In this week’s update: ADA sidewalk under construction, 58% used on Pavilion repairs grant, Atlas Obscura article, and more!
In our weekly update, keep up to date on what staff and volunteers at the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum are working on to lift up the history of Lindsborg and the surrounding region. This weekly update both looks back at what happened last week and looks ahead at what’s coming.
For October 21-27, 2024:
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- Power Construction has started work on creating an ADA compliant sidewalk up to the main entrance of the museum! This is a great step toward ensuring everyone can access the museum without barriers. This addition is being paid for with funds from the SPRINT Grant the museum received from Kansas Commerce.
- We are at 58% on fundraising commitments under the Community Service Program (CSP) Tax Credits through the Kansas Department of Commerce. Read about all the latest here and let us know how much you are interested in contributing: www.oldmillmillmuseum.org/save-the-pavilion!
We’ve had 35 individuals, families, and businesses commit to contribute to this progress to the tune of $138,634.25. We need about another $24,000 before the funding for the essential structural repair is secured.
This is a great time of year to consider making a donation under the program as the end of the calendar tax year approaches!
Any Kansas resident (or out-of-state resident who files a Kansas income tax return) can qualify to receive back a 70% fully refundable tax credit on their Kansas return with a donation of $250 or more to the project! The available tax credits will be used to enhance fundraising efforts for the Pavilion Restoration & Improvement Project. The credits are expected to raise $238,000 in donations, which will fully cover critical stabilization repairs to prevent collapse of the historic structure and will partially cover installation of a new, more historically accurate roof.
- The 1904 World’s Fair Swedish Pavilion now has an article on the popular travel site Atlas Obscura! Go check it out here!
- We now have two new “Let It Rise” bread mix flavors available in the online gift shop – Italian and pumpkin!
- “Old Family Photos: Trash or Treasure?” is an hourlong online presentation on photo identification and preservation planned for THIS Saturday, November 2. Registration is $10 or FREE with code for museum members (check your email). Register at the online museum gift shop HERE.
- The Swedish Genealogy Workshop last Saturday was held last Saturday with 25 people registered.
- The next presentation in the Historical Speaker Series will be Saturday, November 9 on the topic of Swedish Churches of Southern Saline County and registration for the FREE presentation is open now at www.oldmillmuseum.org/historical-speaker-series/#Churches.
The Historic Speaker Series is a set of online talks in partnership with the Smoky Valley Historical Association featuring great historical figures in Lindsborg and Smoky Valley History.
Registration is completely FREE to the first 100 to sign up and is made possible with a grant from Humanities Kansas.
- The next museum newsletter has been printed and will be coming to member mailboxes soon!
- Adam processed online gift shop orders and new and renewing memberships. Total current active membership is 166.
- Staff made edits to the digital files of the Old Mill history book in process, working toward publication.
- Last Monday, staff gave a museum tour to about 50 7th and 8th graders from St. Thomas Wichita School.
- Lenora helped a couple from Arkansas research great and great-great grandparents lived.
- Lenora contacted the McPherson Library about transfer of some archival materials related to McPherson. She also worked through video and audio cassettes in the museum collection with the intention of looking into grants for digitizing them.
- NOW OPEN: “Skeleton-Of-Dog… Selected Geology & Natural History Artifacts from the Bethany College Collection Archives” is a temporary mini-exhibit at the museum featuring some unique artifacts not seen in public for decades!
- Our Endowment Campaign 2025 is ongoing to add $1 million to our endowment in supporting our annual operational budget to make sure that not only do we preserve these historical treasures, but we can also “keep the lights on.” Read more on the flyer and giving form below, or visit to www.oldmillmuseum.org/donations to learn more!
- Power Construction has started work on creating an ADA compliant sidewalk up to the main entrance of the museum! This is a great step toward ensuring everyone can access the museum without barriers. This addition is being paid for with funds from the SPRINT Grant the museum received from Kansas Commerce.
Thank you to our museum volunteers!