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Grant to Pioneer Village will repair roofs
Touring hours have ended for the season, but there’s still plenty of activity taking place at Kenmare’s Pioneer Village this fall, thanks in large part to a $14,325 grant from the North Dakota State Historical Society.
11/04/09 (Wed)
Touring hours have ended for the season, but there’s still plenty of activity taking place at Kenmare’s
According to Bryan Quigley, president of the Lake County Historical Society, the organization received notification about the grant on October 12th, with a dollar-for-dollar match needed. “Kenmare Veteran’s Club provided a $5,000 grant as part of the required match,” said Quigley. “Their consistent support of the
The remaining local match will be secured during the spring and summer of 2010, with the Lake County Historical Society board committing the funds they will raise before and during the next Pioneer Day festivities and raffle. The fifth annual Pioneer Day has been scheduled for July 11, 2010.
A portion of the grant from the ND State Historical Society has been applied toward costs to replace roofs on the Niobe Hall and the Bintz House. MNM Construction of Bowbells has been contracted to install the roofs, with work started during the past few weeks.
More of the grant funds will be used in the spring to fund house movers to jack up the Niobe Hall and Bintz House and relocate them temporarily while new cement foundations are poured for both buildings. “Once the new foundations are in place, the buildings will be moved back on and the boardwalk re-installed,” said Quigley, adding that the work was considered necessary to preserve the structures.
The final aspect of the project involves the installation of rain gutters on both buildings. “The contracts for the foundation work, moving and rain gutters have not yet been finalized,” Quigley said.
In the meantime, the Bintz House and its exhibits are undergoing an interior renovation, funded by a donation from the Bintz family and a portion of the more than $10,000 raised during the 2009 Pioneer Day event and raffle.
Plaster throughout the house needed to be replaced by sheetrock, with the original trim saved and re-installed. Two bedrooms upstairs in the home are near completion, and work should take place on the main floor during the rest of the fall and into the winter.
Barry Christensen of Kenmare had been hired for the renovation project. “Barry has been good to the Village in many ways,” said Quigley. “He mixes in volunteer help with some paid labor at times.”
More information about these projects and other plans for
The Lake County Historical Society is also planning a float to celebrate the pioneer spirit for Kenmare’s Light-Up Night parade scheduled for November 27th.
Persons interested in helping create or design the float, assisting with any projects at
Niobe Hall, now an exhibit center at Pioneer Village in Kenmare.