Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society breaks ground on new museum
Left to right: Thomas “Tom” Clark, HFAHS Treasurer; Jane Regan, HFAHS Vice President; Dan Byrnes, Chair of Allamakee County Supervisors; Chad Kelly, Kelly Concrete (one of the project contractors); Betty Steege, HFAHS Secretary; Jane Hasek, HFAHS President; Tom Diggins, City of Harpers Ferry Mayor Pro-Tem; Marlys Martelle, member of the Martelle family that made land available for the museum. Photo by Brianne Grimstad.
Left to right: Fr. Donald Hawes, Wexford area; Shawn Delaney, Project Donor; Deborah Schroeder, Project Donor. Photo by Brianne Grimstad.
Pictured above are members of the Martelle family who attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Harpers Ferry Museum. The Martelle family made the land available upon which to build the Harpers Ferry Museum. Left to right - In front of sign: Vada Bunderson; Middle row: Chelsey Bunderson, Jessica Thompson, Marlys Martelle, Chris Martelle, Mike Thompson, Jordan Thompson holding Nora Thompson, Sydney Thompson; Back row: Eric Bunderson, Austin Zane, David Martelle, Evan Thompson. Photo by Brianne Grimstad.
Norm Delphey, HFAHS Board Member Emeritus; Marita Clark, HFAHS Board Member; Betty Palmer, Historian; Brandon Brockway, Committee Member; Sally Yuhouse, Historian; Karen Soper, HFAHS Board Member; James “Jim” Olson, HFAHS Board Member. Photo by Brianne Grimstad.
Left to right: Sister Theresa Gallagher, member of Visioning Board; Roger Ellefson, member of Building Committee; Dave Cota, Chief of Harpers Ferry Fire Department; Sheila Diggins, Alumni representative; Karyla McCune, President of Harpers Ferry American Legion Auxiliary Unit #722; Bill Nation, Harpers Ferry American Legion Unit #722; Ruth Ann Cordova, Harpers Ferry Boosters, Inc President. Photo by Brianne Grimstad.
by Brianne Grimstad
Saturday morning, October 19 the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society (HFAHS), along with representatives from the City of Harpers Ferry, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors, members of the Martelle family, project contractors and multiple groups and organizations from the Harpers Ferry area, joined together to celebrate breaking ground for the Harpers Ferry Museum in the Martelle Heritage Park, with many of those gathered pictured in the photos accompanying this article.
“This is a big milestone for us,” HFAHS President Jane Hasek noted.
This event marks the culmination of Phase 1 of the project. Plans are to have the footings and foundations for the museum building poured this fall, with the floor finished up next spring. Phase 2 will be the building process and exhibits.
The proposed structure is a 9,000 square foot building featuring a wrap-around porch to resemble the original Harper House built in the late 1880s by David Harper, after whom the town of Harpers Ferry is named. The building will house exhibits on local groups, organizations and other local history, as well as artifacts pertaining to the history of the Harpers Ferry area. There will also be a research room for visitors who want to do some family history research.
Fundraising for the museum continues with the group’s capital campaign, with hopes of completion of the project by 2026. For more information on the project or to donate, visit the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society website at https://www.harpersferryheritage.org/ or the group’s Facebook page.
Donations can also be mailed to Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society, P.O. Box 224, Harpers Ferry, Iowa 52146.
