

1. Invite school classes located within 30 miles of Muscatine to tour the Mill and the adjacent Melpine one-room schoolhouse.  Students would see the mill in operation, grind their own grain and bake it.   

2. Offer child and family oriented educational activities on Sunday afternoons from May through October.  Examples might include activities such as old time food, nature photography, and the country school experience.

3. Encourage summer reading as a family activity.  The plan is to ask families to bring their blankets and Friends will supply books for them to read together. 

4. Continue and expand hours the Mill and School are open to the public.

Funding will be used in a variety of ways including:   

• Interpreters in the Mill and Melpine School for class visits

• Interpreters to open the Mill to the general public from May - October

• Interpreters to increase the hours Melpine School is open

• Advertising

• Design and print fliers to promote the Mill, School, and program activities

• Costs of maintaining our Web site

Mill restoration

A number of projects are planned by our skilled volunteers.  Some projects are more than we can handle.  The DNR has agreed to fund replacement of the cedar roof.  Bids are being received from contractors.  This could well cost $15,000-$20,000.  Friends owes DNR a big THANKS. 

Volunteer and Visitor Safety

A risk management consultant visited the Mill recently. We are making good progress toward meeting her suggestions. 

“Interpretive Center” designation by the Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission

Thanks to our friend John Oberhaus, Friends will shortly be applying to the Commission for recognition as an Interpretive Center.  John is on their Board of Directors.  The Commission is part of the Great River Road program which promotes tourism along the Mississippi River watershed from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.  If accepted, we will join a group of 50-some sites that have been recognized along the Mississippi.  

Being accepted as a center is of vital importance.  We would be eligible for informational signs on highways.  We would be placed on the Parkway Commission’s Web site and on their road map of the Mississippi.  We would be eligible to apply for National Scenic Byways funding.  This could be a major funding source for things such as interpretation and construction.

Photo display

Friends member Haven Noble is working on a display of old photos of the mill and the millers’ families.  They will be enlarged and displayed in the Mill. If you have old photos of the mill or the millers’ families, please let Haven know.  His phone number is 319-986-6843.

Computer kiosks

Several used computers have been donated. They will be used to create PowerPoint slide shows.  The first project will be a chronological display of old mill photos.  Other ideas may include how the mill worked, mill restoration, and Melpine School.

Multimedia programs

Friends members Dan Baldwin and Becky Evans have agreed to write scripts for presentations to tell visitors about Ben Nye, how the mill works, and the importance of mills to early Iowa.