The following page highlights the Programs, Events and Activities of the Bayfield Heritage Association in 2007 and concludes with the annual Presidents Report.
February 25- Harriet & Vermont Johnson presented a program on the Bayfield Flood of 1942 (* Sadly Harriet & Vermont both passed away in May of 2007)
May - Landscaping and Exhibits enhanced the Heritage Center grounds and Museum
June 2- The Fountain Garden Park Plant Sale was held as a fundraiserJune 9 - BHA participated in the Citywide Yard Sale
June 13 - Lighthouses of the Apostles Program (Bob Mackreth presented the fascinating story of the gems of the Apostle Islands)
June 23-24 - Bayfield Home Tours - Homes large and small, new and old, with and without gardens were open to the public for the two days of this BHA sponsored home tour event.
July 4 - Bayfield's Commercial Fishing Program - This four program all day event, organized by Bob Nelson, opened to standing room only crowds and featured eight of Bayfield's senior fishermen, ranging in age from 60's to 90's discussing their life's experiences on the greatest of the Great Lakes.
July 25 - Haunted Bayfield - On this warm summer night over 70 people came to the air conditioned Heritage Center to hear tales of sightings of monsters and of the super-natural. Virginia Hirsch was the featured speaker and moderated audience participation.
July 28 - Riding the Wind at the Big Top - As one of two organizations which co-commissioned the writing of the original "Riding the Wind" the BHA returned to co-sponsor a Chautauqua performance of the musical history of Bayfield.
August 23 - Cooking with Yvonne - The participants in this Heritage Center event brought home memories of an evening of delicious French Cuisine as well as the recipes and ability to re-create the Appetizer, Soup, Entree and Dessert courses they sampled.
September 15 - Bayfield Heritage Association's 3rd ANNUAL FUND RAISER was held at the HERITAGE CENTER and focused on the beginning of the installation of a semi-permanent exhibit, "THE CAHILL BARBER SHOP" which was a Bayfield Institution for over 50 years. FOOD, WINE, RAFFLE and a LIVE AUCTION with Barbershop music and auctioneer Jerry Phillips resulted in a fun filled evening under the tents. The Heritage Center showed a Barbershop Theme with songs by the "Flambeau Ramblers"
December 8 - An Old Fashioned Christmas Tea, sponsored this year by the Bayfield Heritage Association, was held at the Bayfield Inn on December 8th.
Marilyn Van Sant (left) and Marilyn La Pointe Winterer (right), Co-Chairs of this years event, pin a corsage on Kitty Hartnett, who along with Libby Telford, Lu Eckels and Ruth Radtke, was one of the founders of the traditional Old Fashioned Christmas Tea in Bayfield.
Well over one hundred attendees enjoyed this traditional Bayfield event.
December 11 - The Annual meeting of the Bayfield Heritage Association was held at the Old Rittenhouse Inn on December 11, 2007 with a social hour followed by dinner, a brief business meeting with election of new board members and approval of restated bylaws and Heritage Center Museum Manual for the Association. The Christmas decor of the Inn made the annual meeting especially festive.
Our hosts Jerry and Mary Phillips (pictured below) furnished the entrees
A short business meeting followed the dinner with election of board members, review of the accomplishments of 2007 and a discussion of goals for 2008
December 14 - More than 35 local seniors celebrated Bayfield Christmas memories at the BHA on December 14 at a lunch co-sponsored by the BHA and CORE, a local organization dedicated to helping seniors remain in their homes. Maggie's Restaurant handled the catering, the Rittenhouse Singers sang carols, David Oliver-Holder read Harriet Johnson's story of the Mystic sled, Marilyn Van Sant organized the effort, Marilyn La Pointe Winterer led the cookie round-up and multiple volunteers did wait-person duty. "We have a vibrant senior community in Bayfield. The guests seemed to enjoy themselves, and I know the volunteers had fun," said Shannon Swanstrom, CORE Executive Director.
Mary Rice, pictured on the right above, is the Founder of the CORE organization in Bayfield.
The attendees were entertained by the Rittenhouse Singers during the luncheon.
David Oliver-Holder read Harriet Johnson's story "The Call of the Mystic" which relates the excitement of riding a 35 foot bobsled down Washington Avenue in Bayfield in 1930.
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The 2007 Presidents Report
Jerry Phillips, BHA President
This year has seen great changes for the BHA and the Heritage Center which has experienced a significant increase in visitors. The following are some of our 2007 accomplishments:
• Reorganized Operational Structure under new bylaws with board member involvement on all committees.
• Rejuvenated Heritage Center display areas inside while adding trees and plantings outside. Maintained and improved the Fountain Garden Park and Knight Apple Shed properties.
• A five year Strategic Plan was created with closing of the Gift Shop, instituting a free visitor admission policy for the Heritage Center while recommitting our limited resources to best serve the public.
• A Lectures and Learning series spearheaded by Bob Nelson starting with a February 25th program by Harriet & Vermont Johnson which brought in 90 people during a blizzard and it was followed by a series of programs by Bob Mackreth and Bob Nelson on Lighthouses, Commercial Fishing, Fish Hatchery tours, stories of Mishaps on Lake Superior and Ghost Stories of Bayfield. A class led by Yvonne Moody allowed participants to learn and enjoy the art of French Cooking while benefiting the Heritage Center.
• In 1985 the BHA co-commissioned the writing of “Riding the Wind” and this year we co-sponsored a performance of this Big Top Chautauqua signature program with the Apostle Islands Historical Preservation Conservancy
• Through donations we have modernized our aging office equipment adding three new computers and three new printers including a color duplexing laserjet printer which we are using to produce our newsletters at 1/3 the cost of our previous black and white issues. We published a “Donations Needed ” list in the Summer Edition of the Courier which resulted in the donation of a sound system for our programs and a Security System from Bob Hadland for the Heritage Center building.
• Our volunteer hours have increased markedly to over 4500 so far this year with many volunteers involved in evaluating and documenting our archives and collections which are being computerized by an Apostle Islands Area Community Fund (AIACF) funded archivist. Other volunteers opened and staffed the Heritage Center, staffed the programs and events and maintained the grounds as the “Wednesday Weeders”.
• Visit our new up to date website for a pictorial review of the 2007 events and activities at www.bayfieldheritage.org. Watch for more events in the winter of 2008 on this same site.
• We are a revitalized organization with increased participation by many volunteers and we encourage each and every one of you to join our efforts to preserve and communicate the history of the Bayfield area.
Attendees enjoyed a festive pot luck dinner served in the dining rooms of the Old Rittenhouse Inn which was adorned with Christmas decorations including the beautifully decorated one and one half story Christmas tree in the lobby.