MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Paper Discovery Center
CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIRPERSON TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 74
BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Mark & Karen Moderson, Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Linda Muldoon, Laura Leimer, Brian Schneider, Dave Buss.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
•SEPTEMBER 21ST MEETING. Janice Krahn, Corporate Archivist and Historian for Thrivent Financial – the History of the Aid Association for Lutherans.
•OCTOBER 19TH MEETING. Cindy Czarnik, Appleton’s Bellaire Ct. neighborhood.
•NOVEMBER 16 Emily Gilbert of The Appleton Public Library will discuss the history of the library
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
•Officers and Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Jack Voight
E. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
F. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
G. David Buss, Research Specialist
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. AHS Board Member Dave Buss coauthored a recently published article in the valley Boomer’s Magazine on the Historic Outagamie Speedway.
B. Encouraged all those attending to take in the World Fairs Exhibit being shown at the Hearthstone Historic Home.
C. Sutter has arranged for us to do a second Christmas At Conkeys event on November 22, 2011. Volunteers needed.
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT:
A. She brought special attention to the exhibit of Fox River pictures currently displayed on the walls of the Paper Discovery Center’s lower level.
B. Alerted the audience of the City Park Neighborhood’s “Neighborhood Walk” planned for 11/19/11.
C. Reports that the Paper Discovery Center sponsored Celebrate the Fox Event held in July had a total attendance of over 500.
UPCOMING HISTORY FAIRS:
Jim Richter, History Fair Chairman, advises that the AHS Board has agreed to proceed with two History Fairs in the coming Appleton Downtown Winter Farm Market season. Richter is working with Djuanna Hugdahl of ADI to register both a fall date and a spring date.
REMINDER TO CHECK THE AHS WEBSITE REGULARLY:
To reach our Web Site go to www.appletonhistory.org
PROGRAM SPEAKER – Anne Biebel and Harlan Kiesow - History of Appleton’s locks, dams and canals
•Anne Biebel’s Background:
ABachelor of Arts from University of Minnesota.
BSettled in Madison after receiving an Advanced Degree in Architectural History.
C2006-2007 was contracted to do a local rehab study of the Fox River System.
•Harlan Kiesow’s Background:
A. Hired in 2005 to serve as CEO of the Fox River Navigation System Authority.
B. Responsibilities included restoring the Fox Locks and helping develop economic opportunities on water front.
C. Their mission goals are “rehab, repair and replace”.
•Biebel’s Observations:
A. Showed us video’s of the historic Fox Locks, maps and reconstruction projects underway.
B. Kiesow also gave us a short course on “How does a Lock work?” and “Why does the Fox River System matter?”
C. We learned that the Fox System covers 79 miles, and from it’s beginning to it’s end there is 168 feet of elevation change. It consists of 17 locks and 2 guard locks.
D. The Fox system was a very important trade corridor.
E. The waterways, locks and dams stimulated much of business development and trade in Eastern Wisconsin.
F. Memories of the locks were preserved in a series of paintings done by Brooks and Stevenson.
G. The Fox Locks was an active water way until the mid – 1950’s. The system’s last operation was in 1988.
•Kiesow’s Observations:
A. Pointed out their web site is www.FoxRiverLocks.org
B. For Executive Reports on the Fox locks see www.cornerstonepreservation.com
C. It’s interesting to note that in 1941 the Fox System was benchmarked for recon-
struction, but not much was accomplished. The system was certainly in favor at the time and the time has been referred to as the Period of Signifance.
D. Explained a great deal about the locks renovation process:
1. They used a design/build construction process.
2. Federal Funding has been their source of revenue to date.
3. Design phase included “Documentation and Preservation Planning.
4. Reconstruction is underway to do 19 locks at basically one per year.
5. Reconstruction consists of repairs, replication and replacement.
6. Looking at restoring the local Lock Keeper Houses as features of a complete locks restoration.
7. It was found that much of the stone used in the locks and races was from the terrain in the area.
8. Locks are 32 feet wide so they can facilitate the use of just about any boat traffic. In studying this they found they could charge a $6.00 fee for small boats and a $12.00 fee for large boats which would offset costs.
9. They are targeting a full locks in operation deadline of 2015.
10. At this point the barrier at Wrightstown is being retained – they are looking at the possibility of installing a boat lift to get from the river into Green Bay.
•Appleton will benefit from a reconstructed Fox System by:
A. Unique cultural tourism.
B. Correcting environmental damage.
C. Economic development and improvement.
D. Recreational use will be stimulated.
•The Fox System is part of the Fox Wisconsin Heritage Parkway:
A. Some years ago Representative David Prosser and Governor Tommy Thompson were forces in getting state control and funding for the Parkway.
B. The Feds had targeted costs of $11.8 Million to evacuate the locks system. It was estimated that for about $12 Million more the system could be restored instead.
C. A 30 year Financial Plan was established.
D. They are having a promotional event on September 24. You can canoe or kayak from Lutz Drive to Sunset Park and in the process go through all four Appleton locks.
SITE CHOSEN FOR THIS MEETING:
Due to the subject matter being the History of Appleton’s Locks and Dams, and an expected high turnout of members and guests, we chose the lower level of the Paper Discovery Center for our August 17th meeting. This proved to be a huge success, although acoustics were a problem at times. Atlas Coffee Mill still provided beverages and pastries. This was also the first public meeting we had videotaped so we have a permanent record.
Respectfully, James L. Richter AHS Secretary 9/16/11