Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society celebrates 10th anniversary, continues work toward new museum project

by Brianne Grimstad

The Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society (HFAHS) celebrated its 10th anniversary Saturday, November 4 with an event held at the Ethel Robinson Meehan Community Center in Harpers Ferry. Guests at the celebration heard from two speakers, Effigy Mounds National Monument Superintendent Susan Snow and Maiden Voyage Tours, LLC Captain and Harpers Ferry resident Robert Vavra.

“Preserving this history is preserving my history,” Vavra noted. His riverboat tours cover many topics and he is well-versed in Mississippi River history, as he has relied on the river to make a living, including spending time as a clammer and a diver for mussels to be used in the cultured pearl industry.

Live music was performed at the November 4 celebration by John Stravers following the presentations. A sample of some of the donated artifacts with ties to the Harpers Ferry area were also on display.

HFAHS BEGINNINGS
The HFAHS was incorporated in 2013 as a 501(c)(3) organization, and has a tax-exempt status. Surveys had been sent out to residents of the Harpers Ferry area, and it was determined that there needed to be some way to preserve the history, culture and lore of that community. The resulting HFAHS group that was formed now has a president, a vice president, secretary, treasurer and board of directors, and the group holds monthly meetings. HFAHS funds its projects through donations of time and money, as well as grant writing.

The group has held events like cemetery walks, Kids’ Day activities and setting up artifact displays at local family gatherings. The HFAHS also plans to host a tour of homes in Harpers Ferry June 9 of next year. The organization also maintains an online presence through its Facebook page and a recently launched website, www.harpersferryheritage.org.

HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS
Through the survey and word of mouth, there were many people who shared that they wanted to donate items of historical significance to the Harpers Ferry area, but the group had no dedicated facility to store such items.

“Things (artifacts) show up all the time,” board member Karen Soper noted. “Some of these things are really precious and need to be preserved.”

She explained that they have held History Days, where people could bring in artifacts related to the history of the area and be interviewed for preservation of oral histories. With donations of artifacts coming in and information being shared through interviews, HFAHS began to look in earnest for a facility where these items could be displayed and properly preserved. The group obtained property formerly owned by the Martelle family in 2015 and the area was named the Martelle Heritage Park, located at the corner of Vine Street and North 2nd Street in Harpers Ferry, adjacent to Tillinghast Park.

Other Harpers Ferry non-profit groups have been involved with projects, as well as the Harpers Ferry City Council and the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors. Theresa Gallagher, who became involved with the project as a grant coordinator for one of several grants the group has received, says she is extremely proud of the direction things are going. She was part of the early visioning process with HFAHS.

Gallagher is originally from Waukon, and said she was hired for the project because she wasn’t from Harpers Ferry and could be objective with her views. “I am very grateful for the time I spent with them (working with HFAHS) and my heart beats in gratitude for them to be carrying on,” she said.

Though she is now retired and living in Dubuque, Gallagher says members of the group keep her informed on what they are doing. In addition to being the grant coordinator, Gallagher also spent some time working as a volunteer on projects, including Oil Springs School, which was an undertaking in itself for the group.

OIL SPRINGS SCHOOL
In 2016, Steve and Shirley Hawes gifted to the HFAHS the Oil Springs School, a one-room school house that was formerly located just north of town near the location of Mohn’s Fish Market, and an outhouse to go with it. The buildings were moved to the Martelle Heritage Park late in 2016, and restoration work began. The school was opened to the public in 2018. All of the items in the Oil Springs School are donated artifacts, many of which were used by Harpers Ferry area residents who attended the school themselves or had relatives that did. The school has proven to be a popular destination.

Soper noted that there are a lot of younger people and kids, ages 6-15, who will visit the school and be amazed. “We have some that will come back several times when visiting in the summer,” she noted.

While the school provides a way to display some of the donations HFAHS has received, even more space was needed. The Martelle Heritage Park is an area that provides ample space for such additional buildings.

MUSEUM PLANS
There have been plans for a museum in Harpers Ferry since 2014, but after looking at several locations in town, there really wasn’t anything that fit the need, so HFAHS decided one would have to be built. To help in the planning process, members have visited museums, historical facilities and attended conferences.

As the group began to look at plans for a proposed 9,000 square foot facility, COVID happened and slowed the process considerably. The group wasn’t able to meet and the cost of materials sky-rocketed. The building being proposed is  a 60-foot by 120-foot structure that will also feature a wrap-around porch, with the front of the building being designed to replicate the former Harper Hotel.

There will be a viewing window, with plans to display ice harvesting equipment year-round. There will also be various displays featuring the history of local groups, organizations, churches, Emma Big Bear, and other local history. The museum will also feature a research room if visitors want to do some family history research. Funding for the project comes from donations, grants, and fundraising events like shirt sales, a basket auction and bake sales.

“Right now, the museum is a big focus,” said HFAHS President Jane Hasek. “We have so many items in storage that need to be out where people can see them and have access to them.”

The group is continuing to conduct its capital campaign for the museum, thus far having secured pledges of $250,000 of the $800,000 price tag for the project, and will continue to pursue grant money. Hasek noted that the cost of materials continues to be volatile and some things are not readily available. The plan is to break ground in 2024, with hopes of completion by 2026.

For more information on the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society, to donate to the museum capital campaign, or to become a member, visit the group’s Facebook page or website. Donations can also be mailed to Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society, P.O. Box 224, Harpers Ferry, Iowa 52146.