Greetings!

Summer will be upon us soon and KVHS has whole list of things coming up. First, I’d like to announce that KVHS will be holding its annual meeting Sunday, June 22nd at 1:00 pm at the Kouts Fire Station. We will be electing members to the Board of KVHS and discussing this years activities, past and future.

I know many of you are interested in Dr. Mark Schurr’s University of Notre Dame archeological field school being held at our Collier Lodge this year. For those who aren’t aware of the field school or what it is, go to: The planned dates are June 12 & 13 with the 16 & 17 as rain dates. Dr. Schurr called me Friday and told me they may even come out Monday the 2nd for a training class. Depending on the field school results, the class may return later for further investigations. The class is open to the public for observation and Mark told me that he and the class are very willing to explain what they are doing and answer any questions. There is a limited amount of room at the Collier Lodge site and there are no rest room facilities. Parking is also limited and we want to be good neighbors with the local residents, so everyone needs to be respectful of the Collier Lodge’s neighbor’s property and privacy. Please, keep in mind these limitations before you come out.

In February I received a call from John Garcia of Wheatfield. John offered some material from a building he’s tearing down that’s of the same time period as the lodge. Through the generosity of Ron Landgrebe of Landgrebe Moving & Storage we have a forty-foot trailer sitting out at the site. We need some help loading the material onto the truck so Ron can have it taken back to his business for storage till we need it for the restoration of the Collier Lodge. I’d like to have a work party next Saturday June 7th at 10:00AM. I don’t think it should take long and KVHS would sincerely appreciate the help. The building is at the NW corner of Grove and Main St. in the center of Wheatfield. Grove St. can be accessed from 49. I sincerely hope that some of you can help us out. Remember, many hands make for little work. I love clichés! Thank you John Garcia and Ron Landgrebe! For those that are willing to help us, please contact me and inform me who and how many.

The Valparaiso University students have finished the video about KVHS and the Collier Lodge restoration. It’s a short video, but is very informative. I’m going to add some other videos that we have about KVHS activities and will make it available for use for some upcoming programs we’re doing. KVHS is scheduled to do talks for the Hebron Historical Society on June 12th and the Lake County Historical Museum on June 28th. Thank you Adam Bibelhauser, Dennis Flack and Paul Montgomery for creating the video and Phillip Powell (their teacher at VU) for allowing us the use of his students. The KVHS video was Adam, Dennis and Paul’s final project for the class and word reached us that the boys received an A for the video. Congratulations boys!

KVHS had our board meeting a few weeks ago and set our 4th annual KVHS picnic for September 14th. Jim Lambert has offered his horse drawn wagon rides again and I’m working on a program at this time. As time gets closer and I have more info I’ll pass it along.

The KVHS board also decided to have a booth at the Kouts Porkfest again this year. Beverley & Gary Overmyer and Mary & I worked it last year and made a lot of great contacts and sold a lot of Ira Fry’s books. It was a very profitable day, both financially and for KVHS public awareness. Being it was just the four of us we really couldn’t see much of the Porkfest ourselves. I’d appreciate it if some of you would help us out. It’s easy and enjoyable, especially with others relieving those that are manning the booth. It’s a one-day event and being held On August 23rd from 8 am to 5pm. Please, inform me of those that are willing to help out.

In the past we’ve had to rely on others to loan us a camcorder to record our events and activities, but its now come time that KVHS has one of its own. We are applying for a grant through the Kankakee Valley REMC for a camcorder, recording equipment (vhs and dvd) and any other necessary software. I’d like for anyone out there that is knowledgeable about such equipment to give us some advice on the pro and cons of the different types and manufactures. I’ve been doing some online research through my Consumer Reports subscription and Cnet, but am always looking for additional knowledgeable opinions. If we don’t receive the grant we will have to scale back our purchases and am always looking for the best prices. I already have some of the components to do video editing, but need to learn more about the hardware and software. Anyone that can help us with any of this, please contact me.

A couple of months ago Mary and I went to a Porter County United Way seminar about posting info on their website. Mary went for her employer and I tagged along for KVHS. I went ahead and set up KVHS on their website and a need for someone to help us revamp our website. Within a week Miranda Marrs contacted me. Mary and I met with Miranda and her husband Bob to discuss the KVHS website. She’s been working on it since then, when she has time. It’s still under construction, but I’m impressed by what she’s done so far. She told me that she was raised in a family that valued volunteerism and she has a strong interest in history. She is working as a reporter for the Valparaiso News, but the more people that are aware of her and her abilities may help advance her career. I’m very impressed on how much Mirada has accomplished at such a young age. I’m going to include her résumé at the end of my newsletter. Thanks Miranda and Bob!

The last thing I want to pass along is our newest book project. Our Ira Fry publications have been very well received and anyone wishing either volume of “The Kankakee River” by Ira Fry please contact me or visit the Kouts Town Hall for a copy. A few weeks ago one of our members brought over the diary of George Wilcox from January 1st 1916 to mid 1917. George Wilcox lived at the intersection of 1050 South and Baum’s Bridge Rd. George was a river guide and caretaker for the “famous” Pittsburgh Clubhouse. I found the diary absolutely fascinating and we’ve begun the process of transposing it and researching additional material about some of the events that George mentions. Not only does George mention some of the “rich and famous” folks that stayed or were members of the Pittsburgh Clubhouse, but also many of the local residents that lived in Kouts/Pleasant Township area. Many of the people I find in the censuses and records of the area are mentioned in George’s diary. We’ve decided to include in the book pictures and short bio’s of the people he mentions. I’m reaching out to anyone on my KVHS newsletter list and am also going to try and have some announcement in The Times and Post-Tribune for any family members that are willing to send us what info and pictures they have or wish to have included in the book. I’ll post a list of the people I’ve come across so far at the end of this newsletter. We’ve also decided family members whose relatives that have had something to do with the Kankakee River and its great history to come forward with what info they have. We will decide what to include and may edit some information down to fit within the framework of the book. We’d like to have the diary for the Porkfest, so please send me your information as soon as possible.

Well, that pretty well brings you up to speed as to where KVHS is at and what plans we have for this year. As new things come up I’ll be sending them out to you.